diff --git a/cryptography/hazmat/bindings/openssl/backend.py b/cryptography/hazmat/bindings/openssl/backend.py
index e9ecc80..7d3eb3d 100644
--- a/cryptography/hazmat/bindings/openssl/backend.py
+++ b/cryptography/hazmat/bindings/openssl/backend.py
@@ -239,6 +239,8 @@
 
 @utils.register_interface(interfaces.CipherContext)
 @utils.register_interface(interfaces.AEADCipherContext)
+@utils.register_interface(interfaces.AEADEncryptionContext)
+@utils.register_interface(interfaces.AEADDecryptionContext)
 class _CipherContext(object):
     _ENCRYPT = 1
     _DECRYPT = 0
diff --git a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/ciphers/base.py b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/ciphers/base.py
index a6f06b8..f24fd00 100644
--- a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/ciphers/base.py
+++ b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/ciphers/base.py
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@
 
     def _wrap_ctx(self, ctx, encrypt):
         if isinstance(self.mode, interfaces.ModeWithAAD):
-            return _AEADCipherContext(ctx, encrypt)
+            if encrypt:
+                return _AEADEncryptionContext(ctx)
+            else:
+                return _AEADDecryptionContext(ctx)
         else:
             return _CipherContext(ctx)
 
@@ -69,11 +72,10 @@
 @utils.register_interface(interfaces.AEADCipherContext)
 @utils.register_interface(interfaces.CipherContext)
 class _AEADCipherContext(object):
-    def __init__(self, ctx, encrypt):
+    def __init__(self, ctx):
         self._ctx = ctx
         self._tag = None
         self._updated = False
-        self._encrypt = encrypt
 
     def update(self, data):
         if self._ctx is None:
@@ -96,11 +98,16 @@
             raise AlreadyUpdated("Update has been called on this context")
         self._ctx.authenticate_additional_data(data)
 
+
+@utils.register_interface(interfaces.AEADDecryptionContext)
+class _AEADDecryptionContext(_AEADCipherContext):
+    pass
+
+
+@utils.register_interface(interfaces.AEADEncryptionContext)
+class _AEADEncryptionContext(_AEADCipherContext):
     @property
     def tag(self):
-        if not self._encrypt:
-            raise TypeError("The tag attribute is unavailable on a "
-                            "decryption context")
         if self._ctx is not None:
             raise NotYetFinalized("You must finalize encryption before "
                                   "getting the tag")
diff --git a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/interfaces.py b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/interfaces.py
index c0548df..1884e56 100644
--- a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/interfaces.py
+++ b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/interfaces.py
@@ -79,17 +79,23 @@
 
 
 class AEADCipherContext(six.with_metaclass(abc.ABCMeta)):
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def authenticate_additional_data(self, data):
+        """
+        authenticate_additional_data takes bytes and returns nothing.
+        """
+
+
+class AEADEncryptionContext(six.with_metaclass(abc.ABCMeta)):
     @abc.abstractproperty
     def tag(self):
         """
         Returns tag bytes after finalizing encryption.
         """
 
-    @abc.abstractmethod
-    def authenticate_additional_data(self, data):
-        """
-        authenticate_additional_data takes bytes and returns nothing.
-        """
+
+class AEADDecryptionContext(six.with_metaclass(abc.ABCMeta)):
+    pass
 
 
 class PaddingContext(six.with_metaclass(abc.ABCMeta)):
diff --git a/tests/hazmat/primitives/utils.py b/tests/hazmat/primitives/utils.py
index 58b9a91..9aa3a89 100644
--- a/tests/hazmat/primitives/utils.py
+++ b/tests/hazmat/primitives/utils.py
@@ -351,5 +351,5 @@
     )
     decryptor = cipher.decryptor()
     decryptor.update(b"a" * 16)
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+    with pytest.raises(AttributeError):
         decryptor.tag