diff --git a/common/models/role.js b/common/models/role.js
index b8c1242d..c4e7e8b3 100644
--- a/common/models/role.js
+++ b/common/models/role.js
@@ -128,8 +128,9 @@ module.exports = function(Role) {
   /**
    * Add custom handler for roles.
    * @param {String} role Name of role.
-   * @param {Function} resolver Function that determines if a principal is in the specified role.
-   * Signature must be `function(role, context, callback)`
+   * @param {Function} resolver Function that determines
+   * if a principal is in the specified role.
+   * Should provide a callback or return a promise.
    */
   Role.registerResolver = function(role, resolver) {
     if (!Role.resolvers) {
@@ -295,7 +296,14 @@ module.exports = function(Role) {
     var resolver = Role.resolvers[role];
     if (resolver) {
       debug('Custom resolver found for role %s', role);
-      resolver(role, context, callback);
+
+      var promise = resolver(role, context, callback);
+      if (promise && typeof promise.then === 'function') {
+        promise.then(
+          function(result) { callback(null, result); },
+          callback
+        );
+      }
       return;
     }
 
diff --git a/test/role.test.js b/test/role.test.js
index 0c98fbce..50a5e032 100644
--- a/test/role.test.js
+++ b/test/role.test.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ var Application = loopback.Application;
 var ACL = loopback.ACL;
 var async = require('async');
 var expect = require('chai').expect;
+var Promise = require('bluebird');
 
 function checkResult(err, result) {
   assert(!err);
@@ -181,6 +182,13 @@ describe('role model', function() {
   });
 
   it('should support owner role resolver', function() {
+    Role.registerResolver('returnPromise', function(role, context) {
+      return new Promise(function(resolve) {
+        process.nextTick(function() {
+          resolve(true);
+        });
+      });
+    });
 
     var Album = ds.createModel('Album', {
       name: String,
@@ -196,10 +204,18 @@ describe('role model', function() {
     });
 
     User.create({name: 'Raymond', email: 'x@y.com', password: 'foobar'}, function(err, user) {
-      Role.isInRole(Role.AUTHENTICATED, {principalType: ACL.USER, principalId: user.id}, function(err, yes) {
+      Role.isInRole('returnPromise', { principalType: ACL.USER, principalId: user.id },
+      function(err, yes) {
         assert(!err && yes);
       });
-      Role.isInRole(Role.AUTHENTICATED, {principalType: ACL.USER, principalId: null}, function(err, yes) {
+
+      Role.isInRole(Role.AUTHENTICATED, { principalType: ACL.USER, principalId: user.id },
+      function(err, yes) {
+        assert(!err && yes);
+      });
+
+      Role.isInRole(Role.AUTHENTICATED, { principalType: ACL.USER, principalId: null },
+      function(err, yes) {
         assert(!err && !yes);
       });