diff --git a/src/uiSelectMultipleDirective.js b/src/uiSelectMultipleDirective.js
index dd1c89723..b1e997ec5 100644
--- a/src/uiSelectMultipleDirective.js
+++ b/src/uiSelectMultipleDirective.js
@@ -5,11 +5,28 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMultiple', ['uiSelectMinErr','$timeout', function(uiSelec
 
     controller: ['$scope','$timeout', function($scope, $timeout){
 
-      var ctrl = this;
-      var $select = $scope.$select;
+      var ctrl = this,
+          $select = $scope.$select,
+          ngModel;
+
+      //Wait for link fn to inject it 
+      $scope.$evalAsync(function(){ ngModel = $scope.ngModel; });
 
       ctrl.activeMatchIndex = -1;
 
+      ctrl.updateModel = function(){
+        ngModel.$setViewValue(Date.now()); //Set timestamp as a unique string to force changes
+        ctrl.refreshComponent();
+      };
+
+      ctrl.refreshComponent = function(){
+        //Remove already selected items
+        //e.g. When user clicks on a selection, the selected array changes and 
+        //the dropdown should remove that item
+        $select.refreshItems();
+        $select.sizeSearchInput();
+      };
+
       // Remove item from multiple select
       ctrl.removeChoice = function(index){
 
@@ -33,6 +50,8 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMultiple', ['uiSelectMinErr','$timeout', function(uiSelec
           });
         });
 
+        ctrl.updateModel();
+
       };
 
       ctrl.getPlaceholder = function(){
@@ -48,9 +67,11 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMultiple', ['uiSelectMinErr','$timeout', function(uiSelec
     link: function(scope, element, attrs, ctrls) {
 
       var $select = ctrls[0];
-      var ngModel = ctrls[1];
+      var ngModel = scope.ngModel = ctrls[1];
       var $selectMultiple = scope.$selectMultiple;
 
+      //$select.selected = raw selected objects (ignoring any property binding)
+
       $select.multiple = true;
       $select.removeSelected = true;
 
@@ -76,63 +97,49 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMultiple', ['uiSelectMinErr','$timeout', function(uiSelec
         var data = $select.parserResult.source (scope, { $select : {search:''}}), //Overwrite $search
             locals = {},
             result;
-        if (data){
-          var resultMultiple = [];
-          var checkFnMultiple = function(list, value){
-            //if the list is empty add the value to the list
-            if (!list || !list.length){
-                resultMultiple.unshift(value);
-                return true;
+        if (!data) return inputValue;
+        var resultMultiple = [];
+        var checkFnMultiple = function(list, value){
+          if (!list || !list.length) return;
+          for (var p = list.length - 1; p >= 0; p--) {
+            locals[$select.parserResult.itemName] = list[p];
+            result = $select.parserResult.modelMapper(scope, locals);
+            if($select.parserResult.trackByExp){
+                var matches = /\.(.+)/.exec($select.parserResult.trackByExp);
+                if(matches.length>0 && result[matches[1]] == value[matches[1]]){
+                    resultMultiple.unshift(list[p]);
+                    return true;
+                }
             }
-            for (var p = list.length - 1; p >= 0; p--) {
-              locals[$select.parserResult.itemName] = list[p];
-              result = $select.parserResult.modelMapper(scope, locals);
-              if($select.parserResult.trackByExp){
-                  var matches = /\.(.+)/.exec($select.parserResult.trackByExp);
-                  if(matches.length>0 && result[matches[1]] == value[matches[1]]){
-                      resultMultiple.unshift(list[p]);
-                      return true;
-                  }
-              }
-              if (result == value){
-                resultMultiple.unshift(list[p]);
-                return true;
-              }
+            if (angular.equals(result,value)){
+              resultMultiple.unshift(list[p]);
+              return true;
             }
-            return false;
-          };
-          if (!inputValue) return resultMultiple; //If ngModel was undefined
-          for (var k = inputValue.length - 1; k >= 0; k--) {
-            if (!checkFnMultiple($select.selected, inputValue[k])){
-              checkFnMultiple(data, inputValue[k]);
+          }
+          return false;
+        };
+        if (!inputValue) return resultMultiple; //If ngModel was undefined
+        for (var k = inputValue.length - 1; k >= 0; k--) {
+          //Check model array of currently selected items 
+          if (!checkFnMultiple($select.selected, inputValue[k])){
+            //Check model array of all items available
+            if (!checkFnMultiple(data, inputValue[k])){
+              //If not found on previous lists, just add it directly to resultMultiple
+              resultMultiple.unshift(inputValue[k]);
             }
           }
-          return resultMultiple;
         }
-        return inputValue;
+        return resultMultiple;
       });
       
-      //Watch selection
+      //Watch for external model changes 
       scope.$watchCollection(function(){ return ngModel.$modelValue; }, function(newValue, oldValue) {
-        if (oldValue != newValue)
+        if (oldValue != newValue){
           ngModel.$modelValue = null; //Force scope model value and ngModel value to be out of sync to re-run formatters
-      });
-      //TODO Should be a better way to detect first pass
-      $select.firstPass = true; // so the form doesn't get dirty as soon as it loads
-      scope.$watchCollection('$select.selected', function() {
-        if (!$select.firstPass) {
-          ngModel.$setViewValue(Date.now()); //Set timestamp as a unique string to force changes
-        } else {
-          $select.firstPass = false;
+          $selectMultiple.refreshComponent();
         }
-        //Remove already selected items
-        //e.g. When user clicks on a selection, the selected array changes and 
-        //the dropdown should remove that item
-        $select.refreshItems();
-        //TODO Should add a test
-        $select.sizeSearchInput();
       });
-      
+
       ngModel.$render = function() {
         // Make sure that model value is array
         if(!angular.isArray(ngModel.$viewValue)){
@@ -144,11 +151,12 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMultiple', ['uiSelectMinErr','$timeout', function(uiSelec
           }
         }
         $select.selected = ngModel.$viewValue;
+        scope.$evalAsync(); //To force $digest
       };
 
       scope.$on('uis:select', function (event, item) {
         $select.selected.push(item);
-        $select.sizeSearchInput();
+        $selectMultiple.updateModel();
       });
 
       scope.$on('uis:activate', function () {