diff --git a/demos/src/select/pages/page-one/page-one.html b/demos/src/select/pages/page-one/page-one.html
index e8eced2919..966b571e2f 100644
--- a/demos/src/select/pages/page-one/page-one.html
+++ b/demos/src/select/pages/page-one/page-one.html
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@
       </ion-select>
     </ion-item>
 
+    <ion-item>
+      <ion-label>Hair Color</ion-label>
+      <ion-select [(ngModel)]="hairColor" okText="Okay" cancelText="Dismiss" [compareWith]="compareFn">
+        <ion-option *ngFor="let o of hairColorData" [value]="o">{{o.text}}</ion-option>
+      </ion-select>
+    </ion-item>
+
     <ion-item>
       <ion-label>Gaming</ion-label>
       <ion-select [(ngModel)]="gaming" okText="Okay" cancelText="Dismiss">
@@ -147,6 +154,13 @@
       </ion-select>
     </ion-item>
 
+    <ion-item>
+      <ion-label>Skittles</ion-label>
+      <ion-select [(ngModel)]="skittles" multiple="true" okText="Okay" cancelText="Dismiss" [compareWith]="compareFn">
+        <ion-option *ngFor="let o of skittlesData" [value]="o">{{o.text}}</ion-option>
+      </ion-select>
+    </ion-item>
+
     <ion-item>
       <ion-label>Disabled</ion-label>
       <ion-select multiple disabled="true">
diff --git a/demos/src/select/pages/page-one/page-one.ts b/demos/src/select/pages/page-one/page-one.ts
index 48e9ca7950..e4bcaa81a2 100644
--- a/demos/src/select/pages/page-one/page-one.ts
+++ b/demos/src/select/pages/page-one/page-one.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ export class PageOne {
   petAlertOpts: any;
   petData: any;
   pets: Array<string>;
+  hairColorData: any;
+  hairColor: any;
+  skittlesData: any;
+  skittles: Array<any>;  
   notifications: string = 'mute_1';
   rating: number = 2;
 
@@ -31,9 +35,37 @@ export class PageOne {
       { text: 'Honey Badger', value: 'honeybadger' },
     ];
 
+    this.hairColorData = [
+        { text: 'Brown', value: 'brown' },
+        { text: 'Blonde', value: 'blonde' },
+        { text: 'Black', value: 'black' },
+        { text: 'Red', value: 'red' }
+    ];
+
+    // Pre-selected object with different object reference      
+    this.hairColor = { text: 'Brown', value: 'brown' };
+
+    this.skittlesData = [
+        { text: 'Red', value: 'red' },
+        { text: 'Orange', value: 'orange' },
+        { text: 'Yellow', value: 'yellow' },
+        { text: 'Green', value: 'green' },
+        { text: 'Purple', value: 'purple' }
+    ];
+
+    // Pre-selected object with different object reference      
+    this.skittles = [
+        { text: 'Red', value: 'red' },
+        { text: 'Purple', value: 'purple' }
+    ];
+
     this.pets = ['cat', 'dog'];
   }
 
+  compareFn(option1: any, option2: any) {
+      return option1.value === option2.value;
+  }
+
   monthChange(val: any) {
     console.log('Month Change:', val);
   }
diff --git a/src/components/select/select.ts b/src/components/select/select.ts
index 1c8f501462..28a94b32a3 100644
--- a/src/components/select/select.ts
+++ b/src/components/select/select.ts
@@ -123,6 +123,31 @@ import { SelectPopover, SelectPopoverOption } from './select-popover-component';
  * };
  * ```
  *
+ * ### Object Value References
+ *
+ * When using objects for select values, it is possible for the identities of these objects to
+ * change if they are coming from a server or database, while the selected value's identity
+ * remains the same. For example, this can occur when an existing record with the desired object value
+ * is loaded into the select, but the newly retrieved select options now have different identities. This will
+ * result in the select appearing to have no value at all, even though the original selection in still intact.
+ *
+ * Using the `compareWith` `Input` is the solution to this problem
+ *
+ * ```html
+ * <ion-item>
+ *   <ion-label>Employee</ion-label>
+ *   <ion-select [(ngModel)]="employee" [compareWith]="compareFn">
+ *     <ion-option *ngFor="let employee of employees" [value]="employee">{{employee.name}}</ion-option>
+ *   </ion-select>
+ * </ion-item>
+ * ```
+ *
+ * ```ts
+ * compareFn(e1: Employee, e2: Employee): boolean {
+ *   return e1 && e2 ? e1.id === e2.id : e1 === e2;
+ * }
+ * ```
+ *
  * @demo /docs/demos/src/select/
  */
 @Component({
@@ -153,6 +178,7 @@ export class Select extends BaseInput<any> implements OnDestroy {
   _overlay: ActionSheet | Alert | Popover;
   _texts: string[] = [];
   _text: string = '';
+  _compareWith: (o1: any, o2: any) => boolean = isCheckedProperty;
 
   /**
    * @input {string} The text to display on the cancel button. Default: `Cancel`.
@@ -187,6 +213,18 @@ export class Select extends BaseInput<any> implements OnDestroy {
    */
   @Input() selectedText: string = '';
 
+  /**
+   * @input {Function} The function that will be called to compare object values
+   */
+  @Input()
+  set compareWith(fn: (o1: any, o2: any) => boolean) {
+    if (typeof fn !== 'function') {
+      throw new Error(`compareWith must be a function, but received ${JSON.stringify(fn)}`);
+    }
+    this._compareWith = fn;
+  }
+
+
   /**
    * @output {any} Emitted when the selection was cancelled.
    */
@@ -448,7 +486,7 @@ export class Select extends BaseInput<any> implements OnDestroy {
       this._options.forEach(option => {
         // check this option if the option's value is in the values array
         option.selected = this.getValues().some(selectValue => {
-          return isCheckedProperty(selectValue, option.value);
+          return this._compareWith(selectValue, option.value);
         });
 
         if (option.selected) {