diff --git a/dist/js/ionic-angular.js b/dist/js/ionic-angular.js
index 1c855131d4..c9c4fded52 100644
--- a/dist/js/ionic-angular.js
+++ b/dist/js/ionic-angular.js
@@ -620,7 +620,12 @@ angular.module('ionic.service.view', ['ui.router'])
     return null;
   };
   View.prototype.go = function(opts) {
-    if(this.url && this.url !== $location.url() && (!opts || opts.enableUrlChange !== false)) {
+
+    if(this.stateName) {
+      return $state.go(this.stateName, this.stateParams);
+    }
+
+    if(this.url && this.url !== $location.url()) {
 
       if($rootScope.$viewHistory.backView === this) {
         return $window.history.go(-1);
@@ -628,11 +633,8 @@ angular.module('ionic.service.view', ['ui.router'])
         return $window.history.go(1);
       }
 
-      return $location.url(this.url);
-    }
-
-    if(this.stateName) {
-      return $state.go(this.stateName, this.stateParams);
+      $location.url(this.url);
+      return;
     }
 
     return null;
@@ -696,6 +698,13 @@ angular.module('ionic.service.view', ['ui.router'])
           rsp.historyId = forwardView.historyId;
         }
 
+      } else if(currentView && currentView.historyId !== hist.historyId && 
+                hist.cursor > -1 && hist.stack.length > 0 && hist.cursor < hist.stack.length &&
+                hist.stack[hist.cursor].stateId === currentStateId) {
+        // they just changed to a different history and the history already has views in it
+        rsp.viewId = hist.stack[hist.cursor].viewId;
+        rsp.navAction = 'moveBack';
+
       } else {
 
         // set a new unique viewId
@@ -754,6 +763,10 @@ angular.module('ionic.service.view', ['ui.router'])
 
       hist.cursor = viewHistory.currentView.index;
 
+      $rootScope.$broadcast('$viewHistory.historyChange', {
+        showBack: (viewHistory.backView && viewHistory.backView.historyId === viewHistory.currentView.historyId)
+      });
+
       return rsp;
     },
 
@@ -2881,7 +2894,7 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.viewState', ['ionic.service.view', 'ionic.service.gestu
     },
     template: '<header class="bar bar-header nav-bar">'+//' ng-class="{invisible: !navController.navBar.isVisible}">' + 
         '<div class="buttons"> ' +
-          '<button view-back class="button" ng-show="enableBackButton && showBackButton" ng-class="backButtonClass" ng-bind-html="backButtonLabel"></button>' +
+          '<button view-back class="button" ng-if="enableBackButton" ng-class="backButtonClass" ng-bind-html="backButtonLabel"></button>' +
           '<button ng-click="button.tap($event)" ng-repeat="button in leftButtons" class="button no-animation {{button.type}}" ng-bind-html="button.content"></button>' + 
         '</div>' +
         '<h1 class="title" ng-bind="currentTitle"></h1>' + 
@@ -2898,21 +2911,6 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.viewState', ['ionic.service.view', 'ionic.service.gestu
         $scope.backButtonClass += ' icon ' + $attr.backButtonIcon;
       }
 
-      // Listen for changes in the stack cursor position to indicate whether a back
-      // button should be shown (this can still be disabled by the $scope.enableBackButton
-      $rootScope.$watch('$viewHistory.backView', function(backView) {
-        if(backView) {
-          var currentView = ViewService.getCurrentView();
-          if(currentView) {
-            if(backView.historyId === currentView.historyId) {
-              $scope.showBackButton = true;
-              return;
-            }
-          }
-        }
-        $scope.showBackButton = false;
-      });
-
       // Store a reference to our nav controller
       $scope.navController = navCtrl;
 
@@ -3025,7 +3023,7 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.viewState', ['ionic.service.view', 'ionic.service.gestu
 }])
 
 
-.directive('viewBack', ['ViewService', function(ViewService) {
+.directive('viewBack', ['ViewService', '$rootScope', function(ViewService, $rootScope) {
   var goBack = function(e) {
     var backView = ViewService.getBackView();
     backView && backView.go();
@@ -3035,9 +3033,23 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.viewState', ['ionic.service.view', 'ionic.service.gestu
 
   return {
     restrict: 'AC',
-    link: function($scope, $element) {
-      $element.bind('click', goBack);
+    compile: function(tElement) {
+      tElement.addClass('hide');
+
+      return function link($scope, $element) {
+        $element.bind('click', goBack);
+
+        $rootScope.$on('$viewHistory.historyChange', function(e, data) {
+          if(data.showBack) {
+            $element[0].classList.remove('hide');
+          } else {
+            $element[0].classList.add('hide');
+          }
+        });
+
+      } 
     }
+
   };
 }])
 
