diff --git a/src/uiSelectController.js b/src/uiSelectController.js
index 1a5afec85..b7dc2801c 100644
--- a/src/uiSelectController.js
+++ b/src/uiSelectController.js
@@ -324,18 +324,44 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
         ctrl.selected.filter(function (selection) { return angular.equals(selection, item); }).length > 0);
   };
 
+  var disabledItems = [];
+
+  function _updateItemDisabled(item, isDisabled) {
+    var disabledItemIndex = disabledItems.indexOf(item);
+    if (isDisabled && disabledItemIndex === -1) {
+      disabledItems.push(item);
+    }
+
+    if (!isDisabled && disabledItemIndex > -1) {
+      disabledItems.splice(disabledItemIndex, 0);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function _isItemDisabled(item) {
+    return disabledItems.indexOf(item) > -1;
+  }
+  
   ctrl.isDisabled = function(itemScope) {
 
     if (!ctrl.open) return;
 
-    var itemIndex = ctrl.items.indexOf(itemScope[ctrl.itemProperty]);
+    var item = itemScope[ctrl.itemProperty];
+    var itemIndex = ctrl.items.indexOf(item);
     var isDisabled = false;
-    var item;
+    
+    if (itemIndex >= 0 && (angular.isDefined(ctrl.disableChoiceExpression) || ctrl.multiple)) {
+
+      if (item.isTag) return false;
+
+      if (ctrl.multiple) {
+        isDisabled = _isItemSelected(item);
+      }
 
-    if (itemIndex >= 0 && (!angular.isUndefined(ctrl.disableChoiceExpression) || ctrl.multiple)) {
-      item = ctrl.items[itemIndex];
-      isDisabled = !!(itemScope.$eval(ctrl.disableChoiceExpression)) || _isItemSelected(item); // force the boolean value
-      item._uiSelectChoiceDisabled = isDisabled; // store this for later reference
+      if (!isDisabled && angular.isDefined(ctrl.disableChoiceExpression)) {
+        isDisabled = !!(itemScope.$eval(ctrl.disableChoiceExpression));
+      }
+      
+      _updateItemDisabled(item, isDisabled);
     }
 
     return isDisabled;
@@ -344,11 +370,11 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
 
   // When the user selects an item with ENTER or clicks the dropdown
   ctrl.select = function(item, skipFocusser, $event) {
-    if (item === undefined || !item._uiSelectChoiceDisabled) {
+    if (item === undefined || !_isItemDisabled(item)) {
 
       if ( ! ctrl.items && ! ctrl.search && ! ctrl.tagging.isActivated) return;
 
-      if (!item || !item._uiSelectChoiceDisabled) {
+      if (!item || !_isItemDisabled(item)) {
         if(ctrl.tagging.isActivated) {
           // if taggingLabel is disabled and item is undefined we pull from ctrl.search
           if ( ctrl.taggingLabel === false ) {
@@ -446,16 +472,53 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
     }
   };
 
-  ctrl.isLocked = function(itemScope, itemIndex) {
-      var isLocked, item = ctrl.selected[itemIndex];
+  // Set default function for locked choices - avoids unnecessary 
+  // logic if functionality is not being used
+  ctrl.isLocked = function () {
+    return false;
+  };
+
+  $scope.$watch(function () {
+    return angular.isDefined(ctrl.lockChoiceExpression) && ctrl.lockChoiceExpression !== "";
+  }, _initaliseLockedChoices);
 
-      if (item && !angular.isUndefined(ctrl.lockChoiceExpression)) {
-          isLocked = !!(itemScope.$eval(ctrl.lockChoiceExpression)); // force the boolean value
-          item._uiSelectChoiceLocked = isLocked; // store this for later reference
+  function _initaliseLockedChoices(doInitalise) {
+    if(!doInitalise) return;
+    
+    var lockedItems = [];
+
+    function _updateItemLocked(item, isLocked) {
+      var lockedItemIndex = lockedItems.indexOf(item);
+      if (isLocked && lockedItemIndex === -1) {
+        lockedItems.push(item);
+        }
+
+      if (!isLocked && lockedItemIndex > -1) {
+        lockedItems.splice(lockedItemIndex, 0);
+      }
+    }
+
+    function _isItemlocked(item) {
+      return lockedItems.indexOf(item) > -1;
+    }
+
+    ctrl.isLocked = function (itemScope, itemIndex) {
+      var isLocked = false,
+          item = ctrl.selected[itemIndex];
+
+      if(item) {
+        if (itemScope) {
+          isLocked = !!(itemScope.$eval(ctrl.lockChoiceExpression));
+          _updateItemLocked(item, isLocked);
+        } else {
+          isLocked = _isItemlocked(item);
+        }
       }
 
       return isLocked;
-  };
+    };
+  }
+  
 
   var sizeWatch = null;
   var updaterScheduled = false;
diff --git a/src/uiSelectMultipleDirective.js b/src/uiSelectMultipleDirective.js
index 072eada43..c9be64e7b 100644
--- a/src/uiSelectMultipleDirective.js
+++ b/src/uiSelectMultipleDirective.js
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMultiple', ['uiSelectMinErr','$timeout', function(uiSelec
       // Remove item from multiple select
       ctrl.removeChoice = function(index){
 
