diff --git a/js/angular/service/history.js b/js/angular/service/history.js
index 3cebb634b6..6636865053 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/history.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/history.js
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ function($rootScope, $state, $location, $window, $ionicViewSwitcher, $ionicNavVi
       // nothing found keep climbing up
       parentScope = parentScope.$parent;
     }
-    // no history for for the parent, use the root
+    // no history for the parent, use the root
     return { historyId: 'root', scope: $rootScope };
   }
 
@@ -642,11 +642,23 @@ function($rootScope, $state, $location, $window, $ionicViewSwitcher, $ionicNavVi
     },
 
     isActiveScope: function(scope) {
-      if (!scope || scope.$$disconnected) return false;
+      if (!scope) return false;
+
+      var climbScope = scope;
+      var historyId;
+      while (climbScope) {
+        if (climbScope.$$disconnected) {
+          return false;
+        }
+        if (!historyId && climbScope.hasOwnProperty('$historyId')) {
+          historyId = climbScope.$historyId;
+        }
+        climbScope = climbScope.$parent;
+      }
 
       var currentHistoryId = this.currentHistoryId();
       if (currentHistoryId) {
-        return currentHistoryId == (isDefined(scope.$historyId) ? scope.$historyId : 'root');
+        return currentHistoryId == (historyId || 'root');
       }
 
       return true;
diff --git a/test/unit/angular/service/history.unit.js b/test/unit/angular/service/history.unit.js
index d3e62b1e01..9fe08c4db6 100644
--- a/test/unit/angular/service/history.unit.js
+++ b/test/unit/angular/service/history.unit.js
@@ -1121,6 +1121,17 @@ describe('Ionic History', function() {
     expect(ionicHistory.isActiveScope(scope)).toEqual(false);
   });
 
+  it('should not be active when parent scope is disconnected', function() {
+    var scope = {
+      $parent: {
+        $parent: {
+          $$disconnected: true
+        }
+      }
+    };
+    expect(ionicHistory.isActiveScope(scope)).toEqual(false);
+  });
+
   it('should be active w/ scope but no current history id', function() {
     ionicHistory.registerHistory('1234');
     expect(ionicHistory.isActiveScope(scope)).toEqual(true);
@@ -1137,6 +1148,19 @@ describe('Ionic History', function() {
     expect(ionicHistory.isActiveScope(scope)).toEqual(true);
   });
 
+  it('should be active w/ scopes parent the same history id as current view', function() {
+    ionicHistory.currentView({
+      historyId: '123'
+    });
+
+    var scope = {
+      $parent: {
+        $historyId: '123'
+      }
+    }
+    expect(ionicHistory.isActiveScope(scope)).toEqual(true);
+  });
+
   it('should be not active w/ scope different history id as current view', function() {
     ionicHistory.currentView({
       historyId: '123'