diff --git a/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js b/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js
index 5fe099bd18..50b052dc74 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $ionicViewService, $animate, $compile, $ionic
 
   var self = this;
 
-  this.leftButtonsElement = angular.element(
+  this.leftButtonsElement = jqLite(
     $element[0].querySelector('.buttons.left-buttons')
   );
-  this.rightButtonsElement = angular.element(
+  this.rightButtonsElement = jqLite(
     $element[0].querySelector('.buttons.right-buttons')
   );
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $ionicViewService, $animate, $compile, $ionic
     currentTitles = $element[0].querySelectorAll('.title');
     if (currentTitles.length) {
       oldTitleEl = $compile('<h1 class="title" ng-bind-html="oldTitle"></h1>')($scope);
-      angular.element(currentTitles[0]).replaceWith(oldTitleEl);
+      jqLite(currentTitles[0]).replaceWith(oldTitleEl);
     }
     //Compile new title
     newTitleEl = $compile('<h1 class="title invisible" ng-bind-html="title"></h1>')($scope);
@@ -101,18 +101,18 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $ionicViewService, $animate, $compile, $ionic
     //Animate in on next frame
     ionic.requestAnimationFrame(function() {
 
-      oldTitleEl && $animate.leave(angular.element(oldTitleEl));
+      oldTitleEl && $animate.leave(jqLite(oldTitleEl));
 
-      var insert = oldTitleEl && angular.element(oldTitleEl) || null;
+      var insert = oldTitleEl && jqLite(oldTitleEl) || null;
       $animate.enter(newTitleEl, $element, insert, function() {
         self._headerBarView.align();
       });
 
       //Cleanup any old titles leftover (besides the one we already did replaceWith on)
-      angular.forEach(currentTitles, function(el) {
+      forEach(currentTitles, function(el) {
         if (el && el.parentNode) {
           //Use .remove() to cleanup things like .data()
-          angular.element(el).remove();
+          jqLite(el).remove();
         }
       });
 
diff --git a/js/angular/controller/scrollController.js b/js/angular/controller/scrollController.js
index ed87735b7d..024cc4cca7 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/scrollController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/scrollController.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function($scope, scrollViewOptions, $timeout, $window, $$scrollValueCache, $loca
   this._scrollViewOptions = scrollViewOptions; //for testing
 
   var element = this.element = scrollViewOptions.el;
-  var $element = this.$element = angular.element(element);
+  var $element = this.$element = jqLite(element);
   var scrollView = this.scrollView = new ionic.views.Scroll(scrollViewOptions);
 
   //Attach self to element as a controller so other directives can require this controller
diff --git a/js/angular/controller/sideMenuController.js b/js/angular/controller/sideMenuController.js
index e2d6d5e191..c75bfe8010 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/sideMenuController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/sideMenuController.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ IonicModule
   '$ionicPlatform',
 function($scope, $attrs, $ionicSideMenuDelegate, $ionicPlatform) {
   var self = this;
-  angular.extend(this, ionic.controllers.SideMenuController.prototype);
+  extend(this, ionic.controllers.SideMenuController.prototype);
 
   this.$scope = $scope;
 
diff --git a/js/angular/controller/tabsController.js b/js/angular/controller/tabsController.js
index cf68e4ad79..f3a7a39155 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/tabsController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/tabsController.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function($scope, $ionicViewService, $element) {
         $ionicViewService.goToHistoryRoot(tab.$historyId);
       }
     } else {
-      angular.forEach(self.tabs, function(tab) {
+      forEach(self.tabs, function(tab) {
         self.deselect(tab);
       });
 
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/collectionRepeat.js b/js/angular/directive/collectionRepeat.js
index 7561efb532..70d57354cd 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/collectionRepeat.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/collectionRepeat.js
@@ -168,14 +168,14 @@ function($collectionRepeatManager, $collectionDataSource, $parse) {
 
