validationState always notifies.

spec/validation-element-spec.js

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ describe('Validation message element', function () {
 
   beforeEach(function () {
     viewModel = {
-      firstName: ko.observable('').extend({ 'required': ['First Name'] })
+      firstName: ko.observable('').extend({ 'required': ['First Name'], 'length': ['First Name', 10] })
     };
   });
 
@@ -40,6 +40,16 @@ describe('Validation message element', function () {
       expect(validationElement).toHaveClass('validation-message');
       expect(validationElement).toHaveClass('validation-fixed');
     });
+
+    it('updates the element text when the validation message changes but the state does not', function () {
+      var validationElement;
+
+      $('#firstName').val('').trigger('change');
+      $('#firstName').val('Extra Long Name That Should Not Be Valid').trigger('change');
+
+      validationElement = $($('#parent').children()[1]);
+      expect(validationElement.text()).toBe('First Name cannot be longer than 10 characters.');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('when a custom validation element is specified', function() {

src/ko-validation.js

@@ -67,7 +67,11 @@ ko.validation.registerValidator = function (name, validatorFactory) {
 
     if (isFirstValidatorForObservable) {
       observable.__validators__ = [];
-      observable.validationState = ko.observable(ko.validation.validationStates.PRISTINE);
+      observable.validationState = ko.observable(
+        ko.validation.validationStates.PRISTINE
+      ).extend({
+        'notify': 'always'
+      });
       observable.validationMessage = ko.observable('');
       observable.validate = function () {
         ko.validation.utils.runValidations(observable);