diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7149c5b2d..10c7f4ead 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ And, here is the corresponding Marko template for the UI component:
     <div>
         You clicked the button ${data.clickCount} ${data.timesMessage}.
     </div>
-    <button type="button" w-onclick="handleButtonClick">
+    <button type="button" onClick("handleButtonClick")>
         Click Me
     </button>
 </div>
diff --git a/compiler/Builder.js b/compiler/Builder.js
index 5267b217c..9736e17ee 100644
--- a/compiler/Builder.js
+++ b/compiler/Builder.js
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ var SequenceExpression = require('./ast/SequenceExpression');
 var parseExpression = require('./util/parseExpression');
 var parseStatement = require('./util/parseStatement');
 var parseJavaScriptArgs = require('./util/parseJavaScriptArgs');
+var replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs = require('./util/replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs');
 var isValidJavaScriptIdentifier = require('./util/isValidJavaScriptIdentifier');
 
 var DEFAULT_BUILDER;
@@ -420,6 +421,10 @@ class Builder {
         return parsed;
     }
 
+    replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs(node, context) {
+        return replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs(node, context);
+    }
+
     program(body) {
         return new Program({body});
     }
diff --git a/compiler/Parser.js b/compiler/Parser.js
index 2b4458042..c43a2ede9 100644
--- a/compiler/Parser.js
+++ b/compiler/Parser.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 var ok = require('assert').ok;
-var AttributePlaceholder = require('./ast/AttributePlaceholder');
+var replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs = require('./util/replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs');
 
 var COMPILER_ATTRIBUTE_HANDLERS = {
     'preserve-whitespace': function(attr, context) {
@@ -17,24 +17,6 @@ function isIEConditionalComment(comment) {
     return ieConditionalCommentRegExp.test(comment);
 }
 
-function replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs(node, context) {
-    var walker = context.createWalker({
-        exit: function(node, parent) {
-            if (node.type === 'FunctionCall' &&
-                node.callee.type === 'Identifier') {
-
-                if (node.callee.name === '$noEscapeXml') {
-                    return new AttributePlaceholder({escape: false, value: node.args[0]});
-                } else if (node.callee.name === '$escapeXml') {
-                    return new AttributePlaceholder({escape: true, value: node.args[0]});
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    });
-
-    return walker.walk(node);
-}
-
 function mergeShorthandClassNames(el, shorthandClassNames, context) {
     var builder = context.builder;
     let classNames = shorthandClassNames.map((className) => {
diff --git a/compiler/util/replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs.js b/compiler/util/replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d6ff8bc0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/util/replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+var AttributePlaceholder = require('../ast/AttributePlaceholder');
+
+module.exports = function replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs(node, context) {
+    var walker = context.createWalker({
+        exit: function(node, parent) {
+            if (node.type === 'FunctionCall' &&
+                node.callee.type === 'Identifier') {
+
+                if (node.callee.name === '$noEscapeXml') {
+                    return new AttributePlaceholder({escape: false, value: node.args[0]});
+                } else if (node.callee.name === '$escapeXml') {
+                    return new AttributePlaceholder({escape: true, value: node.args[0]});
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    });
+
+    return walker.walk(node);
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/widgets/get-started.md b/docs/widgets/get-started.md
index 310c9f3bb..54804d343 100644
--- a/docs/widgets/get-started.md
+++ b/docs/widgets/get-started.md
@@ -308,8 +308,8 @@ Listeners can be attached declaratively as shown in the following sample code:
 
 ```xml
 <div w-bind>
-	<form w-onsubmit="handleFormSubmit">
-		<input type="text" value="email" w-onchange="handleEmailChange">
+	<form onsubmit("handleFormSubmit")>
+		<input type="text" value="email" onchange("handleEmailChange")>
 		<button>Submit</button>
 	</form>
 </div>
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ Listeners can be attached declaratively as shown in the following sample code:
 ```xml
 <div w-bind="./widget">
 	<app-overlay title="My Overlay"
-		w-onBeforeHide="handleOverlayBeforeHide">
+	 onBeforeHide("handleOverlayBeforeHide")>
 
 		Content for overlay
 
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ ___src/components/app-hello/template.marko:___
 
 ```xml
 <div w-bind
-	w-on-click="handleClick">
+ on-click("handleClick")>
 	Hello ${data.name}!
 </div>
 ```
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ ___src/components/app-hello/template.marko:___
 
 ```xml
 <div w-bind="./widget"
-	w-on-click="handleClick">
+ on-click("handleClick")>
 	Hello ${data.name}!
 </div>
 ```
diff --git a/docs/widgets/overview.md b/docs/widgets/overview.md
index 9fa2ba2a9..36eb91392 100644
--- a/docs/widgets/overview.md
+++ b/docs/widgets/overview.md
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ __src/components/app-hello/template.marko__
 
 ```xml
 <div w-bind
-	 w-onClick="handleClick">
+	 onClick("handleClick")>
 
 	Hello ${data.name}!
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ __src/components/app-hello/template.marko__
 
 ```xml
 <div w-bind
-	 w-onClick="handleClick"
+	 onClick("handleClick")
 	 style="background-color: ${data.color}">
 
 	Hello ${data.name}!
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ __src/components/app-hello/template.marko__
 
 ```xml
 <div w-bind
-	 w-onClick="handleClick"
+	 onClick("handleClick")
 	 style="background-color: ${data.color}">
 
 	Hello ${data.name}!
@@ -258,17 +258,17 @@ module.exports = require('marko-widgets').defineComponent({
 <div w-bind>
 	<app-overlay title="My Overlay"
 		ref="overlay"
-		w-onBeforeHide="handleOverlayBeforeHide">
+	 onBeforeHide("handleOverlayBeforeHide")>
 		Body content for overlay.
 	</app-overlay>
 
 	<button type="button"
-		w-onClick="handleShowButtonClick">
+	 onClick("handleShowButtonClick")>
 		Show Overlay
 	</button>
 
 	<button type="button"
-		w-onClick="handleHideButtonClick">
+	 onClick("handleHideButtonClick")>
 		Hide Overlay
 	</button>
 </div>
diff --git a/docs/widgets/taglib-api.md b/docs/widgets/taglib-api.md
index 47620f56c..5daad84e4 100644
--- a/docs/widgets/taglib-api.md
+++ b/docs/widgets/taglib-api.md
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ NOTE: For DOM events that bubble, efficient DOM event delegation will automatica
 
 ```xml
 <div w-bind="./widget">
-    <button w-onclick="handleMyButtonClick" type="button">My Button</button>
+    <button onClick("handleMyButtonClick") type="button">My Button</button>
 </div>
 ```
 
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ var myButton = this.getEl('myButton');
 
 ```xml
 <div w-bind="./widget">
-    <app-button w-onSomeCustomEvent="handleSomeCustomEvent" label="My Button" />
+    <app-button onSomeCustomEvent("handleSomeCustomEvent") label="My Button" />
 </div>
 ```
 
diff --git a/test/autotests/taglib-lookup/forEachAttribute/expected.json b/test/autotests/taglib-lookup/forEachAttribute/expected.json
index 73645491e..8a3ded573 100644
--- a/test/autotests/taglib-lookup/forEachAttribute/expected.json
+++ b/test/autotests/taglib-lookup/forEachAttribute/expected.json
@@ -28,5 +28,6 @@
     "no-update-if",
     "no-update-body-if",
     "w-preserve-attrs",
+    "on*",
     "w-on*"
 ]
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/update-manager-batch-updates/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/update-manager-batch-updates/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/update-manager-batch-updates/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/update-manager-batch-updates/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/update-manager-next-tick/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/update-manager-next-tick/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/update-manager-next-tick/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/update-manager-next-tick/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-custom-events-declarative/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-custom-events-declarative/template.marko
index 77e0de7a7..4addcbd71 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-custom-events-declarative/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-custom-events-declarative/template.marko
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
     <app-bar ref="barArray[]" label="1"/>
     <app-bar ref="barArray[]" label="2"/>
 
-    <app-custom-events w-onTestEvent="handleTestEvent1" ref="customEvents" />
-    <app-custom-events w-onTestEvent="handleTestEvent2" channel="customEvents-${widget.id}" />
+    <app-custom-events onTestEvent("handleTestEvent1") ref="customEvents" />
+    <app-custom-events onTestEvent("handleTestEvent2") channel="customEvents-${widget.id}" />
 
     <ul>
         <li for(color in ['red', 'green', 'blue']) ref="colorListItems[]">${color}</li>
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-custom-events/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-custom-events/template.marko
index 77e0de7a7..4addcbd71 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-custom-events/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-custom-events/template.marko
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
     <app-bar ref="barArray[]" label="1"/>
     <app-bar ref="barArray[]" label="2"/>
 
-    <app-custom-events w-onTestEvent="handleTestEvent1" ref="customEvents" />
-    <app-custom-events w-onTestEvent="handleTestEvent2" channel="customEvents-${widget.id}" />
+    <app-custom-events onTestEvent("handleTestEvent1") ref="customEvents" />
+    <app-custom-events onTestEvent("handleTestEvent2") channel="customEvents-${widget.id}" />
 
     <ul>
         <li for(color in ['red', 'green', 'blue']) ref="colorListItems[]">${color}</li>
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-legacy/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-legacy/template.marko
index 77e0de7a7..4addcbd71 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-legacy/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-legacy/template.marko
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
     <app-bar ref="barArray[]" label="1"/>
     <app-bar ref="barArray[]" label="2"/>
 
-    <app-custom-events w-onTestEvent="handleTestEvent1" ref="customEvents" />
-    <app-custom-events w-onTestEvent="handleTestEvent2" channel="customEvents-${widget.id}" />
+    <app-custom-events onTestEvent("handleTestEvent1") ref="customEvents" />
+    <app-custom-events onTestEvent("handleTestEvent2") channel="customEvents-${widget.id}" />
 
     <ul>
         <li for(color in ['red', 'green', 'blue']) ref="colorListItems[]">${color}</li>
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-ref/components/app-legacy-button/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-ref/components/app-legacy-button/template.marko
index 296cfcc80..999872c31 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-ref/components/app-legacy-button/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-ref/components/app-legacy-button/template.marko
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <button type="button" class="app-legacy-button"
     w-bind="./widget"
-    w-onmousedown="handleRootMouseDown">
+    onMousedown("handleRootMouseDown")>
     <invoke data.renderBody(out)/>
 </button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-unsubscribe-dom-events/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-unsubscribe-dom-events/template.marko
index 095e99b30..cb6240b1d 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-unsubscribe-dom-events/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-destroy-unsubscribe-dom-events/template.marko
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <div w-bind>
     <a href="#foo" ref="fooLink"
-        w-ondblclick="handleFooLinkDblClick"
-        w-onmouseout="handleFooLinkMouseOut">
+        onDblclick("handleFooLinkDblClick")
+        onMouseout("handleFooLinkMouseOut")>
     </a>
 </div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-event-listeners-repeated-non-bubbling/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-event-listeners-repeated-non-bubbling/template.marko
index 1d8e180ab..5ea5da941 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-event-listeners-repeated-non-bubbling/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-event-listeners-repeated-non-bubbling/template.marko
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <div w-bind>
 	<ul>
-		<li w-onMouseMove="handleMouseMove" ref="foo-${loop.getIndex()}"
+		<li onMouseMove("handleMouseMove") ref="foo-${loop.getIndex()}"
 			 for(color in ['red', 'green', 'blue'] | status-var=loop)>${color}</li>
 	</ul>
 </div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-events/components/app-legacy-button/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-events/components/app-legacy-button/template.marko
index 296cfcc80..999872c31 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-events/components/app-legacy-button/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-events/components/app-legacy-button/template.marko
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <button type="button" class="app-legacy-button"
     w-bind="./widget"
-    w-onmousedown="handleRootMouseDown">
+    onMousedown("handleRootMouseDown")>
