diff --git a/lib/mixins/element-mixin.html b/lib/mixins/element-mixin.html
index 2b51ac2b..e2c7064c 100644
--- a/lib/mixins/element-mixin.html
+++ b/lib/mixins/element-mixin.html
@@ -270,6 +270,9 @@ subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATEN
       let template = /** @type {PolymerElementConstructor} */ (klass).template;
       if (template) {
         if (typeof template === 'string') {
+          // TODO(dan): Add link to docs explaining deprecation of string templates
+          console.warn('String templates are deprecated. ' +
+            `Please return a <template>, or use Polymer.html\`\` for element <${klass.is}>`);
           let t = document.createElement('template');
           t.innerHTML = template;
           template = t;
diff --git a/lib/utils/html-tag.html b/lib/utils/html-tag.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..77f2429f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/utils/html-tag.html
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+<!--
+@license
+Copyright (c) 2017 The Polymer Project Authors. All rights reserved.
+This code may only be used under the BSD style license found at http://polymer.github.io/LICENSE.txt
+The complete set of authors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/AUTHORS.txt
+The complete set of contributors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/CONTRIBUTORS.txt
+Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
+subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
+-->
+<link rel="import" href="boot.html">
+<script>
+  (function() {
+    'use strict';
+
+    /**
+     * @param {*} value Object to stringify into HTML
+     * @return {string} HTML stringified form of `obj`
+     */
+    function htmlValue(value) {
+      if (value instanceof HTMLTemplateElement) {
+        return /** @type {!HTMLTemplateElement} */(value).innerHTML;
+      } else {
+        return String(value);
+      }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * A template literal tag that creates an HTML <template> element from the contents of the string.
+     *
+     * This allows you to write a Polymer Template in JavaScript.
+     *
+     * Interpolated values are converted to strings when the template is created,
+     * they are not intended as a replacement for Polymer data-binding.
+     *
+     * There is special support for HTMLTemplateElement values,
+     * allowing for easy composition of superclass or partial templates.
+     *
+     * Example:
+     *
+     *   static get template() {
+     *     return Polymer.html`
+     *       <style>:host{ content:"..." }</style>
+     *       <div class="shadowed">${this.partialTemplate}</div>
+     *       ${super.template}
+     *     `;
+     *   }
+     *   static get partialTemplate() { return Polymer.html`<span>Partial!</span>`; }
+     *
+     * @memberof Polymer
+     * @param {!Array<string>} strings Constant parts of tagged template literal
+     * @param {...*} values Variable parts of tagged template literal
+     * @return {!HTMLTemplateElement} Constructed HTMLTemplateElement
+     */
+    Polymer.html = function html(strings, ...values) {
+      // use raw strings to preserve literal escapes in strings
+      const rawStrings = strings.raw;
+      const template = /** @type {!HTMLTemplateElement} */(document.createElement('template'));
+      template.innerHTML = values.reduce((acc, v, idx) =>
+        acc + htmlValue(v) + rawStrings[idx + 1], rawStrings[0]);
+      return template;
+    };
+  })();
+</script>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/polymer-element.html b/polymer-element.html
index 9b8f911a..aeb4a0e1 100644
--- a/polymer-element.html
+++ b/polymer-element.html
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
 subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
 -->
 <link rel="import" href="lib/mixins/element-mixin.html">
+<!-- import html-tag to export html -->
+<link rel="import" href="lib/utils/html-tag.html">
 <script>
 (function() {
   'use strict';
@@ -35,5 +37,8 @@ subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATEN
    * @extends {HTMLElement}
    */
   Polymer.Element = Element;
+
+  // NOTE: this is here for modulizer to export `html` for the module version of this file
+  Polymer.html = Polymer.html;
 })();
 </script>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/polymer.html b/polymer.html
index 0331373c..28552fdb 100644
--- a/polymer.html
+++ b/polymer.html
@@ -19,7 +19,12 @@ subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATEN
 <link rel="import" href="lib/elements/custom-style.html">
 <!-- bc behaviors -->
 <link rel="import" href="lib/legacy/mutable-data-behavior.html">
+<!-- import html-tag to export html -->
+<link rel="import" href="lib/util/html-tag.html">
 <script>
   // bc
   Polymer.Base = Polymer.LegacyElementMixin(HTMLElement).prototype;
+
+  // NOTE: this is here for modulizer to export `html` for the module version of this file
+  Polymer.html = Polymer.html;
 </script>
diff --git a/test/runner.html b/test/runner.html
index 2177dba9..a092dd24 100644
--- a/test/runner.html
+++ b/test/runner.html
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATEN
       'unit/render-status.html',
       'unit/dir.html',
       'unit/shady-unscoped-style.html',
+      'unit/html-tag.html'
       // 'unit/multi-style.html'
     ];
 
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATEN
       // ce + sd becomes a single test iteration.
       matrix.push('wc-ce=true&wc-shadydom=true');
     }
-    
+
     // economize testing by testing css shimming
     // only against 1 environment (native or polyfill).
     if (window.CSS && CSS.supports && CSS.supports('box-shadow', '0 0 0 var(--foo)')) {
diff --git a/test/smoke/html-tag.html b/test/smoke/html-tag.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7f1ad95c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/smoke/html-tag.html
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<!--
+@license
+Copyright (c) 2017 The Polymer Project Authors. All rights reserved.
