diff --git a/widget_tweaks/templatetags/widget_tweaks.py b/widget_tweaks/templatetags/widget_tweaks.py
index 2ae0bbd..096250a 100644
--- a/widget_tweaks/templatetags/widget_tweaks.py
+++ b/widget_tweaks/templatetags/widget_tweaks.py
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 import re
 import types
+import django
 from django.template import Library, Node, Variable, TemplateSyntaxError
+from django.utils.safestring import mark_safe
+
 register = Library()
 
 
+BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY = django.VERSION[:2] < (1, 8)
+
+
 def silence_without_field(fn):
     def wrapped(field, attr):
         if not field:
@@ -17,7 +23,9 @@ def _process_field_attributes(field, attr, process):
     # split attribute name and value from 'attr:value' string
     params = attr.split(':', 1)
     attribute = params[0]
-    value = params[1] if len(params) == 2 else ''
+    value = params[1] if len(params) == 2 else True
+    if BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY and value is True:
+        value = '__BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY__'
 
     # decorate field.as_widget method with updated attributes
     old_as_widget = field.as_widget
@@ -26,6 +34,8 @@ def as_widget(self, widget=None, attrs=None, only_initial=False):
         attrs = attrs or {}
         process(widget or self.field.widget, attrs, attribute, value)
         html = old_as_widget(widget, attrs, only_initial)
+        if BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY:
+            html = mark_safe(html.replace('="__BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY__"', ''))
         self.as_widget = old_as_widget
         return html
 
diff --git a/widget_tweaks/tests.py b/widget_tweaks/tests.py
index 454064a..402e90b 100644
--- a/widget_tweaks/tests.py
+++ b/widget_tweaks/tests.py
@@ -330,3 +330,18 @@ class RenderFieldFilter_field_type_widget_type_Test(TestCase):
     def test_field_type_widget_type_rendering_simple(self):
         res = render_form('<div class="{{ form.simple|field_type }} {{ form.simple|widget_type }} {{ form.simple.html_name }}">{{ form.simple }}</div>')
         assertIn('class="charfield textinput simple"', res)
+
+
+class RenderFieldTagNonValueAttribute(TestCase):
+    def test_field_non_value(self):
+        res = render_form("{{ form.simple|attr:'required' }}", form=MyForm({}))
+        assertIn('required', res)
+        assertNotIn('required=', res)
+
+    def test_field_empty_value(self):
+        res = render_form("{{ form.simple|attr:'required:' }}", form=MyForm({}))
+        assertIn('required=""', res)
+
+    def test_field_other_value(self):
+        res = render_form("{{ form.simple|attr:'required:spam' }}", form=MyForm({}))
+        assertIn('required="spam"', res)