diff --git a/ionic/components/nav/nav-base.js b/ionic/components/nav/nav-base.js
index f2dcc3be7d..6d45229b68 100644
--- a/ionic/components/nav/nav-base.js
+++ b/ionic/components/nav/nav-base.js
@@ -190,24 +190,6 @@ export class NavBase {
     return promise;
   }
 
-  select(enteringItem, opts = {}) {
-    if (!enteringItem || !enteringItem.instance || this.isTransitioning()) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    enteringItem.instance.loadInitial();
-
-    opts.animation = 'none';
-
-    let leavingItem = this.getActive() || new NavItem();
-    leavingItem.shouldDestroy = false;
-    leavingItem.shouldCache = true;
-    leavingItem.willCache();
-
-    this.transition(enteringItem, leavingItem, opts, () => {
-    });
-  }
-
   transition(enteringItem, leavingItem, opts, callback) {
     if (!enteringItem || enteringItem === leavingItem) {
       return callback();
diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/tab-button.js b/ionic/components/tabs/tab-button.js
index 9a7009d2e7..884ab81c8e 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/tab-button.js
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/tab-button.js
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ export class TabButton {
   onClick(ev) {
     ev.stopPropagation();
     ev.preventDefault();
-    this.tabs.selectTab(this.tab);
+    this.tabs.select(this.tab);
   }
 }
diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/tab.js b/ionic/components/tabs/tab.js
index 33bb1084e2..0ddcbb21ad 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/tab.js
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/tab.js
@@ -79,10 +79,14 @@ export class Tab extends NavBase {
     }
   }
 
-  loadInitial() {
-    if (this.initial && !this._loaded) {
-      this.push(this.initial);
+  loadInitial(callback) {
+    if (!this._loaded && this.initial) {
+      this.push(this.initial).then(() => {
+        callback && callback();
+      });
       this._loaded = true;
+    } else {
+      callback && callback();
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.js b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.js
index 1a1f8f839a..6203048ac3 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.js
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.js
@@ -58,18 +58,36 @@ export class Tabs extends NavBase {
     this.add(tabItem);
 
     if (this.length() === 1) {
-      this.selectTab(0);
+      this.select(0);
     }
   }
 
-  selectTab(tab) {
-    let item = null;
+  select(tab) {
+    let enteringItem = null;
     if (typeof tab === 'number') {
-      item = this.getByIndex(tab);
+      enteringItem = this.getByIndex(tab);
     } else {
-      item = this.getByInstance(tab)
+      enteringItem = this.getByInstance(tab)
     }
-    this.select(item);
+
+    if (!enteringItem || !enteringItem.instance || this.isTransitioning()) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    enteringItem.instance.loadInitial(() => {
+      let opts = {
+        animation: 'none'
+      };
+
+      let leavingItem = this.getActive() || new NavItem();
+      leavingItem.shouldDestroy = false;
+      leavingItem.shouldCache = true;
+      leavingItem.willCache();
+
+      this.transition(enteringItem, leavingItem, opts, () => {
+        console.log('tab selected')
+      });
+    });
   }
 
   get tabs() {