-        var removedChoice = $select.selected[index];
+        // if the choice is locked, don't remove it
+        if($select.isLocked(null, index)) return false;
 
-        // if the choice is locked, can't remove it
-        if(removedChoice._uiSelectChoiceLocked) return;
+        var removedChoice = $select.selected[index];
 
         var locals = {};
         locals[$select.parserResult.itemName] = removedChoice;
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMultiple', ['uiSelectMinErr','$timeout', function(uiSelec
 
         ctrl.updateModel();
 
+        return true;
       };
 
       ctrl.getPlaceholder = function(){
@@ -246,11 +247,16 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMultiple', ['uiSelectMinErr','$timeout', function(uiSelec
             case KEY.BACKSPACE:
               // Remove selected item and select previous/first
               if(~$selectMultiple.activeMatchIndex){
-                $selectMultiple.removeChoice(curr);
-                return prev;
-              }
-              // Select last item
-              else return last;
+                if($selectMultiple.removeChoice(curr)) {
+                  return prev;
+                } else {
+                  return curr;
+                }
+                
+              } else {
+                // If nothing yet selected, select last item
+                return last;  
+              }              
               break;
             case KEY.DELETE:
               // Remove selected item and select next item
diff --git a/test/select.spec.js b/test/select.spec.js
index 8959381e5..5b735689f 100644
--- a/test/select.spec.js
+++ b/test/select.spec.js
@@ -1745,7 +1745,8 @@ describe('ui-select tests', function() {
 
     function createUiSelectMultiple(attrs) {
         var attrsHtml = '',
-            choicesAttrsHtml = '';
+            choicesAttrsHtml = '',
+            matchesAttrsHtml = '';
         if (attrs !== undefined) {
             if (attrs.disabled !== undefined) { attrsHtml += ' ng-disabled="' + attrs.disabled + '"'; }
             if (attrs.required !== undefined) { attrsHtml += ' ng-required="' + attrs.required + '"'; }
@@ -1756,11 +1757,12 @@ describe('ui-select tests', function() {
             if (attrs.taggingLabel !== undefined) { attrsHtml += ' tagging-label="' + attrs.taggingLabel + '"'; }
             if (attrs.inputId !== undefined) { attrsHtml += ' input-id="' + attrs.inputId + '"'; }
             if (attrs.groupBy !== undefined) { choicesAttrsHtml += ' group-by="' + attrs.groupBy + '"'; }
+            if (attrs.lockChoice !== undefined) { matchesAttrsHtml += ' ui-lock-choice="' + attrs.lockChoice + '"'; }
         }
 
         return compileTemplate(
             '<ui-select multiple ng-model="selection.selectedMultiple"' + attrsHtml + ' theme="bootstrap" style="width: 800px;"> \
-                <ui-select-match placeholder="Pick one...">{{$item.name}} &lt;{{$item.email}}&gt;</ui-select-match> \
+                <ui-select-match "' + matchesAttrsHtml + ' placeholder="Pick one...">{{$item.name}} &lt;{{$item.email}}&gt;</ui-select-match> \
                 <ui-select-choices repeat="person in people | filter: $select.search"' + choicesAttrsHtml + '> \
                   <div ng-bind-html="person.name | highlight: $select.search"></div> \
                   <div ng-bind-html="person.email | highlight: $select.search"></div> \
@@ -1922,6 +1924,37 @@ describe('ui-select tests', function() {
 
     });
 
+    it('should NOT remove highlighted match when pressing BACKSPACE key on a locked choice', function() {
+
+        scope.selection.selectedMultiple = [scope.people[4], scope.people[5], scope.people[6]]; //Wladimir, Samantha & Nicole
+        var el = createUiSelectMultiple({lockChoice: "$item.name == '" + scope.people[6].name + "'"});
+        var searchInput = el.find('.ui-select-search');
+
+        expect(isDropdownOpened(el)).toEqual(false);
+        triggerKeydown(searchInput, Key.Left);
+        triggerKeydown(searchInput, Key.Backspace);
+        expect(el.scope().$select.selected).toEqual([scope.people[4], scope.people[5], scope.people[6]]); //Wladimir, Samantha & Nicole
+
+        expect(el.scope().$selectMultiple.activeMatchIndex).toBe(scope.selection.selectedMultiple.length - 1);
+
+    });
+
+    it('should NOT remove highlighted match when pressing DELETE key on a locked choice', function() {
+
+        scope.selection.selectedMultiple = [scope.people[4], scope.people[5], scope.people[6]]; //Wladimir, Samantha & Nicole
+        var el = createUiSelectMultiple({lockChoice: "$item.name == '" + scope.people[6].name + "'"});
+        var searchInput = el.find('.ui-select-search');
+
+        expect(isDropdownOpened(el)).toEqual(false);
+        triggerKeydown(searchInput, Key.Left);
+        triggerKeydown(searchInput, Key.Delete);
+        expect(el.scope().$select.selected).toEqual([scope.people[4], scope.people[5], scope.people[6]]); //Wladimir, Samantha & Nicole
+
+        expect(el.scope().$selectMultiple.activeMatchIndex).toBe(scope.selection.selectedMultiple.length - 1);
+
+    });
+
+
     it('should move to last match when pressing LEFT key from search', function() {
 
         var el = createUiSelectMultiple();