diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/ActionContext.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/ActionContext.cs
index b76135615c..c44b071fe1 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/ActionContext.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/ActionContext.cs
@@ -12,6 +12,17 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
     /// </summary>
     public class ActionContext
     {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Creates a empty <see cref="ActionContext"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// The default constructor is provided for unit test purposes only.
+        /// </remarks>
+        public ActionContext()
+        {
+            ModelState = new ModelStateDictionary();
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Creates a new <see cref="ActionContext"/>.
         /// </summary>
@@ -56,23 +67,44 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Gets the <see cref="Mvc.ActionDescriptor"/> for the selected action.
+        /// Gets or sets the <see cref="Mvc.ActionDescriptor"/> for the selected action.
         /// </summary>
-        public ActionDescriptor ActionDescriptor { get; }
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// The property setter is provided for unit test purposes only.
+        /// </remarks>
+        public ActionDescriptor ActionDescriptor
+        {
+            get; set;
+        }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Gets the <see cref="Http.HttpContext"/> for the current request.
+        /// Gets or sets the <see cref="Http.HttpContext"/> for the current request.
         /// </summary>
-        public HttpContext HttpContext { get; }
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// The property setter is provided for unit test purposes only.
+        /// </remarks>
+        public HttpContext HttpContext
+        {
+            get; set;
+        }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets the <see cref="ModelStateDictionary"/>.
         /// </summary>
-        public ModelStateDictionary ModelState { get; }
+        public ModelStateDictionary ModelState
+        {
+            get;
+        }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Gets the <see cref="AspNet.Routing.RouteData"/> for the current request.
+        /// Gets or sets the <see cref="AspNet.Routing.RouteData"/> for the current request.
         /// </summary>
-        public RouteData RouteData { get; }
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// The property setter is provided for unit test purposes only.
+        /// </remarks>
+        public RouteData RouteData
+        {
+            get; set;
+        }
     }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Controller.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Controller.cs
index 3220131163..4350b2fb62 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Controller.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Controller.cs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
     {
         private DynamicViewData _viewBag;
         private ViewDataDictionary _viewData;
+        private ActionContext _actionContext;
 
         public IServiceProvider Resolver
         {
@@ -69,8 +70,32 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             }
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the <see cref="Mvc.ActionContext"/> object.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// <see cref="IControllerActivator"/> activates this property while activating controllers. If user codes
+        /// directly instantiate controllers, the getter returns an empty <see cref="Mvc.ActionContext"/>.
+        /// </remarks>
         [Activate]
-        public ActionContext ActionContext { get; set; }
+        public ActionContext ActionContext
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                // This should run only for the controller unit test scenarios
+                _actionContext = _actionContext ?? new ActionContext();
+                return _actionContext;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                if (value == null)
+                {
+                    throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(value));
+                }
+
+                _actionContext = value;
+            }
+        }
 
         [Activate]
         public ActionBindingContext BindingContext { get; set; }
@@ -822,7 +847,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using values from the controller's current 
+        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using values from the controller's current
         /// <see cref="IValueProvider"/> and a <paramref name="prefix"/>.
         /// </summary>
         /// <typeparam name="TModel">The type of the model object.</typeparam>
@@ -847,7 +872,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using the <paramref name="valueProvider"/> and a 
+        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using the <paramref name="valueProvider"/> and a
         /// <paramref name="prefix"/>.
         /// </summary>
         /// <typeparam name="TModel">The type of the model object.</typeparam>
@@ -882,14 +907,14 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using values from the controller's current 
+        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using values from the controller's current
         /// <see cref="IValueProvider"/> and a <paramref name="prefix"/>.
         /// </summary>
         /// <typeparam name="TModel">The type of the model object.</typeparam>
         /// <param name="model">The model instance to update.</param>
         /// <param name="prefix">The prefix to use when looking up values in the current <see cref="IValueProvider"/>.
         /// </param>
-        /// <param name="includeExpressions"> <see cref="Expression"/>(s) which represent top-level properties 
+        /// <param name="includeExpressions"> <see cref="Expression"/>(s) which represent top-level properties
         /// which need to be included for the current model.</param>
         /// <returns>A <see cref="Task"/> that on completion returns <c>true</c> if the update is successful</returns>
         [NonAction]
@@ -920,7 +945,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using values from the controller's current 
+        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using values from the controller's current
         /// <see cref="IValueProvider"/> and a <paramref name="prefix"/>.
         /// </summary>
         /// <typeparam name="TModel">The type of the model object.</typeparam>
@@ -957,7 +982,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using the <paramref name="valueProvider"/> and a 
+        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using the <paramref name="valueProvider"/> and a
         /// <paramref name="prefix"/>.
         /// </summary>
         /// <typeparam name="TModel">The type of the model object.</typeparam>
@@ -965,7 +990,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         /// <param name="prefix">The prefix to use when looking up values in the <paramref name="valueProvider"/>
         /// </param>
         /// <param name="valueProvider">The <see cref="IValueProvider"/> used for looking up values.</param>
-        /// <param name="includeExpressions"> <see cref="Expression"/>(s) which represent top-level properties 
+        /// <param name="includeExpressions"> <see cref="Expression"/>(s) which represent top-level properties
         /// which need to be included for the current model.</param>
         /// <returns>A <see cref="Task"/> that on completion returns <c>true</c> if the update is successful</returns>
         [NonAction]
@@ -997,7 +1022,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using the <paramref name="valueProvider"/> and a 
+        /// Updates the specified <paramref name="model"/> instance using the <paramref name="valueProvider"/> and a
         /// <paramref name="prefix"/>.
         /// </summary>
         /// <typeparam name="TModel">The type of the model object.</typeparam>
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/ControllerTests.cs b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/ControllerTests.cs
index 70145c2af7..88e8dbfd2e 100644
--- a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/ControllerTests.cs
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/ControllerTests.cs
@@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Test
             var binder = new Mock<IModelBinder>();
             var controller = GetController(binder.Object, provider: null);
             controller.BindingContext.ValidatorProvider = provider.Object;
-            
+
             // Act
             var result = controller.TryValidateModel(model, "Prefix");
 
