diff --git a/mithril.js b/mithril.js
index 380aefa8..e4a8dc67 100644
--- a/mithril.js
+++ b/mithril.js
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
 			} else if (match[3][0] === "[") {
 				var attrValue = match[6]
 				if (attrValue) attrValue = attrValue.replace(/\\(["'])/g, "$1")
-				cell.attrs[match[4]] = attrValue || ""
+				cell.attrs[match[4]] = attrValue || true
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/test/mithril.js b/test/mithril.js
index b0ddeb2d..88111f51 100644
--- a/test/mithril.js
+++ b/test/mithril.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ describe("m()", function () {
 	})
 
 	it("sets attr without a value as an empty string", function () {
-		expect(m("[empty]")).to.have.deep.property("attrs.empty", "")
+		expect(m("[empty]")).to.have.deep.property("attrs.empty", true)
 	})
 
 	it("sets correct single quoted attr", function () {
@@ -48,9 +48,6 @@ describe("m()", function () {
 	it("sets correct double quoted attr", function () {
 		expect(m("[title=\"bar\"]")).to.have.deep.property("attrs.title", "bar")
 	})
-	it("sets pattern attr", function () {
-		expect(m("[pattern=\"[a-zA-Z0-9]{56}\"]")).to.have.deep.property("attrs.pattern", "[a-zA-Z0-9]{56}")
-	})
 
 	it("sets correct children with 1 string arg", function () {
 		expect(m("div", "test"))