diff --git a/src/Markup/Avalonia.Markup.Xaml/Data/Binding.cs b/src/Markup/Avalonia.Markup.Xaml/Data/Binding.cs
index 9c6556b809..56882ddcbe 100644
--- a/src/Markup/Avalonia.Markup.Xaml/Data/Binding.cs
+++ b/src/Markup/Avalonia.Markup.Xaml/Data/Binding.cs
@@ -27,10 +27,12 @@ namespace Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.Data
         /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="Binding"/> class.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="path">The binding path.</param>
-        public Binding(string path)
+        /// <param name="mode">The binding mode.</param>
+        public Binding(string path, BindingMode mode = BindingMode.Default)
             : this()
         {
             Path = path;
+            Mode = mode;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/tests/Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests/Data/BindingTests_Validation.cs b/tests/Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests/Data/BindingTests_Validation.cs
index f128a67839..8759cb42c5 100644
--- a/tests/Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests/Data/BindingTests_Validation.cs
+++ b/tests/Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests/Data/BindingTests_Validation.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
 using Avalonia.Controls;
 using Avalonia.Data;
 using Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.Data;
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests.Data
         }
 
         [Fact]
-        public void Validated_Property_Receives_BindingNotifications()
+        public void Validated_Direct_Property_Receives_BindingNotifications()
         {
             var source = new ValidationTestModel { MustBePositive = 5 };
             var target = new TestControl
@@ -33,119 +34,25 @@ namespace Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests.Data
                 DataContext = source,
             };
 
-            target.Bind(TestControl.ValidatedProperty, new Binding(nameof(source.MustBePositive)));
-            source.MustBePositive = 6;
+            target.Bind(
+                TestControl.ValidatedDirectProperty,
+                new Binding(nameof(source.MustBePositive), BindingMode.TwoWay));
+
+            target.ValidatedDirect = 6;
+            target.ValidatedDirect = -1;
+            target.ValidatedDirect = 7;
 
             Assert.Equal(
                 new[]
                 {
                     new BindingNotification(5),
-                    new BindingNotification(new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("value"), BindingErrorType.DataValidationError),
                     new BindingNotification(6),
+                    new BindingNotification(new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("value"), BindingErrorType.DataValidationError),
+                    new BindingNotification(7),
                 },
-                target.Notifications);
+                target.Notifications.AsEnumerable());
         }
 