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/ControllerUnitTestabilityTests.cs b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/ControllerUnitTestabilityTests.cs
index ad2aee496f..409045d2cf 100644
--- a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/ControllerUnitTestabilityTests.cs
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/ControllerUnitTestabilityTests.cs
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Text;
+using Microsoft.AspNet.Http;
+using Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.ModelBinding;
+using Microsoft.AspNet.Routing;
 using Microsoft.AspNet.WebUtilities;
+using Moq;
 using Xunit;
 
 namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
@@ -424,6 +428,83 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             Assert.Throws<ArgumentException>(() => controller.Redirect_Action(null));
         }
 
+        [Fact]
+        public void ControllerActionContext_ReturnsNotNull()
+        {
+            // Arrange && Act
+            var controller = new TestabilityController();
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.NotNull(controller.ActionContext);
+            Assert.NotNull(controller.ActionContext.ModelState);
+            Assert.Null(controller.ActionContext.ActionDescriptor);
+            Assert.Null(controller.ActionContext.HttpContext);
+            Assert.Null(controller.ActionContext.RouteData);
+        }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public void ActionContextDefaultConstructor_CanBeUsedForControllerActionContext()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var actionContext = new ActionContext();
+            var controller = new TestabilityController();
+
+            // Act
+            controller.ActionContext = actionContext;
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.Equal(actionContext.HttpContext, controller.Context);
+            Assert.Equal(actionContext.RouteData, controller.RouteData);
+            Assert.Equal(actionContext.ModelState, controller.ModelState);
+        }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public void ActionContextSetters_CanBeUsedWithControllerActionContext()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var actionDescriptor = new Mock<ActionDescriptor>();
+            var httpContext = new Mock<HttpContext>();
+            var routeData = new Mock<RouteData>();
+
+            var actionContext = new ActionContext()
+            {
+                ActionDescriptor = actionDescriptor.Object,
+                HttpContext = httpContext.Object,
+                RouteData = routeData.Object,
+            };
+
+            var controller = new TestabilityController();
+
+            // Act
+            controller.ActionContext = actionContext;
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.Equal(httpContext.Object, controller.Context);
+            Assert.Equal(routeData.Object, controller.RouteData);
+            Assert.Equal(actionContext.ModelState, controller.ModelState);
+            Assert.Equal(actionDescriptor.Object, actionContext.ActionDescriptor);
+        }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public void ActionContextModelState_ShouldBeSameAsViewDataAndControllerModelState()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var actionContext = new ActionContext();
+            var controller1 = new Controller();
+            var controller2 = new Controller();
+
+            // Act
+            controller2.ActionContext = actionContext;
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.Equal(controller1.ModelState, controller1.ActionContext.ModelState);
+            Assert.Equal(controller1.ModelState, controller1.ViewData.ModelState);
+
+            Assert.Equal(actionContext.ModelState, controller2.ModelState);
+            Assert.Equal(actionContext.ModelState, controller2.ActionContext.ModelState);
+            Assert.Equal(actionContext.ModelState, controller2.ViewData.ModelState);
+        }
+
         public static IEnumerable<object[]> TestabilityViewTestData
         {
             get