diff --git a/platform/commonUI/general/bundle.js b/platform/commonUI/general/bundle.js
index 1ec3c5a1f4c..15ea3076a62 100644
--- a/platform/commonUI/general/bundle.js
+++ b/platform/commonUI/general/bundle.js
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ define([
                 {
                     "key": "mctTree",
                     "implementation": MCTTree,
-                    "depends": ['$parse', 'gestureService']
+                    "depends": ['gestureService']
                 }
             ],
             "constants": [
diff --git a/platform/commonUI/general/src/directives/MCTTree.js b/platform/commonUI/general/src/directives/MCTTree.js
index bb3bb3439e5..987b733ba6b 100644
--- a/platform/commonUI/general/src/directives/MCTTree.js
+++ b/platform/commonUI/general/src/directives/MCTTree.js
@@ -24,20 +24,17 @@ define([
     'angular',
     '../ui/TreeView'
 ], function (angular, TreeView) {
-    function MCTTree($parse, gestureService) {
-        function link(scope, element, attrs) {
+    function MCTTree(gestureService) {
+        function link(scope, element) {
             var treeView = new TreeView(gestureService),
-                expr = $parse(attrs.mctModel),
                 unobserve = treeView.observe(function (domainObject) {
-                    if (domainObject !== expr(scope.$parent)) {
-                        expr.assign(scope.$parent, domainObject);
-                        scope.$apply();
-                    }
+                    scope.mctModel = domainObject;
+                    scope.$apply();
                 });
 
             element.append(angular.element(treeView.elements()));
 
-            scope.$parent.$watch(attrs.mctModel, treeView.value.bind(treeView));
+            scope.$watch('mctModel', treeView.value.bind(treeView));
             scope.$watch('mctObject', treeView.model.bind(treeView));
             scope.$on('$destroy', unobserve);
         }
@@ -45,7 +42,7 @@ define([
         return {
             restrict: "E",
             link: link,
-            scope: { mctObject: "=" }
+            scope: { mctObject: "=", mctModel: "=" }
         };
     }
 
diff --git a/platform/commonUI/general/test/directives/MCTTreeSpec.js b/platform/commonUI/general/test/directives/MCTTreeSpec.js
index 11921c26251..0cc64949c2d 100644
--- a/platform/commonUI/general/test/directives/MCTTreeSpec.js
+++ b/platform/commonUI/general/test/directives/MCTTreeSpec.js
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ define([
             expect(mctTree.restrict).toEqual("E");
         });
 
-        it("two-way binds to mctObject", function () {
-            expect(mctTree.scope).toEqual({ mctObject: "=" });
+        it("two-way binds to mctObject and mctModel", function () {
+            expect(mctTree.scope).toEqual({ mctObject: "=", mctModel: "=" });
         });
 
         describe("link", function () {
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ define([
             });
 
             it("watches for mct-model's expression in the parent", function () {
-                expect(mockScope.$parent.$watch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-                    testAttrs.mctModel,
+                expect(mockScope.$watch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                    "mctModel",
                     jasmine.any(Function)
                 );
             });