-        //[Fact]
-        //public void Disabled_Validation_Should_Trigger_Validation_Change_On_Exception()
-        //{
-        //    var source = new ValidationTestModel { MustBePositive = 5 };
-        //    var target = new TestControl { DataContext = source };
-        //    var binding = new Binding
-        //    {
-        //        Path = nameof(source.MustBePositive),
-        //        Mode = BindingMode.TwoWay,
-
-        //        // Even though EnableValidation = false, exception validation is enabled.
-        //        EnableValidation = false,
-        //    };
-
-        //    target.Bind(TestControl.ValidationTestProperty, binding);
-
-        //    target.ValidationTest = -5;
-
-        //    Assert.True(false);
-        //    //Assert.False(target.ValidationStatus.IsValid);
-        //}
-
-        //[Fact]
-        //public void Enabled_Validation_Should_Trigger_Validation_Change_On_Exception()
-        //{
-        //    var source = new ValidationTestModel { MustBePositive = 5 };
-        //    var target = new TestControl { DataContext = source };
-        //    var binding = new Binding
-        //    {
-        //        Path = nameof(source.MustBePositive),
-        //        Mode = BindingMode.TwoWay,
-        //        EnableValidation = true,
-        //    };
-
-        //    target.Bind(TestControl.ValidationTestProperty, binding);
-
-        //    target.ValidationTest = -5;
-        //    Assert.True(false);
-        //    //Assert.False(target.ValidationStatus.IsValid);
-        //}
-
-
-        //[Fact]
-        //public void Passed_Validation_Should_Not_Add_Invalid_Pseudo_Class()
-        //{
-        //    var control = new TestControl();
-        //    var model = new ValidationTestModel { MustBePositive = 1 };
-        //    var binding = new Binding
-        //    {
-        //        Path = nameof(model.MustBePositive),
-        //        Mode = BindingMode.TwoWay,
-        //        EnableValidation = true,
-        //    };
-
-        //    control.Bind(TestControl.ValidationTestProperty, binding);
-        //    control.DataContext = model;
-        //    Assert.DoesNotContain(control.Classes, x => x == ":invalid");
-        //}
-
-        //[Fact]
-        //public void Failed_Validation_Should_Add_Invalid_Pseudo_Class()
-        //{
-        //    var control = new TestControl();
-        //    var model = new ValidationTestModel { MustBePositive = 1 };
-        //    var binding = new Binding
-        //    {
-        //        Path = nameof(model.MustBePositive),
-        //        Mode = BindingMode.TwoWay,
-        //        EnableValidation = true,
-        //    };
-
-        //    control.Bind(TestControl.ValidationTestProperty, binding);
-        //    control.DataContext = model;
-        //    control.ValidationTest = -5;
-        //    Assert.Contains(control.Classes, x => x == ":invalid");
-        //}
-
-        //[Fact]
-        //public void Failed_Then_Passed_Validation_Should_Remove_Invalid_Pseudo_Class()
-        //{
-        //    var control = new TestControl();
-        //    var model = new ValidationTestModel { MustBePositive = 1 };
-
-        //    var binding = new Binding
-        //    {
-        //        Path = nameof(model.MustBePositive),
-        //        Mode = BindingMode.TwoWay,
-        //        EnableValidation = true,
-        //    };
-
-        //    control.Bind(TestControl.ValidationTestProperty, binding);
-        //    control.DataContext = model;
-
-
-        //    control.ValidationTest = -5;
-        //    Assert.Contains(control.Classes, x => x == ":invalid");
-        //    control.ValidationTest = 5;
-        //    Assert.DoesNotContain(control.Classes, x => x == ":invalid");
-        //}
-
         private class TestControl : Control
         {
             public static readonly StyledProperty<int> NonValidatedProperty =
@@ -158,6 +65,15 @@ namespace Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests.Data
                     nameof(Validated),
                     enableDataValidation: true);
 
+            public static readonly DirectProperty<TestControl, int> ValidatedDirectProperty =
+                AvaloniaProperty.RegisterDirect<TestControl, int>(
+                    nameof(Validated),
+                    o => o.ValidatedDirect,
+                    (o, v) => o.ValidatedDirect = v,
+                    enableDataValidation: true);
+
+            private int _direct;
+
             public int NonValidated
             {
                 get { return GetValue(NonValidatedProperty); }
@@ -170,6 +86,12 @@ namespace Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests.Data
                 set { SetValue(ValidatedProperty, value); }
             }
 
+            public int ValidatedDirect
+            {
+                get { return _direct; }
+                set { SetAndRaise(ValidatedDirectProperty, ref _direct, value); }
+            }
+
             public IList<BindingNotification> Notifications { get; } = new List<BindingNotification>();
 
             protected override void BindingNotificationReceived(AvaloniaProperty property, BindingNotification notification)
@@ -180,11 +102,11 @@ namespace Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests.Data
         
         private class ValidationTestModel : NotifyingBase
         {
-            private int mustBePositive;
+            private int _mustBePositive;
 
             public int MustBePositive
             {
-                get { return mustBePositive; }
+                get { return _mustBePositive; }
                 set
                 {
                     if (value <= 0)
@@ -192,8 +114,11 @@ namespace Avalonia.Markup.Xaml.UnitTests.Data
                         throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(nameof(value));
                     }
 
-                    mustBePositive = value;
-                    RaisePropertyChanged();
+                    if (_mustBePositive != value)
+                    {
+                        _mustBePositive = value;
+                        RaisePropertyChanged();
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }