diff --git a/ionic/components/app/test/sink/index.js b/ionic/components/app/test/sink/index.js
index fd4b233f3a..5603c80fe9 100644
--- a/ionic/components/app/test/sink/index.js
+++ b/ionic/components/app/test/sink/index.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class MyApp {
     aside.close();
 
     let nav = this.app.getComponent('myNav');
-    nav.setItems([component.component]);
+    nav.setRoot(component.component);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/ionic/components/view/view-controller.js b/ionic/components/view/view-controller.js
index e479ff0e8d..d78cd9a555 100644
--- a/ionic/components/view/view-controller.js
+++ b/ionic/components/view/view-controller.js
@@ -177,6 +177,13 @@ export class ViewController extends Ion {
     return this.push(component.component || component, component.params, opts);
   }
 
+  setRoot(ComponentType, params = {}, opts = {}) {
+    return this.setItems([{
+             component: ComponentType,
+             params: params
+           }], opts);
+  }
+
   transition(enteringItem, leavingItem, opts, callback) {
     if (!enteringItem || enteringItem === leavingItem) {
       return callback();
diff --git a/ionic/components/view/view-item.js b/ionic/components/view/view-item.js
index 6c5cfb10bc..03f3a9c813 100644
--- a/ionic/components/view/view-item.js
+++ b/ionic/components/view/view-item.js
@@ -157,9 +157,6 @@ export class ViewItem {
   setInstance(instance) {
     this.instance = instance;
     this.instance._viewItem = this;
-
-    this.instance._viewDidEnter = new EventEmitter('viewDidEnter');
-    this.instance._viewWillEnter = new EventEmitter('viewWillEnter');
   }
 
   destroy() {