     <invoke data.renderBody(out)/>
 </button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-events/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-events/template.marko
index e90c8dfee..3b860381d 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-events/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-dom-events/template.marko
@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
 <div class="app-dom-events"
     w-bind="./widget"
-    w-onmousemove="handleRootMouseMove"
-    w-onClick="handleRootClick">
+    onMousemove("handleRootMouseMove")
+    onClick("handleRootClick")>
     <button type="button" ref="button"
-        w-onclick="handleButtonClick">
-        <span w-onmousemove="handleButtonSpanMouseMove">
+        onClick("handleButtonClick")>
+        <span onMousemove("handleButtonSpanMouseMove")>
             Button
         </span>
     </button>
 
     <a href="#foo" id="fooLink"
-        w-ondblclick="handleFooLinkDblClick"
-        w-onmouseout="handleFooLinkMouseOut">
+        onDblclick("handleFooLinkDblClick")
+        onMouseout("handleFooLinkMouseOut")>
     </a>
 
     <app-legacy-button ref="appButton">
-        <span ref="helloWorld" w-onmousedown="handleHelloWorldMouseDown">Hello World</span>
+        <span ref="helloWorld" onMousedown("handleHelloWorldMouseDown")>Hello World</span>
     </app-legacy-button>
 </div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-conditional-bubbles/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-conditional-bubbles/template.marko
index f500f4f2e..3ec63ad17 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-conditional-bubbles/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-conditional-bubbles/template.marko
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <div w-bind>
-	<input w-onclick=(false && 'handleButtonClick') ref="inputWithoutHandler" type="button">
-	<input w-onclick=(true && 'handleButtonClick') ref="inputWithHandler" type="button">
-	<input w-onclick='handleButtonClick' ref="inputWithLiteralHandler" type="button">
+	<input onClick(false && 'handleButtonClick') ref="inputWithoutHandler" type="button">
+	<input onClick(true && 'handleButtonClick') ref="inputWithHandler" type="button">
+	<input onClick('handleButtonClick') ref="inputWithLiteralHandler" type="button">
 </div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-conditional-direct/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-conditional-direct/template.marko
index 1f5a0d2ed..b04f7a8b8 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-conditional-direct/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-conditional-direct/template.marko
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <div w-bind>
-	<input w-onMouseMove=(false && "handleMouseMove") ref="inputWithoutHandler" type="button">
-	<input w-onMouseMove=(true && 'handleMouseMove') ref="inputWithHandler" type="button">
-	<input w-onMouseMove='handleMouseMove' ref="inputWithLiteralHandler" type="button">
+	<input onMouseMove(false && "handleMouseMove") ref="inputWithoutHandler" type="button">
+	<input onMouseMove(true && 'handleMouseMove') ref="inputWithHandler" type="button">
+	<input onMouseMove('handleMouseMove') ref="inputWithLiteralHandler" type="button">
 </div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-dynamic/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-dynamic/template.marko
index e19493637..79f35ed87 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-dynamic/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-event-handler-method-dynamic/template.marko
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <div w-bind>
 	<h1>app-macro-events</h1>
 	<macro renderButton(id, label, handler)>
-		<button ref="${id}" type="button" w-onClick="${handler}">
+		<button ref="${id}" type="button" onClick("${handler}")>
 			$label
 		</button>
     </macro>
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-extend/components/app-extend-button/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-extend/components/app-extend-button/template.marko
index 311acef20..a62b11c2a 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-extend/components/app-extend-button/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-extend/components/app-extend-button/template.marko
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind="./widget">
 
     <if(data.label)>
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-rerender-reuse-stateful/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-rerender-reuse-stateful/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-rerender-reuse-stateful/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-rerender-reuse-stateful/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-split-into-multiple-templates/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-split-into-multiple-templates/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-split-into-multiple-templates/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-split-into-multiple-templates/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-copy-state-on-write/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-copy-state-on-write/template.marko
index 95b323246..e6232c2aa 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-copy-state-on-write/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-copy-state-on-write/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-no-copy-state-on-write-if-same-value/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-no-copy-state-on-write-if-same-value/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-no-copy-state-on-write-if-same-value/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-no-copy-state-on-write-if-same-value/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-no-rerender-if-destroyed/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-no-rerender-if-destroyed/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-no-rerender-if-destroyed/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-no-rerender-if-destroyed/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-preserve-body/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-preserve-body/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-preserve-body/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-preserve-body/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-reuse-widgets/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-reuse-widgets/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-reuse-widgets/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-reuse-widgets/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update-handler-no-match/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update-handler-no-match/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update-handler-no-match/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update-handler-no-match/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update-handler/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update-handler/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update-handler/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update-handler/components/app-stateful-button/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update/template.marko