+This code may only be used under the BSD style license found at http://polymer.github.io/LICENSE.txt
+The complete set of authors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/AUTHORS.txt
+The complete set of contributors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/CONTRIBUTORS.txt
+Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
+subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
+-->
+<html>
+<head>
+  <script src="../../../webcomponentsjs/webcomponents-lite.js"></script>
+  <link rel="import" href="../../polymer-element.html">
+</head>
+<body>
+  <script>
+    const html = Polymer.html;
+    class SuperClass extends Polymer.Element {
+      static get is() {return 'super-class';}
+      static get template() {
+        return html`
+          <style>#name {color: red}</style>
+          <h3 id="name">${this.is}</h3>
+          <div>${this.headerTemplate}</div>
+          [[myProp.stuffThatGoesHere]]
+          <div>${this.footerTemplate}</div>
+        `;
+      }
+      static get headerTemplate() { return html`<h1>Header</h1>`; }
+      static get footerTemplate() { return html`<h1>Footer</h1>`; }
+    }
+    customElements.define(SuperClass.is, SuperClass);
+    class SubClass extends SuperClass {
+      static get is() {return 'sub-class';}
+      static get template() {
+        return html`
+          <style>.frame {font-style: italic}</style>
+          <div class="frame">${super.template}</div>
+          <div>\</div>
+        `;
+      }
+      constructor() {
+        super();
+        this.myProp = {stuffThatGoesHere: '!stuff that goes here!'};
+      }
+      static get headerTemplate() { return html`<h2>Sub-header</h2>`; }
+      static get footerTemplate() { return html`<h2>Sub-footer</h2>`; }
+    }
+    customElements.define(SubClass.is, SubClass);
+  </script>
+  <script>
+    class XString extends Polymer.Element {
+      static get is() {return 'x-string'};
+      static get template() {
+        return 'string template!';
+      }
+    }
+    customElements.define(XString.is, XString);
+  </script>
+  <super-class></super-class>
+  <sub-class></sub-class>
+  <x-string></x-string>
+</body>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/unit/html-tag.html b/test/unit/html-tag.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3fa75bd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/html-tag.html
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+<!doctype html>
+<!--
+@license
+Copyright (c) 2017 The Polymer Project Authors. All rights reserved.
+This code may only be used under the BSD style license found at http://polymer.github.io/LICENSE.txt
+The complete set of authors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/AUTHORS.txt
+The complete set of contributors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/CONTRIBUTORS.txt
+Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
+subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
+-->
+<html>
+<head>
+  <meta charset="utf-8">
+  <script src="../../../webcomponentsjs/webcomponents-lite.js"></script>
+  <script src="../../../web-component-tester/browser.js"></script>
+  <link rel="import" href="../../polymer.html">
+</head>
+<body>
+  <script>
+    suite('html function', function() {
+      test('html makes an HTML template', function() {
+        let t = Polymer.html``;
+        assert.instanceOf(t, HTMLTemplateElement);
+      });
+      test('template output has elements', function() {
+        let t = Polymer.html`<div><span></span></div><!-- hi -->`;
+        assert(t.content.querySelector('div'));
+        assert(t.content.querySelector('span'));
+        assert.instanceOf(t.content.lastChild, Comment);
+      });
+      test('escaping works as expected', function() {
+        let t = Polymer.html`<span>\f\o\o</span>`;
+        assert.equal(t.innerHTML, '<span>\\f\\o\\o</span>');
+      });
+      test('variables work', function() {
+        let a = 3;
+        let b = 'foo';
+        let t = Polymer.html`<div>${a} ${b}</div>`;
+        let inst = document.createElement('div');
+        inst.appendChild(t.content.cloneNode(true));
+        assert.equal(inst.textContent, `${a} ${b}`);
+      });
+      test('template variables only include the template contents', function() {
+        let t1 = Polymer.html`<div></div>`;
+        let t2 = Polymer.html`<span>${t1}</span>`;
+        assert.equal(t2.innerHTML, '<span><div></div></span>');
+      });
+    });
+    suite('Polymer + html fn', function() {
+      suiteSetup(function() {
+
+        class HtmlFn extends Polymer.Element {
+          static get is() {return 'html-fn';}
+          static get template() {
+            return Polymer.html`
+            <style>
+              :host {
+                display: block;
+              }
+            </style>
+            <div id="child">
+              [[databoundProperty]]
+            </div>
+            `;
+          }
+          static get properties() {
+            return {
+              databoundProperty: String
+            };
+          }
+          ready() {
+            super.ready();
+            this.databoundProperty = 'first';
+          }
+        }
+
+        customElements.define(HtmlFn.is, HtmlFn);
+
+        class HtmlFnSub extends HtmlFn {
+          static get is() {return 'html-fn-sub';}
+          static get template() {
+            return Polymer.html`
+            <div id="super">
+              ${super.template}
+            </div>
+            `;
+          }
+          ready() {
+            super.ready();
+            this.databoundProperty = 'second';
+          }
+        }
+
+        customElements.define(HtmlFnSub.is, HtmlFnSub);
+
+        Polymer({
+          is: 'html-legacy',
+          _template: Polymer.html`
+            <div id="child">[[databoundProperty]]</div>
+          `,
+          properties: {
+            databoundProperty: {
+              type: String,
+              value: 'legacy'
+            }
+          }
+        });
+      });
+
+      test('Polymer elements can use html fn', function () {
+        let el = document.createElement('html-fn');
+        document.body.appendChild(el);
+        assert(el.shadowRoot);
+        assert.equal(el.$.child.textContent.trim(), 'first');
+      });
+
+      test('subclass elements can embed the superclass template', function() {
+        let el = document.createElement('html-fn-sub');
+        document.body.appendChild(el);
+        assert(el.$.super);
+        assert(el.$.child);
+        assert.equal(el.$.child.textContent.trim(), 'second');
+      });
+
+      test('legacy element works with html fn', function() {
+        let el = document.createElement('html-legacy');
+        document.body.appendChild(el);
+        assert(el.shadowRoot);
+        assert.equal(el.$.child.textContent.trim(), 'legacy');
+      });
+    });
+  </script>
+</body>
+</html>
\ No newline at end of file