diff --git a/stdlib/ktSrc/JavaUtilMap.kt b/stdlib/ktSrc/JavaUtilMap.kt
index b2749cb3060..3125f3b4d4c 100644
--- a/stdlib/ktSrc/JavaUtilMap.kt
+++ b/stdlib/ktSrc/JavaUtilMap.kt
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ val JMap<*,*>.size : Int
 val JMap<*,*>.empty : Boolean
     get() = isEmpty()
 
+/** Provides [] access to maps */
+fun <K, V> JMap<K, V>.set(key : K, value : V) = this.put(key, value)
+
 /** Returns the key of the entry */
 val <K,V> JEntry<K,V>.key : K
     get() = getKey()
diff --git a/templatelib/src/TemplateHtml.kt b/templatelib/src/TemplateHtml.kt
index 955070382ea..39323d78b90 100644
--- a/templatelib/src/TemplateHtml.kt
+++ b/templatelib/src/TemplateHtml.kt
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ class Body() : BodyTag("body") {
   fun a(href : String, init : A.()-> Unit) {
     val a = initTag(init)
     a.href = href
-    a.attributes.put("href", href)
   }
 }
 
@@ -146,15 +145,11 @@ class A() : BodyTag("a") {
     override fun create() = A()
   }
 
-  var href: String? = null
-  /*
-    TODO this doesn't compile
-    see http://youtrack.jetbrains.net/issue/KT-866
-
-    var href : String
-      get() = attributes["href"]
-      set(value) { attributes["href"] = value }
-  */
+  var href : String
+    get() = attributes["href"]
+    set(value) {
+      attributes["href"] = value
+    }
 }
 
 fun body(init: Body.()-> Unit): Body {
diff --git a/testlib/test/MapTest.kt b/testlib/test/MapTest.kt
index a22eb122026..6589210d337 100644
--- a/testlib/test/MapTest.kt
+++ b/testlib/test/MapTest.kt
@@ -36,4 +36,17 @@ class MapTest() : TestSupport() {
 
     assertEquals(data.size, 0)
   }
+
+  fun testSetViaIndexOperators() {
+    // TODO cant just create a HashMap due to KT-834
+    val map: Map<String,String> = HashMap<String, String>()
+    assert{ map.empty }
+    assertEquals(map.size, 0)
+
+    map["name"] = "James"
+
+    assert{ !map.empty }
+    assertEquals(map.size, 1)
+    assertEquals("James", map["name"])
+  }
 }
\ No newline at end of file