diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/nav/nav-util.ts b/packages/core/src/components/nav/nav-util.ts
index 538daa9ded..cb491d3ab6 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/nav/nav-util.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/nav/nav-util.ts
@@ -2,14 +2,6 @@ import { ViewController, isViewController } from './view-controller';
 import { NavControllerBase } from './nav';
 import { Transition } from './transition';
 
-
-export type NavParams = {[key: string]: any};
-
-export interface PageMeta {
-  page:  string | HTMLElement | ViewController;
-  params?: any;
-}
-
 export function convertToView(page: any, params: any): ViewController {
   if (!page) {
     return null;
@@ -21,27 +13,25 @@ export function convertToView(page: any, params: any): ViewController {
 }
 
 export function convertToViews(pages: any[]): ViewController[] {
-  return pages
-    .map(page => {
-      if (isViewController(page)) {
-        return page;
-      }
-      if ('page' in page) {
-        return convertToView(page.page, page.params);
-      }
-      return convertToView(page, undefined);
-    })
-    .filter(v => v !== null);
+  return pages.map(page => {
+    if (isViewController(page)) {
+      return page;
+    }
+    if ('page' in page) {
+      return convertToView(page.page, page.params);
+    }
+    return convertToView(page, undefined);
+  })
+  .filter(v => v !== null);
 }
 
-
 export function setZIndex(nav: NavControllerBase, enteringView: ViewController, leavingView: ViewController, direction: string) {
   if (enteringView) {
 
     leavingView = leavingView || nav.getPrevious(enteringView);
 
     if (leavingView && isPresent(leavingView._zIndex)) {
-      if (direction === DIRECTION_BACK) {
+      if (direction === NavDirection.back) {
         enteringView._setZIndex(leavingView._zIndex - 1);
 
       } else {
@@ -54,43 +44,25 @@ export function setZIndex(nav: NavControllerBase, enteringView: ViewController,
   }
 }
 
-export function isTabs(nav: any): boolean {
-  // Tabs (ion-tabs)
-  return !!nav && !!nav.getSelected;
+export function isPresent(val: any): val is any {
+  return val !== undefined && val !== null;
 }
 
-export function isTab(nav: any): boolean {
-  // Tab (ion-tab)
-  return !!nav && isPresent(nav._tabId);
+export const enum ViewState {
+  New = 1,
+  Initialized,
+  Attached,
+  Destroyed
 }
 
-export function isNav(nav: any): boolean {
-  // Nav (ion-nav), Tab (ion-tab), Portal (ion-portal)
-  return !!nav && !!nav.push && nav.getType() === 'nav';
+export const enum NavDirection {
+  back = 'back',
+  forward = 'forward'
 }
 
-export function linkToSegment(navId: string, type: string, secondaryId: string, link: NavLink): NavSegment {
-  const segment = <NavSegment> Object.assign({}, link);
-  segment.navId = navId;
-  segment.type = type;
-  segment.secondaryId = secondaryId;
-  return segment;
-}
+export const INIT_ZINDEX = 100;
 
-
-// internal link interface, not exposed publicly
-export interface NavLink {
-  component?: any;
-  loadChildren?: string;
-  name?: string;
-  segment?: string;
-  segmentParts?: string[];
-  segmentPartsLen?: number;
-  staticLen?: number;
-  dataLen?: number;
-  dataKeys?: {[key: string]: boolean};
-  defaultHistory?: any[];
-}
+export type NavParams = {[key: string]: any};
 
 export interface NavResult {
   hasCompleted: boolean;
@@ -100,36 +72,6 @@ export interface NavResult {
   direction?: string;
 }
 
-export interface NavSegment extends DehydratedSegment {
-  type: string;
-  navId: string;
-  secondaryId: string;
-  requiresExplicitNavPrefix?: boolean;
-}
-
-export interface DehydratedSegment {
-  id: string;
-  name: string;
-  component?: any;
-  loadChildren?: string;
-  data: any;
-  defaultHistory?: NavSegment[];
-  secondaryId?: string;
-}
-
-export interface DehydratedSegmentPair {
-  segments: DehydratedSegment[];
-  navGroup: NavGroup;
-}
-
-export interface NavGroup {
-  type: string;
-  navId: string;
-  secondaryId: string;
-  segmentPieces?: string[];
-  tabSegmentPieces?: string[];
-}
-
 export interface NavOptions {
   animate?: boolean;
   animation?: string;
@@ -147,8 +89,6 @@ export interface NavOptions {
   viewIsReady?: () => Promise<any>;
 }
 
-export function isPresent(val: any): val is any { return val !== undefined && val !== null; }
-
 export interface Page extends Function {
   new (...args: any[]): any;
 }
@@ -179,17 +119,3 @@ export interface TransitionInstruction {
   enteringRequiresTransition?: boolean;
   requiresTransition?: boolean;
 }
-
-export const STATE_NEW = 1;
-export const STATE_INITIALIZED = 2;
-export const STATE_ATTACHED = 3;
-export const STATE_DESTROYED = 4;
-
-export const INIT_ZINDEX = 100;
-
-export const DIRECTION_BACK = 'back';
-export const DIRECTION_FORWARD = 'forward';
-export const DIRECTION_SWITCH = 'switch';
-
-export const NAV = 'nav';
-export const TABS = 'tabs';
diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/nav/nav.tsx b/packages/core/src/components/nav/nav.tsx
index 6e50c16645..7e36c4fc6b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/nav/nav.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/nav/nav.tsx
@@ -1,17 +1,13 @@
 import { Build, Component, Element, Event, EventEmitter, Method, Prop, Watch } from '@stencil/core';
 import {
-  DIRECTION_BACK,
-  DIRECTION_FORWARD,
   INIT_ZINDEX,
+  NavDirection,
   NavOptions,
   NavParams,
   NavResult,
-  STATE_ATTACHED,
-  STATE_DESTROYED,
-  STATE_INITIALIZED,
-  STATE_NEW,
   TransitionDoneFn,
   TransitionInstruction,
+  ViewState,
   convertToViews,
   isPresent,
   setZIndex
@@ -19,6 +15,7 @@ import {
 
 import { ViewController, isViewController } from './view-controller';
 import { AnimationOptions, Config, DomController, GestureDetail, NavOutlet } from '../..';
+import { RouteID, RouteWrite } from '../router/utils/interfaces';
 import { assert } from '../../utils/helpers';
 
 import { TransitionController } from './transition-controller';
@@ -26,7 +23,6 @@ import { Transition } from './transition';
 
 import iosTransitionAnimation from './animations/ios.transition';
 import mdTransitionAnimation from './animations/md.transition';
-import { RouteID, RouteWrite } from '../router/utils/interfaces';
 
 const TrnsCtrl = new TransitionController();
 
@@ -208,6 +204,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
     if (active && active.component === id) {
       return Promise.resolve({changed: false});
     }
+    const viewController = this._views.find(v => v.component === id) || id;
 
     let resolve: (result: RouteWrite) => void;
     const promise = new Promise<RouteWrite>((r) => resolve = r);
@@ -215,7 +212,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
     const commonOpts: NavOptions = {
       viewIsReady: () => {
         let markVisible;
-        const p = new Promise((r) => markVisible = r);
+        const p = new Promise(r => markVisible = r);
         resolve({
           changed: true,
           markVisible
@@ -225,17 +222,15 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
     };
 
     if (direction === 1) {
-      this.push(id, params, commonOpts);
+      this.push(viewController, params, commonOpts);
     } else if (direction === -1) {
-      this.canGoBack()
-        ? this.pop(commonOpts)
-        : this.setRoot(id, params, {
-          ...commonOpts,
-          direction: DIRECTION_BACK,
-          animate: true
-        });
+      this.setRoot(id, params, {
+        ...commonOpts,
+        direction: NavDirection.back,
+        animate: true
+      });
     } else {
-      this.setRoot(id, params, commonOpts);
+      this.setRoot(viewController, params, commonOpts);
     }
     return promise;
   }
@@ -365,7 +360,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
     // let's see if there's another to kick off
     this._nextTrns();
     const router = document.querySelector('ion-router');
-    const isPop = result.direction === DIRECTION_BACK;
+    const isPop = result.direction === NavDirection.back;
     if (router) {
       router.navChanged(isPop);
     }
@@ -441,7 +436,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
         // Needs transition?
         ti.requiresTransition = (ti.enteringRequiresTransition || ti.leavingRequiresTransition) && enteringView !== leavingView;
 
-        if (enteringView && enteringView._state === STATE_NEW) {
+        if (enteringView && enteringView._state === ViewState.New) {
           this._viewInit(enteringView);
         }
       })
@@ -522,7 +517,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
       if (nav && nav !== this) {
         throw new Error('inserted view was already inserted');
       }
-      if (view._state === STATE_DESTROYED) {
+      if (view._state === ViewState.Destroyed) {
         throw new Error('inserted view was already destroyed');
       }
     }
@@ -575,7 +570,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
         }
       }
       // default the direction to "back"
-      opts.direction = opts.direction || DIRECTION_BACK;
+      opts.direction = opts.direction || NavDirection.back;
     }
 
     const finalBalance = this._views.length + (insertViews ? insertViews.length : 0) - (removeCount ? removeCount : 0);
@@ -603,7 +598,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
 
       if (ti.enteringRequiresTransition) {
         // default to forward if not already set
-        opts.direction = opts.direction || DIRECTION_FORWARD;
+        opts.direction = opts.direction || NavDirection.forward;
       }
     }
 
@@ -640,15 +635,14 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
    */
   private _viewInit(enteringView: ViewController) {
     assert(enteringView, 'enteringView must be non null');
-    assert(enteringView._state === STATE_NEW, 'enteringView state must be NEW');
+    assert(enteringView._state === ViewState.New, 'enteringView state must be NEW');
 
-    enteringView._state = STATE_INITIALIZED;
+    enteringView._state = ViewState.Initialized;
     enteringView.init();
-    enteringView._preLoad();
   }
 
   private _viewAttachToDOM(view: ViewController) {
-    assert(view._state === STATE_INITIALIZED, 'view state must be INITIALIZED');
+    assert(view._state === ViewState.Initialized, 'view state must be INITIALIZED');
 
     // fire willLoad before change detection runs
     view._willLoad();
@@ -657,7 +651,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
     // ******** DOM WRITE ****************
     this.el.appendChild(view.element);
 
-    view._state = STATE_ATTACHED;
+    view._state = ViewState.Attached;
 
     // successfully finished loading the entering view
     // fire off the "didLoad" lifecycle events
@@ -726,7 +720,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
       .then(() => this._transitionInit(transition, enteringView, leavingView, opts))
       .then(() => this._transitionStart(transition, enteringView, leavingView, opts));
 
-    if (enteringView && (enteringView._state === STATE_INITIALIZED)) {
+    if (enteringView && (enteringView._state === ViewState.Initialized)) {
       // render the entering component in the DOM
       // this would also render new child navs/views
       // which may have their very own async canEnter/Leave tests
@@ -894,7 +888,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
   }
 
   private _removeView(view: ViewController) {
-    assert(view._state === STATE_ATTACHED || view._state === STATE_DESTROYED, 'view state should be loaded or destroyed');
+    assert(view._state === ViewState.Attached || view._state === ViewState.Destroyed, 'view state should be loaded or destroyed');
 
     const views = this._views;
     const index = views.indexOf(view);
@@ -988,7 +982,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase implements NavOutlet {
 
     // default the direction to "back";
     const opts: NavOptions = {
-      direction: DIRECTION_BACK,
+      direction: NavDirection.back,
       progressAnimation: true
     };
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/nav/transition-controller.ts b/packages/core/src/components/nav/transition-controller.ts
index e7573bd71e..480aea5897 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/nav/transition-controller.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/nav/transition-controller.ts
@@ -2,13 +2,10 @@ import { isPresent } from './nav-util';
 import { Transition } from './transition';
 import { NavControllerBase } from './nav';
 
-
 export class TransitionController {
   private _ids = 0;
   private _trns = new Map<number, Transition>();
 
