This works fine in development (Grunt server), but when I deploy it there's a javascript error: "Error: No controller: ngController" However, the controller (passed in as the forth parameter to `link`) works: inside the directive body the functions on the controller can be accessed. I'm happy that it works, but I wonder... why?

directive.js

angular.module('portal', []).directive('ordersPendingControls', function ($compile) {
    return {
      scope: {
        ordersPendingControls: '='
      },
      require: "^ngController",
      replace: true,
      template: '<div>' +
            ' <button class="btn btn-small" ng-click="editClicked()" ng-disabled="editDisabled" title="Edit this request"><i class="icon-pencil"></i></button>' +
            ' <button class="btn btn-small" ng-click="deleteClicked()" ng-disabled="deleteDisabled" title="Delete this request"><i class="icon-remove-circle icon-remove"></i></button>' +
            '</div>',
      link: function (scope, element, attrs, ordersCtrl) {
        var row = scope.ordersPendingControls,
          isApproved = _.has(row, 'ApprovedDate');

        scope.editDisabled = false;

        if (isApproved) {
          scope.deleteDisabled = true;
        }

        scope.editClicked = function () {
          if (_.has(row, 'OrderChangeID')) { // pending order modification
            ordersCtrl.orderModification(row);
          } else if (isApproved) { // scheduled order
            ordersCtrl.orderModification(row);
          } else { // pending order
            ordersCtrl.editOrder(row);
          }
        };

        scope.deleteClicked = function () {
          if (_.has(row, 'OrderChangeID')) {
            ordersCtrl.deleteOrderModification(row);
          } else {
            ordersCtrl.deleteOrder(row);
          }
        };
      }
    };
  })