       var heightGetter = function(scope, locals) {
         var result = heightParsed(scope, locals);
-        if (angular.isString(result) && result.indexOf('%') > -1) {
+        if (isString(result) && result.indexOf('%') > -1) {
           return Math.floor(parseInt(result, 10) / 100 * scrollView.__clientHeight);
         }
         return result;
       };
       var widthGetter = function(scope, locals) {
         var result = widthParsed(scope, locals);
-        if (angular.isString(result) && result.indexOf('%') > -1) {
+        if (isString(result) && result.indexOf('%') > -1) {
           return Math.floor(parseInt(result, 10) / 100 * scrollView.__clientWidth);
         }
         return result;
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/content.js b/js/angular/directive/content.js
index ecb68f79f5..e85f4e7d5d 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/content.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/content.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function($timeout, $controller, $ionicBind) {
       if (attr.scroll != 'false') {
         //We cannot use normal transclude here because it breaks element.data()
         //inheritance on compile
-        innerElement = angular.element('<div class="scroll"></div>');
+        innerElement = jqLite('<div class="scroll"></div>');
         innerElement.append(element.contents());
         element.append(innerElement);
       }
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/item.js b/js/angular/directive/item.js
index 1d8fa4093e..dd2bccfd72 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/item.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/item.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ function($animate, $compile) {
         /ion-(delete|option|reorder)-button/i.test($element.html());
 
         if (isComplexItem) {
-          var innerElement = angular.element(isAnchor ? ITEM_TPL_CONTENT_ANCHOR : ITEM_TPL_CONTENT);
+          var innerElement = jqLite(isAnchor ? ITEM_TPL_CONTENT_ANCHOR : ITEM_TPL_CONTENT);
           innerElement.append($element.contents());
 
           $element.append(innerElement);
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/itemDeleteButton.js b/js/angular/directive/itemDeleteButton.js
index f01df55cb6..e5c78580d7 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/itemDeleteButton.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/itemDeleteButton.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ IonicModule
       return function($scope, $element, $attr, ctrls) {
         var itemCtrl = ctrls[0];
         var listCtrl = ctrls[1];
-        var container = angular.element(ITEM_TPL_DELETE_BUTTON);
+        var container = jqLite(ITEM_TPL_DELETE_BUTTON);
         container.append($element);
         itemCtrl.$element.append(container).addClass('item-left-editable');
 
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/itemOptionButton.js b/js/angular/directive/itemOptionButton.js
index 9a33396230..2a80731ac1 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/itemOptionButton.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/itemOptionButton.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ return {
     $attr.$set('class', ($attr['class'] || '') + ' button', true);
     return function($scope, $element, $attr, itemCtrl) {
       if (!itemCtrl.optionsContainer) {
-        itemCtrl.optionsContainer = angular.element(ITEM_TPL_OPTION_BUTTONS);
+        itemCtrl.optionsContainer = jqLite(ITEM_TPL_OPTION_BUTTONS);
         itemCtrl.$element.append(itemCtrl.optionsContainer);
       }
       itemCtrl.optionsContainer.append($element);
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/itemReorderButton.js b/js/angular/directive/itemReorderButton.js
index 18bfcf8f94..7c275c5340 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/itemReorderButton.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/itemReorderButton.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ IonicModule
           });
         };
 
-        var container = angular.element(ITEM_TPL_REORDER_BUTTON);
+        var container = jqLite(ITEM_TPL_REORDER_BUTTON);
         container.append($element);
         itemCtrl.$element.append(container).addClass('item-right-editable');
 
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/list.js b/js/angular/directive/list.js
index c6f71c35c8..94dbbd624b 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/list.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/list.js
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ function($animate, $timeout) {
     require: ['ionList', '^?$ionicScroll'],
     controller: '$ionicList',
     compile: function($element, $attr) {
-      var listEl = angular.element('<div class="list">')
+      var listEl = jqLite('<div class="list">')
       .append( $element.contents() );
       $element.append(listEl);
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ function($animate, $timeout) {
             scrollEl: scrollCtrl && scrollCtrl.element,
             scrollView: scrollCtrl && scrollCtrl.scrollView,
             onReorder: function(el, oldIndex, newIndex) {
-              var itemScope = angular.element(el).scope();
+              var itemScope = jqLite(el).scope();
               if (itemScope && itemScope.$onReorder) {
                 itemScope.$onReorder(oldIndex, newIndex);
               }
@@ -155,16 +155,16 @@ function($animate, $timeout) {
           });
 
