diff --git a/src/chart.js b/src/chart.js
index 2840081..afbd479 100644
--- a/src/chart.js
+++ b/src/chart.js
@@ -4,32 +4,61 @@ angular.module('ui.chart', [])
       restrict: 'EACM',
       template: '<div></div>',
       replace: true,
-      link: function (scope, elem, attrs) {
-        var renderChart = function () {
-          var data = scope.$eval(attrs.uiChart);
-          elem.html('');
-          if (!angular.isArray(data)) {
-            return;
-          }
-
-          var opts = {};
-          if (!angular.isUndefined(attrs.chartOptions)) {
-            opts = scope.$eval(attrs.chartOptions);
-            if (!angular.isObject(opts)) {
+      scope: {
+        data: "=uiChart",
+        opts: "=chartOptions"
+      },
+      controller: ["$scope", "$element", "$attrs", function($scope, $element, $attrs) {
+        $scope.createGraph = function() {
+          if (!angular.isUndefined($attrs.chartOptions)) {
+            if (!angular.isObject($scope.opts)) {
               throw 'Invalid ui.chart options attribute';
             }
           }
-
-          elem.jqplot(data, opts);
+          return $element.jqplot(
+              $scope.data,
+              $scope.opts || {}
+          ).data("jqplot");
+        };
+        $scope.replot = function() {
+          var options = $scope.opts || {};
+          options.data = $scope.data;
+          options.clear = true;
+          $scope.jqplot.replot(options);
+        };
+        $scope.renderChart = function() {
+          if (angular.isArray($scope.data)) {
+            if ($scope.jqplot) {
+              $scope.replot();
+            } else {
+              $scope.jqplot = $scope.createGraph();
+            }
+          } else {
+            if ($scope.jqplot) {
+              $scope.destroy();
+            }
+          }
+        };
+        $scope.assignEventHandlers = function() {
+          $scope.$watch("data", function () {
+            $scope.renderChart();
+          }, true);
+          $scope.$watch("opts", function () {
+            $scope.renderChart();
+          });
+          $element.on("$destroy", function() {
+            $scope.destroy();
+          });
+        };
+        $scope.destroy = function() {
+          if ($scope.jqplot) {
+            $scope.jqplot.destroy();
+            $scope.jqplot = null;
+          }
         };
-
-        scope.$watch(attrs.uiChart, function () {
-          renderChart();
-        }, true);
-
-        scope.$watch(attrs.chartOptions, function () {
-          renderChart();
-        });
+      }],
+      link: function (scope, elem, attrs, ctrl) {
+        scope.assignEventHandlers();
       }
     };
-  });
\ No newline at end of file
+  });
diff --git a/test/chart.spec.js b/test/chart.spec.js
index aac4c4b..c5fb223 100644
--- a/test/chart.spec.js
+++ b/test/chart.spec.js
@@ -130,4 +130,4 @@ describe('uiChart Directive', function  () {
     expect(element.html()).toBe('');
     expect(element[0].children.length).toBe(0);
   });
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});