diff --git a/ionic/components/modal/test/basic/index.js b/ionic/components/modal/test/basic/index.js
index de7c92afa5..3fa85695db 100644
--- a/ionic/components/modal/test/basic/index.js
+++ b/ionic/components/modal/test/basic/index.js
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ class IonicApp {
   openModal() {
     Modal.open(ContactModal, {
       enterAnimation: 'my-fade-in',
-      leaveAnimation: 'my-fade-out'
+      leaveAnimation: 'my-fade-out',
+      handle: 'my-awesome-modal'
     });
   }
 }
@@ -72,6 +73,9 @@ export class ContactModal extends Modal {
       <p>
         <button primary (click)="openActionMenu()">Open Action Menu</button>
       </p>
+      <p>
+        <button primary (click)="closeByHandeModal()">Close By Handle</button>
+      </p>
       <f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f>
       <f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f><f></f>
     </ion-content>
@@ -94,6 +98,11 @@ export class ModalFirstPage {
     modal.close();
   }
 
+  closeByHandeModal() {
+    let modal = Modal.getByHandle('my-awesome-modal');
+    modal.close();
+  }
+
   openActionMenu() {
     ActionMenu.open({
       buttons: [
diff --git a/ionic/components/overlay/overlay.js b/ionic/components/overlay/overlay.js
index d8a2d2bc7a..ab29b0b6f0 100644
--- a/ionic/components/overlay/overlay.js
+++ b/ionic/components/overlay/overlay.js
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ export class Overlay {
       IonicRoot.append(ComponentType).then(ref => {
         let overlay = ref.instance;
         overlay._type = overlayType;
+        overlay._handle = opts && opts.handle;
         overlay._dispose = ref.dispose;
         overlay._domElement = ref.elementRef.domElement;
         overlay.extendOptions(opts);
@@ -78,7 +79,16 @@ export class Overlay {
 
   static getByType(overlayType) {
     for (let i = overlayStack.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
-      if (overlayType == overlayStack[i]._type) {
+      if (overlayType === overlayStack[i]._type) {
+        return overlayStack[i];
+      }
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  static getByHandle(handle) {
+    for (let i = overlayStack.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+      if (handle === overlayStack[i]._handle) {
         return overlayStack[i];
       }
     }