diff --git a/js/ext/angular/src/directive/ionicViewState.js b/js/ext/angular/src/directive/ionicViewState.js
index a4d4eeb33e..9405ab2c10 100644
--- a/js/ext/angular/src/directive/ionicViewState.js
+++ b/js/ext/angular/src/directive/ionicViewState.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.viewState', ['ionic.service.view', 'ionic.service.gestu
     },
     template: '<header class="bar bar-header nav-bar">'+//' ng-class="{invisible: !navController.navBar.isVisible}">' + 
         '<div class="buttons"> ' +
-          '<button view-back class="button" ng-show="enableBackButton && showBackButton" ng-class="backButtonClass" ng-bind-html="backButtonLabel"></button>' +
+          '<button view-back class="button" ng-if="enableBackButton" ng-class="backButtonClass" ng-bind-html="backButtonLabel"></button>' +
           '<button ng-click="button.tap($event)" ng-repeat="button in leftButtons" class="button no-animation {{button.type}}" ng-bind-html="button.content"></button>' + 
         '</div>' +
         '<h1 class="title" ng-bind="currentTitle"></h1>' + 
@@ -86,21 +86,6 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.viewState', ['ionic.service.view', 'ionic.service.gestu
         $scope.backButtonClass += ' icon ' + $attr.backButtonIcon;
       }
 
-      // Listen for changes in the stack cursor position to indicate whether a back
-      // button should be shown (this can still be disabled by the $scope.enableBackButton
-      $rootScope.$watch('$viewHistory.backView', function(backView) {
-        if(backView) {
-          var currentView = ViewService.getCurrentView();
-          if(currentView) {
-            if(backView.historyId === currentView.historyId) {
-              $scope.showBackButton = true;
-              return;
-            }
-          }
-        }
-        $scope.showBackButton = false;
-      });
-
       // Store a reference to our nav controller
       $scope.navController = navCtrl;
 
@@ -213,7 +198,7 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.viewState', ['ionic.service.view', 'ionic.service.gestu
 }])
 
 
-.directive('viewBack', ['ViewService', function(ViewService) {
+.directive('viewBack', ['ViewService', '$rootScope', function(ViewService, $rootScope) {
   var goBack = function(e) {
     var backView = ViewService.getBackView();
     backView && backView.go();
@@ -223,9 +208,23 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.viewState', ['ionic.service.view', 'ionic.service.gestu
 
   return {
     restrict: 'AC',
-    link: function($scope, $element) {
-      $element.bind('click', goBack);
+    compile: function(tElement) {
+      tElement.addClass('hide');
+
+      return function link($scope, $element) {
+        $element.bind('click', goBack);
+
+        $rootScope.$on('$viewHistory.historyChange', function(e, data) {
+          if(data.showBack) {
+            $element[0].classList.remove('hide');
+          } else {
+            $element[0].classList.add('hide');
+          }
+        });
+
+      } 
     }
+
   };
 }])
 
diff --git a/js/ext/angular/src/service/ionicView.js b/js/ext/angular/src/service/ionicView.js
index c2069dde61..7368bf8425 100644
--- a/js/ext/angular/src/service/ionicView.js
+++ b/js/ext/angular/src/service/ionicView.js
@@ -63,7 +63,12 @@ angular.module('ionic.service.view', ['ui.router'])
     return null;
   };
   View.prototype.go = function(opts) {
-    if(this.url && this.url !== $location.url() && (!opts || opts.enableUrlChange !== false)) {
+
+    if(this.stateName) {
+      return $state.go(this.stateName, this.stateParams);
+    }
+
+    if(this.url && this.url !== $location.url()) {
 
       if($rootScope.$viewHistory.backView === this) {
         return $window.history.go(-1);
@@ -71,11 +76,8 @@ angular.module('ionic.service.view', ['ui.router'])
         return $window.history.go(1);
       }
 
-      return $location.url(this.url);
-    }
-
-    if(this.stateName) {
-      return $state.go(this.stateName, this.stateParams);
+      $location.url(this.url);
+      return;
     }
 
     return null;
@@ -139,6 +141,13 @@ angular.module('ionic.service.view', ['ui.router'])
           rsp.historyId = forwardView.historyId;
         }
 
+      } else if(currentView && currentView.historyId !== hist.historyId && 
+                hist.cursor > -1 && hist.stack.length > 0 && hist.cursor < hist.stack.length &&
+                hist.stack[hist.cursor].stateId === currentStateId) {
+        // they just changed to a different history and the history already has views in it
+        rsp.viewId = hist.stack[hist.cursor].viewId;
+        rsp.navAction = 'moveBack';
+
       } else {
 