-  // constructor(public plt: Platform, private _config: Config) {}
-
   getRootTrnsId(nav: NavControllerBase): number {
     nav = nav.parent;
     while (nav) {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/nav/view-controller.ts b/packages/core/src/components/nav/view-controller.ts
index 174ca9ea33..e6e3be5c02 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/nav/view-controller.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/nav/view-controller.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-import { NavOptions, STATE_ATTACHED, STATE_DESTROYED, STATE_INITIALIZED, STATE_NEW } from './nav-util';
+import { NavOptions, ViewState } from './nav-util';
 import { NavControllerBase } from './nav';
 import { assert } from '../../utils/helpers';
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export class ViewController {
 
   _nav: NavControllerBase;
   _zIndex: number;
-  _state: number = STATE_NEW;
+  _state: ViewState = ViewState.New;
 
   /** @hidden */
   id: string;
@@ -162,10 +162,6 @@ export class ViewController {
     }
   }
 
-  _preLoad() {
-    assert(this._state === STATE_INITIALIZED, 'view state must be INITIALIZED');
-    this._lifecycle('PreLoad');
-  }
 
   /**
    * @hidden
@@ -173,7 +169,7 @@ export class ViewController {
    * This event is fired before the component and his children have been initialized.
    */
   _willLoad() {
-    assert(this._state === STATE_INITIALIZED, 'view state must be INITIALIZED');
+    assert(this._state === ViewState.Initialized, 'view state must be INITIALIZED');
     this._lifecycle('WillLoad');
   }
 
@@ -186,7 +182,7 @@ export class ViewController {
    * recommended method to use when a view becomes active.
    */
   _didLoad() {
-    assert(this._state === STATE_ATTACHED, 'view state must be ATTACHED');
+    assert(this._state === ViewState.Attached, 'view state must be ATTACHED');
     this._lifecycle('DidLoad');
   }
 
@@ -195,7 +191,7 @@ export class ViewController {
    * The view is about to enter and become the active view.
    */
   _willEnter() {
-    assert(this._state === STATE_ATTACHED, 'view state must be ATTACHED');
+    assert(this._state === ViewState.Attached, 'view state must be ATTACHED');
 
     if (this._detached) {
       // ensure this has been re-attached to the change detector
@@ -214,10 +210,8 @@ export class ViewController {
    * will fire, whether it was the first load or loaded from the cache.
    */
   _didEnter() {
-    assert(this._state === STATE_ATTACHED, 'view state must be ATTACHED');
+    assert(this._state === ViewState.Attached, 'view state must be ATTACHED');
 
-    // this._nb && this._nb.didEnter();
-    // this.didEnter.emit(null);
     this._lifecycle('DidEnter');
   }
 
@@ -226,7 +220,6 @@ export class ViewController {
    * The view is about to leave and no longer be the active view.
    */
   _willLeave(_willUnload: boolean) {
-    // this.willLeave.emit(null);
     this._lifecycle('WillLeave');
   }
 
@@ -236,7 +229,6 @@ export class ViewController {
    * will fire, whether it is cached or unloaded.
    */
   _didLeave() {
-    // this.didLeave.emit(null);
     this._lifecycle('DidLeave');
 
     // when this is not the active page
@@ -252,7 +244,6 @@ export class ViewController {
    * @hidden
    */
   _willUnload() {
-    // this.willUnload.emit(null);
     this._lifecycle('WillUnload');
   }
 
@@ -261,18 +252,15 @@ export class ViewController {
    * DOM WRITE
    */
   _destroy() {
-    assert(this._state !== STATE_DESTROYED, 'view state must be ATTACHED');
+    assert(this._state !== ViewState.Destroyed, 'view state must be ATTACHED');
 
     const element = this.element;
     if (element) {
-      // completely destroy this component. boom.
-      // TODO
-      // this._cmp.destroy();
       element.remove();
     }
 
     this._nav = this._cntDir = this._leavingOpts = null;
-    this._state = STATE_DESTROYED;
+    this._state = ViewState.Destroyed;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -313,7 +301,6 @@ export class ViewController {
     });
     this.element.dispatchEvent(event);
   }
-
 }
 
 export function isViewController(viewCtrl: any): viewCtrl is ViewController {