           function toggleNgHide(selector, shouldShow) {
-            angular.forEach($element[0].querySelectorAll(selector), function(node) {
+            forEach($element[0].querySelectorAll(selector), function(node) {
               if (shouldShow) {
-                $animate.removeClass(angular.element(node), 'ng-hide');
+                $animate.removeClass(jqLite(node), 'ng-hide');
               } else {
-                $animate.addClass(angular.element(node), 'ng-hide');
+                $animate.addClass(jqLite(node), 'ng-hide');
               }
             });
           }
           function toggleTapDisabled(selector, shouldDisable) {
-            var el = angular.element($element[0].querySelectorAll(selector));
+            var el = jqLite($element[0].querySelectorAll(selector));
             if (shouldDisable) {
               el.attr('data-tap-disabled', 'true');
             } else {
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/navButtons.js b/js/angular/directive/navButtons.js
index b401c85113..6d6dcbee6b 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/navButtons.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/navButtons.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ IonicModule
         //so we can remove them all when this element dies -
         //even if the buttons have changed through an ng-repeat or the like,
         //we just remove their div parent and they are gone.
-        var buttons = angular.element('<span>').append(content);
+        var buttons = jqLite('<span>').append(content);
 
         //Compile buttons inside content so they have access to everything
         //something inside content does (eg parent ionicScroll)
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/navView.js b/js/angular/directive/navView.js
index 933fdc674d..1f01c17911 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/navView.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/navView.js
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ function( $ionicViewService,   $state,   $compile,   $controller,   $animate) {
             return element.append(initialView);
           }
 
-          var newElement = angular.element('<div></div>').html(locals.$template).contents();
+          var newElement = jqLite('<div></div>').html(locals.$template).contents();
           var viewRegisterData = renderer().register(newElement);
 
           // Remove existing content
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/scroll.js b/js/angular/directive/scroll.js
index da772199c1..58da440b92 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/scroll.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/scroll.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function($timeout, $controller, $ionicBind) {
       element.addClass('scroll-view');
 
       //We cannot transclude here because it breaks element.data() inheritance on compile
-      var innerElement = angular.element('<div class="scroll"></div>');
+      var innerElement = jqLite('<div class="scroll"></div>');
       innerElement.append(element.contents());
       element.append(innerElement);
 
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/slideBox.js b/js/angular/directive/slideBox.js
index b3340a8b78..9e421b43e3 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/slideBox.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/slideBox.js
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ function($timeout, $compile, $ionicSlideBoxDelegate) {
       // If the pager should show, append it to the slide box
       if($scope.$eval($scope.showPager) !== false) {
         var childScope = $scope.$new();
-        var pager = angular.element('<ion-pager></ion-pager>');
+        var pager = jqLite('<ion-pager></ion-pager>');
         $element.append(pager);
         $compile(pager)(childScope);
       }
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/tab.js b/js/angular/directive/tab.js
index c7c9eacc8f..7075ff6430 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/tab.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/tab.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function($rootScope, $animate, $ionicBind, $compile) {
 
       //Remove the contents of the element so we can compile them later, if tab is selected
       //We don't use regular transclusion because it breaks element inheritance
-      var tabContent = angular.element('<div class="pane">')
+      var tabContent = jqLite('<div class="pane">')
         .append( element.contents().remove() );
 
       return function link($scope, $element, $attr, ctrls) {
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ function($rootScope, $animate, $ionicBind, $compile) {
           }
         }
 
-        var tabNavElement = angular.element(tabNavTemplate);
+        var tabNavElement = jqLite(tabNavTemplate);
         tabNavElement.data('$ionTabsController', tabsCtrl);
         tabNavElement.data('$ionTabController', tabCtrl);
         tabsCtrl.$tabsElement.append($compile(tabNavElement)($scope));
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/tabs.js b/js/angular/directive/tabs.js
index aa18c996c5..31f063a41a 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/tabs.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/tabs.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ IonicModule
       element.addClass('view');
       //We cannot use regular transclude here because it breaks element.data()
       //inheritance on compile
-      var innerElement = angular.element('<div class="tabs"></div>');
+      var innerElement = jqLite('<div class="tabs"></div>');
       innerElement.append(element.contents());
       element.append(innerElement);
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ IonicModule
 
         tabsCtrl.$scope = $scope;
         tabsCtrl.$element = $element;
-        tabsCtrl.$tabsElement = angular.element($element[0].querySelector('.tabs'));
+        tabsCtrl.$tabsElement = jqLite($element[0].querySelector('.tabs'));
 
         var el = $element[0];
         $scope.$watch(function() { return el.className; }, function(value) {
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/toggle.js b/js/angular/directive/toggle.js
index 9908789173..9f8eb0a980 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/toggle.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/toggle.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function($ionicGesture, $timeout) {
          track = el.children[1];
          handle = track.children[0];
 
-         var ngModelController = angular.element(checkbox).controller('ngModel');
+         var ngModelController = jqLite(checkbox).controller('ngModel');
 
          $scope.toggle = new ionic.views.Toggle({
            el: el,
diff --git a/js/angular/main.js b/js/angular/main.js
index b5af9cf86f..6624368a87 100644
--- a/js/angular/main.js
+++ b/js/angular/main.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-var IonicModule = angular.module('ionic', [
-  // Angular deps
-  'ngAnimate',
-  'ngSanitize',
-  'ui.router'
-]);
+var IonicModule = angular.module('ionic', ['ngAnimate', 'ngSanitize', 'ui.router']),
+  extend = angular.extend,
+  forEach = angular.forEach,
+  isString = angular.isString,
+  jqLite = angular.element;
diff --git a/js/angular/service/actionSheet.js b/js/angular/service/actionSheet.js
index 1b60da4136..469d8c76c8 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/actionSheet.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/actionSheet.js
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ function($rootScope, $document, $compile, $animate, $timeout, $ionicTemplateLoad
     show: function(opts) {
       var scope = $rootScope.$new(true);
 
-      angular.extend(scope, {
+      extend(scope, {
         cancel: angular.noop,
         buttonClicked: angular.noop,
         destructiveButtonClicked: angular.noop
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ function($rootScope, $document, $compile, $animate, $timeout, $ionicTemplateLoad
       var element = $compile('<ion-action-sheet buttons="buttons"></ion-action-sheet>')(scope);
 
       // Grab the sheet element for animation
-      var sheetEl = angular.element(element[0].querySelector('.action-sheet-wrapper'));
+      var sheetEl = jqLite(element[0].querySelector('.action-sheet-wrapper'));
 
       var hideSheet = function(didCancel) {
         sheetEl.removeClass('action-sheet-up');
diff --git a/js/angular/service/angularOverrides.js b/js/angular/service/angularOverrides.js
index 0e9ef4819b..1842e09472 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/angularOverrides.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/angularOverrides.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-angular.element.prototype.addClass = function(cssClasses) {
+jqLite.prototype.addClass = function(cssClasses) {
   var x, y, cssClass, el, splitClasses, existingClasses;
   if (cssClasses && cssClasses != 'ng-scope' && cssClasses != 'ng-isolate-scope') {
     for(x=0; x<this.length; x++) {
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ angular.element.prototype.addClass = function(cssClasses) {
   return this;
 };
 
-angular.element.prototype.removeClass = function(cssClasses) {
+jqLite.prototype.removeClass = function(cssClasses) {
   var x, y, splitClasses, cssClass, el;
   if (cssClasses) {
     for(x=0; x<this.length; x++) {
diff --git a/js/angular/service/backdrop.js b/js/angular/service/backdrop.js
index cda5cbec61..e20f31d7cb 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/backdrop.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/backdrop.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ IonicModule
   '$document',
 function($document) {
 
-  var el = angular.element('<div class="backdrop">');
+  var el = jqLite('<div class="backdrop">');
   var backdropHolds = 0;
 
   $document[0].body.appendChild(el[0]);
diff --git a/js/angular/service/bind.js b/js/angular/service/bind.js
index 6e90f9ff2f..abd7937f3e 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/bind.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/bind.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ IonicModule
 .factory('$ionicBind', ['$parse', '$interpolate', function($parse, $interpolate) {
   var LOCAL_REGEXP = /^\s*([@=&])(\??)\s*(\w*)\s*$/;
   return function(scope, attrs, bindDefinition) {
-    angular.forEach(bindDefinition || {}, function (definition, scopeName) {
+    forEach(bindDefinition || {}, function (definition, scopeName) {
       //Adapted from angular.js $compile
       var match = definition.match(LOCAL_REGEXP) || [],
         attrName = match[3] || scopeName,
diff --git a/js/angular/service/modal.js b/js/angular/service/modal.js
index d1de50bc1c..ec9c61efbc 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/modal.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/modal.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ function($rootScope, $document, $compile, $timeout, $ionicPlatform, $ionicTempla
      */
     show: function() {
       var self = this;
-      var modalEl = angular.element(self.modalEl);
+      var modalEl = jqLite(self.modalEl);
 
