diff --git a/src/uiSelectController.js b/src/uiSelectController.js
index 7ef150625..0bcf4664e 100644
--- a/src/uiSelectController.js
+++ b/src/uiSelectController.js
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
   ctrl.select = function(item, skipFocusser, $event) {
     if (item === undefined || !_isItemDisabled(item)) {
 
-      if ( ! ctrl.items && ! ctrl.search && ! ctrl.tagging.isActivated) return;
+      if ( (!ctrl.items || !ctrl.items.length) && ! ctrl.search && ! ctrl.tagging.isActivated) return;
 
       if (!item || !_isItemDisabled(item)) {
         // if click is made on existing item, prevent from tagging, ctrl.search does not matter
@@ -638,6 +638,9 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
             });
           }
         }
+      }else{
+        e.preventDefault();
+        e.stopPropagation();
       }
 
     });