diff --git a/framework/yii/jui/Sortable.php b/framework/yii/jui/Sortable.php
index 1d75cc68cf..2263461ea8 100644
--- a/framework/yii/jui/Sortable.php
+++ b/framework/yii/jui/Sortable.php
@@ -15,18 +15,34 @@ use yii\helpers\Html;
  * For example:
  *
  * ```php
+ * echo Sortable::widget(array(
+ *     'items' => array(
+ *         '<li>Item 1</li>',
+ *         '<li>Item 2</li>',
+ *         '<li>Item 3</li>',
+ *     ),
+ *     'clientOptions' => array(
+ *         'cursor' => 'move',
+ *     ),
+ * ));
+ * ```
+ *
+ * The following example will show the content enclosed between the [[begin()]]
+ * and [[end()]] calls within the sortable widget:
+ *
+ * ```php
  * Sortable::begin(array(
  *     'clientOptions' => array(
  *         'cursor' => 'move',
  *     ),
  *     'options' => array(
- *         'tag' => 'ul',
+ *         'tag' => 'div',
  *     ),
  * ));
  *
- * echo '<li>Item 1</li>';
- * echo '<li>Item 2</li>';
- * echo '<li>Item 3</li>';
+ * echo '<div>Item 1</div>';
+ * echo '<div>Item 2</div>';
+ * echo '<div>Item 3</div>';
  *
  * Sortable::end();
  * ```
@@ -37,6 +53,13 @@ use yii\helpers\Html;
  */
 class Sortable extends Widget
 {
+	/**
+	 * @var array list of sortable containers. Each array element represents a single
+	 * sortable container.
+	 */
+	public $items = array();
+
+
 	/**
 	 * Initializes the widget.
 	 */
@@ -44,7 +67,7 @@ class Sortable extends Widget
 	{
 		parent::init();
 		$options = $this->options;
-		$tag = isset($options['tag']) ? $options['tag'] : 'div';
+		$tag = isset($options['tag']) ? $options['tag'] : 'ul';
 		unset($options['tag']);
 		echo Html::beginTag($tag, $options) . "\n";
 	}
@@ -54,7 +77,17 @@ class Sortable extends Widget
 	 */
 	public function run()
 	{
-		echo Html::endTag(isset($this->options['tag']) ? $this->options['tag'] : 'div') . "\n";
+		echo $this->renderItems() . "\n";
+		echo Html::endTag(isset($this->options['tag']) ? $this->options['tag'] : 'ul') . "\n";
 		$this->registerWidget('sortable', false);
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Renders sortable items as specified on [[items]].
+	 * @return string the rendering result
+	 */
+	public function renderItems()
+	{
+		return implode("\n", $this->items);
+	}
 }