         // set a new unique viewId
@@ -197,6 +206,10 @@ angular.module('ionic.service.view', ['ui.router'])
 
       hist.cursor = viewHistory.currentView.index;
 
+      $rootScope.$broadcast('$viewHistory.historyChange', {
+        showBack: (viewHistory.backView && viewHistory.backView.historyId === viewHistory.currentView.historyId)
+      });
+
       return rsp;
     },
 
diff --git a/js/ext/angular/test/service/ionicView.unit.js b/js/ext/angular/test/service/ionicView.unit.js
index 3a7f18eb2c..0242092757 100644
--- a/js/ext/angular/test/service/ionicView.unit.js
+++ b/js/ext/angular/test/service/ionicView.unit.js
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ describe('Ionic View Service', function() {
     $state.go('home');
     rootScope.$apply();
     var homeReg = viewService.register(homeViewScope);
+    expect(homeReg.navAction).toEqual('initialView');
     expect(viewService.getCurrentStateName()).toEqual('home');
     expect(viewService.getCurrentView().stateName).toEqual('home');
     expect(viewService.getBackView()).toEqual(null);
@@ -204,6 +205,7 @@ describe('Ionic View Service', function() {
     var currentView = viewService.getCurrentView();
     var backView = viewService.getBackView();
     var forwardView = viewService.getForwardView();
+    expect(aboutReg.navAction).toEqual('newView');
     expect(currentView.viewId).toEqual(aboutReg.viewId);
     expect(currentView.backViewId).toEqual(homeReg.viewId);
     expect(currentView.forwardViewId).toEqual(null);
@@ -219,6 +221,7 @@ describe('Ionic View Service', function() {
     $state.go('tabs.tab1view1');
     rootScope.$apply();
     var tab1view1Reg = viewService.register(tab1view1Scope);
+    expect(tab1view1Reg.navAction).toEqual('newView');
 
     expect(rootScope.$viewHistory.histories[tab1Scope.$historyId].historyId).toEqual(tab1Scope.$historyId);
     expect(rootScope.$viewHistory.histories[tab1Scope.$historyId].stack[0].viewId).toEqual(tab1view1Reg.viewId);
@@ -241,6 +244,7 @@ describe('Ionic View Service', function() {
     $state.go('home');
     rootScope.$apply();
     var home2reg = viewService.register({});
+    expect(home2reg.navAction).toEqual('newView');
     currentView = viewService.getCurrentView();
     backView = viewService.getBackView();
     forwardView = viewService.getForwardView();
@@ -633,6 +637,46 @@ describe('Ionic View Service', function() {
     expect(rootScope.$viewHistory.histories[tab1Scope.$historyId].cursor).toEqual(1);
   }));
 
+  it('should go one level in tab1, vist tab2 and tab3, come back to tab1 and still be at spot', inject(function($location, $state) {
+    var tab1Container = {};
+    var tab2Container = {};
+    var tab3Container = {};
+    viewService.registerHistory(tab1Container);
+    viewService.registerHistory(tab2Container);
+    viewService.registerHistory(tab3Container);
+
+    // register tab1, view1
+    $state.go('tabs.tab1view1');
+    rootScope.$apply();
+    var tab1view1Reg = viewService.register(tab1Container);
+    expect(rootScope.$viewHistory.histories[tab1Container.$historyId].cursor).toEqual(0);
+
+    // register tab1, view2
+    $state.go('tabs.tab1view2');
+    rootScope.$apply();
+    var tab1view2Reg = viewService.register(tab1Container);
+    expect(rootScope.$viewHistory.histories[tab1Container.$historyId].cursor).toEqual(1);
+    currentView = viewService.getCurrentView();
+    expect(currentView.backViewId).toEqual(tab1view1Reg.viewId);
+
+    // register tab2, view1
+    $state.go('tabs.tab2view1');
+    rootScope.$apply();
+    var tab2view1Reg = viewService.register(tab2Container);
+
+    // register tab3, view1
+    $state.go('tabs.tab3view1');
+    rootScope.$apply();
+    var tab3view1Reg = viewService.register(tab3Container);
+
+    // register tab 1, view 2 again
+    $state.go('tabs.tab1view2');
+    rootScope.$apply();
+    var tab1view2Reg2 = viewService.register(tab1Container);
+    expect(tab1view2Reg2.navAction).toEqual('moveBack');
+    expect(tab1view2Reg2.viewId).toEqual(tab1view2Reg.viewId);
+  }));
+
   it('should init root viewHistory data', inject(function() {
     expect(rootScope.$viewHistory.backView).toEqual(null);
     expect(rootScope.$viewHistory.currentView).toEqual(null);