index 767822fa1..8a02311be 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stateful-update/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     include()></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stopPropagation/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stopPropagation/template.marko
index 61065cb50..49ecbf361 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stopPropagation/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-browser/widget-stopPropagation/template.marko
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <div w-bind>
-	<div w-onclick="handleDivClick">
+	<div onClick("handleDivClick")>
 		Hello
-		<button ref="button" type="button" w-onclick="handleButtonClick">
+		<button ref="button" type="button" onClick("handleButtonClick")>
 			Button
 		</button>
 	</div>
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-pages/dom-events/components/app-foo/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-pages/dom-events/components/app-foo/template.marko
index f58216e1a..57a0b8829 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-pages/dom-events/components/app-foo/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-pages/dom-events/components/app-foo/template.marko
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 div w-bind
-    button ref="button" w-onMouseMove='handleButtonMouseMove' w-onClick="handleButtonClick"
\ No newline at end of file
+    button ref="button" onMouseMove('handleButtonMouseMove') onClick("handleButtonClick")
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/autotests/widgets-pages/split-widget-renderer/components/app-button-split/template.marko b/test/autotests/widgets-pages/split-widget-renderer/components/app-button-split/template.marko
index 59eb8579e..a5fca2052 100644
--- a/test/autotests/widgets-pages/split-widget-renderer/components/app-button-split/template.marko
+++ b/test/autotests/widgets-pages/split-widget-renderer/components/app-button-split/template.marko
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <button ${data.rootAttrs}
-    w-onclick="handleClick"
+    onClick("handleClick")
     w-bind
     w-body></button>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/widgets/event-delegation.js b/widgets/event-delegation.js
index 3b25fdd17..b94075845 100644
--- a/widgets/event-delegation.js
+++ b/widgets/event-delegation.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ var attachBubbleEventListeners = function() {
                 var target;
 
                 // Attributes will have the following form:
-                // w-on<event_type>="<target_method>|<widget_id>"
+                // on<event_type>("<target_method>|<widget_id>")
 
                 do {
                     if ((target = getEventAttribute(curNode, attrName))) {
diff --git a/widgets/taglib/TransformHelper/handleWidgetEvents.js b/widgets/taglib/TransformHelper/handleWidgetEvents.js
index 74eb7a1fb..58fbafe5e 100644
--- a/widgets/taglib/TransformHelper/handleWidgetEvents.js
+++ b/widgets/taglib/TransformHelper/handleWidgetEvents.js
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ function addCustomEventListener(transformHelper, eventType, targetMethod) {
 module.exports = function handleWidgetEvents() {
     var el = this.el;
     var builder = this.builder;
+    var context = this.context;
     var isCustomTag = el.type !== 'HtmlElement';
     // We configured the Marko compiler to attach a flag to nodes that
     // have one or more attributes that match the "w-on*" pattern.
@@ -100,16 +101,35 @@ module.exports = function handleWidgetEvents() {
         var attrs = el.getAttributes().concat([]);
 
         attrs.forEach((attr) => {
+            var eventType;
+            var targetMethod;
             var attrName = attr.name;
-            if (!attrName || !attrName.startsWith('w-on')) {
+            var args = attr.argument;
+
+            if (!attrName) {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            if (attrName.startsWith('on') && args) {
+                eventType = attrName.substring(2); // Chop off "on"
+                try {
+                    var parsedArgs = builder.parseExpression(args);
+                    targetMethod = builder.replacePlaceholderEscapeFuncs(parsedArgs, context);
+                } catch (err) {
+                    this.addError('Invalid Javascript Expression for "' + attrName + '": ' + err);
+                }
+            } else if (attrName.startsWith('w-on')) {
+                console.warn('"w-on*" attributes are deprecated. Please use "on*()" instead. (' + (el.pos ? context.getPosInfo(el.pos) : context.filename) + ')');
+                eventType = attrName.substring(4); // Chop off "w-on"
+                targetMethod = attr.value;
+            }
+
+            if (!eventType || !targetMethod) {
                 return;
             }
 
             el.removeAttribute(attrName);
 
-            var eventType = attrName.substring(4); // Chop off "w-on"
-            var targetMethod = attr.value;
-
             if (isCustomTag) {
                 var widgetArgs = this.getWidgetArgs();
                 if (widgetArgs.getId() == null) {
@@ -165,4 +185,4 @@ module.exports = function handleWidgetEvents() {
         });
 
     }
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};
diff --git a/widgets/taglib/marko.json b/widgets/taglib/marko.json
index a21b46f12..3db2290f0 100644
--- a/widgets/taglib/marko.json
+++ b/widgets/taglib/marko.json
@@ -64,6 +64,20 @@
                 }
             ]
         },
+        "@on*": {
+            "pattern": true,
+            "type": "statement",
+            "allow-expressions": true,
+            "preserve-name": true,
+            "set-flag": "hasWidgetEvents",
+            "autocomplete": [
+                {
+                    "displayText": "on<event>(\"<method>\")",
+                    "snippet": "on${1:Click}(\"handle${2:Button}${1:Click}\")",
+                    "descriptionMoreURL": "http://markojs.com/docs/marko-widgets/get-started/#adding-dom-event-listeners"
+                }
+            ]
+        },
         "@w-on*": {
             "pattern": true,
             "type": "string",