       self.el.classList.remove('hide');
       $timeout(function(){
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ function($rootScope, $document, $compile, $timeout, $ionicPlatform, $ionicTempla
      */
     hide: function() {
       var self = this;
-      var modalEl = angular.element(self.modalEl);
+      var modalEl = jqLite(self.modalEl);
 
       self.el.classList.remove('active');
       modalEl.addClass('ng-leave');
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ function($rootScope, $document, $compile, $timeout, $ionicPlatform, $ionicTempla
     // Create a new scope for the modal
     var scope = options.scope && options.scope.$new() || $rootScope.$new(true);
 
-    angular.extend(scope, {
+    extend(scope, {
       $hasHeader: false,
       $hasSubheader: false,
       $hasFooter: false,
diff --git a/js/angular/service/popup.js b/js/angular/service/popup.js
index 87a1fa08f1..9558193f7a 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/popup.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/popup.js
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ function($ionicTemplateLoader, $ionicBackdrop, $q, $timeout, $rootScope, $docume
   return $ionicPopup;
 
   function createPopup(options) {
-    options = angular.extend({
+    options = extend({
       scope: null,
       title: '',
       buttons: [],
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ function($ionicTemplateLoader, $ionicBackdrop, $q, $timeout, $rootScope, $docume
 
       //Can't ng-bind-html for popup-body because it can be insecure html
       //(eg an input in case of prompt)
-      var body = angular.element(self.element[0].querySelector('.popup-body'));
+      var body = jqLite(self.element[0].querySelector('.popup-body'));
       if (content) {
         body.html(content);
         $compile(body.contents())(self.scope);
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ function($ionicTemplateLoader, $ionicBackdrop, $q, $timeout, $rootScope, $docume
         body.remove();
       }
 
-      angular.extend(self.scope, {
+      extend(self.scope, {
         title: options.title,
         buttons: options.buttons,
         subTitle: options.subTitle,
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ function($ionicTemplateLoader, $ionicBackdrop, $q, $timeout, $rootScope, $docume
   }
 
   function showAlert(opts) {
-    return showPopup( angular.extend({
+    return showPopup( extend({
       buttons: [{
         text: opts.okText || 'OK',
         type: opts.okType || 'button-positive',
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ function($ionicTemplateLoader, $ionicBackdrop, $q, $timeout, $rootScope, $docume
   }
 
   function showConfirm(opts) {
-    return showPopup( angular.extend({
+    return showPopup( extend({
       buttons: [{
         text: opts.cancelText || 'Cancel' ,
         type: opts.cancelType || 'button-default',
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ function($ionicTemplateLoader, $ionicBackdrop, $q, $timeout, $rootScope, $docume
   function showPrompt(opts) {
     var scope = $rootScope.$new(true);
     scope.data = {};
-    return showPopup( angular.extend({
+    return showPopup( extend({
       template: '<input ng-model="data.response" type="' + (opts.inputType || 'text') +
         '" placeholder="' + (opts.inputPlaceholder || '') + '">',
       scope: scope,
diff --git a/js/angular/service/templateLoader.js b/js/angular/service/templateLoader.js
index d0b957f764..a1dd5c5cdc 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/templateLoader.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/templateLoader.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function($compile, $controller, $http, $q, $rootScope, $templateCache) {
   }
 
   function loadAndCompile(options) {
-    options = angular.extend({
+    options = extend({
       template: '',
       templateUrl: '',
       scope: null,
@@ -39,19 +39,19 @@ function($compile, $controller, $http, $q, $rootScope, $templateCache) {
       var scope = options.scope || $rootScope.$new();
 
       //Incase template doesn't have just one root element, do this
-      var element = angular.element('<div>').html(template).contents();
+      var element = jqLite('<div>').html(template).contents();
 
       if (options.controller) {
         controller = $controller(
           options.controller,
-          angular.extend(options.locals, {
+          extend(options.locals, {
             $scope: scope
           })
         );
         element.children().data('$ngControllerController', controller);
       }
       if (options.appendTo) {
-        angular.element(options.appendTo).append(element);
+        jqLite(options.appendTo).append(element);
       }
 
       $compile(element)(scope);