diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts
index 3a70291039..e689955030 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ import {isUndefined} from '../../util/util';
     '<ion-tabbar-section>' +
       '<tabbar role="tablist">' +
         '<a *ngFor="#t of _tabs" [tab]="t" class="tab-button" role="tab">' +
-          '<ion-icon [name]="t.tabIcon" [isActive]="t.isSelected" class="tab-button-icon"></ion-icon>' +
-          '<span class="tab-button-text">{{t.tabTitle}}</span>' +
+          '<ion-icon *ngIf="t.tabIcon" [name]="t.tabIcon" [isActive]="t.isSelected" class="tab-button-icon"></ion-icon>' +
+          '<span *ngIf="t.tabTitle" class="tab-button-text">{{t.tabTitle}}</span>' +
           '<ion-badge *ngIf="t.tabBadge" class="tab-badge" [ngClass]="\'badge-\' + t.tabBadgeStyle">{{t.tabBadge}}</ion-badge>' +
         '</a>' +
         '<tab-highlight></tab-highlight>' +
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ export class Tabs extends Ion {
   navbarContainerRef: ViewContainerRef;
   subPages: boolean;
 
+  @Input() selectedIndex: any;
   @Input() preloadTabs: any;
   @Input() tabbarIcons: string;
   @Input() tabbarPlacement: string;
@@ -133,8 +134,10 @@ export class Tabs extends Ion {
       });
     });
 
+    let selectedIndex = this.selectedIndex ? parseInt(this.selectedIndex, 10) : 0;
+
     this._tabs.forEach((tab, index) => {
-      if (index === 0) {
+      if (index === selectedIndex) {
         this.select(tab);
 
       } else if (this.preloadTabs) {
@@ -206,10 +209,10 @@ export class Tabs extends Ion {
         this._tabs.forEach(tab => {
           tab.setSelected(tab === selectedTab);
         });
-      }
 
-      if (this._useHighlight) {
-        this._highlight.select(selectedTab);
+        if (this._useHighlight) {
+          this._highlight.select(selectedTab);
+        }
       }
 
       selectedPage && selectedPage.didEnter();
diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/test/tab-bar-scenarios/index.ts b/ionic/components/tabs/test/tab-bar-scenarios/index.ts
index 834efa41bb..45d9e0103e 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/test/tab-bar-scenarios/index.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/test/tab-bar-scenarios/index.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,17 @@
-import {App} from 'ionic/ionic';
+import {App, Page} from 'ionic/ionic';
+
+
+@Page({template:'hi'})
+class E2EPage{}
 
 
 @App({
   templateUrl: 'main.html'
 })
-class E2EApp {}
+class E2EApp {
+  constructor() {
+    this.root = E2EPage;
+  }
+}
 
 document.body.innerHTML += '<link href="styles.css" rel="stylesheet">'
diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/test/tab-bar-scenarios/main.html b/ionic/components/tabs/test/tab-bar-scenarios/main.html
index 3cd9811455..a221a414d3 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/test/tab-bar-scenarios/main.html
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/test/tab-bar-scenarios/main.html
@@ -1,71 +1,71 @@
 
 <!-- Text -->
 <ion-tabs no-navbar>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
 </ion-tabs>
 
 
 <!-- Icons -->
-<ion-tabs no-navbar>
-  <ion-tab tabIcon="call"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabIcon="heart"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabIcon="settings"></ion-tab>
+<ion-tabs no-navbar selectedIndex="1">
+  <ion-tab tabIcon="call" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabIcon="heart" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabIcon="settings" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
 </ion-tabs>
 
 
 <!-- Icons on top of text -->
-<ion-tabs no-navbar>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Location" tabIcon="navigate"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="star"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Radio" tabIcon="musical-notes"></ion-tab>
+<ion-tabs no-navbar selectedIndex="2">
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Location" tabIcon="navigate" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="star" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Radio" tabIcon="musical-notes" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
 </ion-tabs>
 
 
 <!-- Icons below text -->
-<ion-tabs tabbarIcons="bottom" no-navbar>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents" tabIcon="call"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="heart"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings" tabIcon="settings"></ion-tab>
+<ion-tabs tabbarIcons="bottom" no-navbar selectedIndex="1">
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents" tabIcon="call" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="heart" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings" tabIcon="settings" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
 </ion-tabs>
 
 
 <!-- Icons right of text -->
-<ion-tabs tabbarIcons="right" no-navbar>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents" tabIcon="call"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="heart"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings" tabIcon="settings"></ion-tab>
+<ion-tabs tabbarIcons="right" no-navbar selectedIndex="0">
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents" tabIcon="call" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="heart" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings" tabIcon="settings" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
 </ion-tabs>
 
 
 <!-- Icons left of text -->
 <ion-tabs tabbarIcons="left" no-navbar>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents" tabIcon="call"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="heart"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings" tabIcon="settings"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents" tabIcon="call" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="heart" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings" tabIcon="settings" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
 </ion-tabs>
 
 
 <!-- No icons -->
 <ion-tabs tabbarIcons="hide" no-navbar>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents" tabIcon="call"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="heart"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings" tabIcon="settings"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Recents" tabIcon="call" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Favorites" tabIcon="heart" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Settings" tabIcon="settings" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
 </ion-tabs>
 
 
 <!-- No overflow text -->
 <ion-tabs no-navbar>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabTitle="Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabTitle="Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
 </ion-tabs>
 
 
 <!-- primary color tabbar -->
 <ion-tabs no-navbar primary>
-  <ion-tab tabIcon="call"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabIcon="heart"></ion-tab>
-  <ion-tab tabIcon="settings"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabIcon="call" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabIcon="heart" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
+  <ion-tab tabIcon="settings" [root]="root"></ion-tab>
 </ion-tabs>