diff --git a/src/uiSelectController.js b/src/uiSelectController.js
index 7ef150625..5432e46a0 100644
--- a/src/uiSelectController.js
+++ b/src/uiSelectController.js
@@ -111,8 +111,6 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
     if (!ctrl.disabled  && !ctrl.open) {
       if(!avoidReset) _resetSearchInput();
 
-      $scope.$broadcast('uis:activate');
-
       ctrl.open = true;
 
       ctrl.activeIndex = ctrl.activeIndex >= ctrl.items.length ? 0 : ctrl.activeIndex;
@@ -131,13 +129,13 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
             // Only focus input after the animation has finished
             ctrl.$animate.off('removeClass', searchInput[0], animateHandler);
             $timeout(function () {
-              ctrl.focusSearchInput(initSearchValue);
+              ctrl.focusSearchInput();
             });
           } else if (phase === 'close') {
             // Only focus input after the animation has finished
             ctrl.$animate.off('enter', container[0], animateHandler);
             $timeout(function () {
-              ctrl.focusSearchInput(initSearchValue);
+              ctrl.focusSearchInput();
             });
           }
         };
@@ -149,7 +147,7 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
         }
       } else {
         $timeout(function () {
-          ctrl.focusSearchInput(initSearchValue);
+          ctrl.focusSearchInput();
           if(!ctrl.tagging.isActivated && ctrl.items.length > 1) {
             _ensureHighlightVisible();
           }
@@ -162,9 +160,16 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
     }
   };
 
-  ctrl.focusSearchInput = function (initSearchValue) {
-    ctrl.search = initSearchValue || ctrl.search;
+  ctrl.initSearch = function(searchValue) {
+    ctrl.search = searchValue || ctrl.search;
+  };
+
+  ctrl.focusSearchInput = function () {
     ctrl.searchInput[0].focus();
+    if (ctrl.focusser) {
+      ctrl.focusser.trigger('blur'); // in all browsers but IE the focus causes a blur, for IEs sake force a blur
+    }
+    $scope.$broadcast('uis:activate');
   };
 
   ctrl.findGroupByName = function(name) {
@@ -423,7 +428,7 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
             ctrl.close(skipFocusser);
             return;
           }
-        }        
+        }
         _resetSearchInput();
         $scope.$broadcast('uis:select', item);
 
diff --git a/src/uiSelectSingleDirective.js b/src/uiSelectSingleDirective.js
index 73abedd23..931fcb26b 100644
--- a/src/uiSelectSingleDirective.js
+++ b/src/uiSelectSingleDirective.js
@@ -78,11 +78,15 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectSingle', ['$timeout','$compile', function($timeout, $comp
           $select.focus = true;
         });
       });
+      
       focusser.bind("blur", function(){
         scope.$evalAsync(function(){
           $select.focus = false;
+          $select.initSearch(focusser.val());
+          focusser.val('');
         });
       });
+      
       focusser.bind("keydown", function(e){
 
         if (e.which === KEY.BACKSPACE) {
@@ -112,8 +116,7 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectSingle', ['$timeout','$compile', function($timeout, $comp
           return;
         }
 
-        $select.activate(focusser.val()); //User pressed some regular key, so we pass it to the search input
-        focusser.val('');
+        $select.activate(); //User pressed some regular key, so we activate the search input
         scope.$digest();
 
       });