diff --git a/lib/dust.js b/lib/dust.js
index 1d31a6e3..c354ae3d 100644
--- a/lib/dust.js
+++ b/lib/dust.js
@@ -235,6 +235,16 @@
       }
     }
     return true;
+
+  /**
+   * Decide somewhat-naively if something is a Thenable.
+   * @param elem {*} object to inspect
+   * @return {Boolean} is `elem` a Thenable?
+   */
+  dust.isThenable = function(elem) {
+    return elem &&
+           typeof elem === 'object' &&
+           typeof elem.then === 'function';
   };
 
   // apply the filter chain and return the output string
@@ -655,13 +665,15 @@
   Chunk.prototype.reference = function(elem, context, auto, filters) {
     if (typeof elem === 'function') {
       // Changed the function calling to use apply with the current context to make sure
-      // that "this" is wat we expect it to be inside the function
+      // that `this` is what we expect it to be inside the function
       elem = elem.apply(context.current(), [this, context, null, {auto: auto, filters: filters}]);
       if (elem instanceof Chunk) {
         return elem;
       }
     }
-    if (!dust.isEmpty(elem)) {
+    if (dust.isThenable(elem)) {
+      return this.await(elem, context);
+    } else if (!dust.isEmpty(elem)) {
       return this.write(dust.filter(elem, auto, filters));
     } else {
       return this;
@@ -722,7 +734,9 @@
           return skip(this, context);
         }
       }
-    } else if (elem  === true) {
+    } else if (dust.isThenable(elem)) {
+      return this.await(elem, context, bodies);
+    } else if (elem === true) {
      // true is truthy but does not change context
       if (body) {
         return body(this, context);
@@ -825,6 +839,34 @@
     }
   };
 
+  /**
+   * Reserve a chunk to be evaluated once a thenable is resolved or rejected
+   * @param thenable {Thenable} the target thenable to await
+   * @param context {Context} context to use to render the deferred chunk
+   * @param bodies {Object} must contain a "body", may contain an "error"
+   * @return {Chunk}
+   */
+  Chunk.prototype.await = function(thenable, context, bodies) {
+    var body = bodies && bodies.block,
+        errorBody = bodies && bodies.error;
+    return this.map(function(chunk) {
+      thenable.then(function(data) {
+        if(body) {
+          chunk.render(body, context.push(data)).end();
+        } else {
+          chunk.end(data);
+        }
+      }, function(err) {
+        if(errorBody) {
+          chunk.render(errorBody, context.push(err)).end();
+        } else {
+          dust.log('Unhandled promise rejection in `' + context.getTemplateName() + '`');
+          chunk.end();
+        }
+      });
+    });
+  };
+
   Chunk.prototype.capture = function(body, context, callback) {
     return this.map(function(chunk) {
       var stub = new Stub(function(err, out) {
diff --git a/test/core.js b/test/core.js
index 9922c51f..28748f5c 100644
--- a/test/core.js
+++ b/test/core.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 exports.coreSetup = function(suite, auto) {
   auto.forEach(function(test) {
     suite.test(test.name, function(){
-      testRender(this, test.source, test.context, test.expected, test.options, test.base, test.error || {}, test.log, test.config);
+      testRender(this, test.source, test.context, test.expected, test.options, test.base, test.error, test.log, test.config);
     });
   });
 
@@ -153,7 +153,11 @@ function testRender(unit, source, context, expected, options, baseContext, error
      }
      dust.render(name, context, function(err, output) {
       var log = dust.logQueue;
-       unit.ifError(err);
+       if(error) {
+        unit.contains(error, err.message || err);
+       } else {
+        unit.ifError(err);
+       }
        if(logMessage) {
         for(var i=0; i<log.length; i++) {
           if(log[i].message === logMessage) {
diff --git a/test/jasmine-test/spec/coreTests.js b/test/jasmine-test/spec/coreTests.js
index 11b09b76..dcfed152 100755
--- a/test/jasmine-test/spec/coreTests.js
+++ b/test/jasmine-test/spec/coreTests.js
@@ -1,3 +1,27 @@
+/**
+ * A naive fake-Promise that simply waits for callbacks
+ * to be bound by calling `.then` and then invokes
+ * one of the callbacks asynchronously.
+ * @param err {*} Invokes the `error` callback with this value
+ * @param data {*} Invokes the `success` callback with this value, if `err` is not set
+ * @return {Object} a fake Promise with a `then` method
+ */
+function FakePromise(err, data) {
+  function then(success, failure) {
+	setTimeout(function() {
+	  if(err) {
+		failure(err);
+	  } else {
+		success(data);
+	  }
+	}, 0);
+  }
+
+  return {
+	"then": then
+  };
+}
+
 var coreTests = [
 /**
  * CORE TESTS
@@ -747,8 +771,43 @@ var coreTests = [
         context:  { foo: {bar: "Hello!"} },
         expected: "Hello!",
         message: "should test an object path"
-      }
-    ]
+      },
+	  {
+		name:     "thenable reference",
+		source:   "Eventually {magic}!",
+		context:  { "magic": new FakePromise(null, "magic") },
+		expected: "Eventually magic!",
+		message: "should reserve an async chunk for a thenable reference"
+	  },
+	  {
+		name:     "thenable section",
+		source:   "{#promise}Eventually {magic}!{/promise}",
+		context:  { "promise": new FakePromise(null, {"magic": "magic"}) },
+		expected: "Eventually magic!",
+		message: "should reserve an async section for a thenable"
+	  },
+	  {
+		name:     "thenable section from function",
+		source:   "{#promise}Eventually {magic}!{/promise}",
+		context:  { "promise": function() { return new FakePromise(null, {"magic": "magic"}); } },
+		expected: "Eventually magic!",
+		message: "should reserve an async section for a thenable returned from a function"
+	  },
+	  {
+		name:     "thenable error",
+		source:   "{promise}",
+		context:  { "promise": new FakePromise("promise error") },
+		log: "Unhandled promise rejection in `thenable error`",
+		message: "rejected thenable reference logs"
+	  },
+	  {
+		name:     "thenable error with error block",
+		source:   "{#promise}No magic{:error}{message}{/promise}",
+		context:  { "promise": new FakePromise(new Error("promise error")) },
+		expected: "promise error",
+		message: "rejected thenable renders error block"
+	  }
+	]
   },
 /**
  * CONDITINOAL TESTS
diff --git a/test/jasmine-test/spec/renderTestSpec.js b/test/jasmine-test/spec/renderTestSpec.js
index 23522930..37834a28 100644
--- a/test/jasmine-test/spec/renderTestSpec.js
+++ b/test/jasmine-test/spec/renderTestSpec.js
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ describe ('Test the basic functionality of dust', function() {
 });
 
 function render(test) {
-  var messageInLog = false;
   return function() {
+    var messageInLog = false;
     var context;
     try {
       dust.isDebug = !!(test.error || test.log);