diff --git a/src/uiSelectController.js b/src/uiSelectController.js
index 1bd3d1a4f..ad023ccf0 100644
--- a/src/uiSelectController.js
+++ b/src/uiSelectController.js
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
   ctrl.clickTriggeredSelect = false;
   ctrl.$filter = $filter;
   ctrl.$element = $element;
+  ctrl.objectUniqueKey = undefined;
 
   // Use $injector to check for $animate and store a reference to it
   ctrl.$animate = (function () {
@@ -332,9 +333,13 @@ uis.controller('uiSelectCtrl',
     return isActive;
   };
 
+  function _getKeyForComparison(item) {
+    return ctrl.objectUniqueKey === undefined ? item : item[ctrl.objectUniqueKey];
+  }
+
   var _isItemSelected = function (item) {
     return (ctrl.selected && angular.isArray(ctrl.selected) &&
-        ctrl.selected.filter(function (selection) { return angular.equals(selection, item); }).length > 0);
+        ctrl.selected.filter(function (selection) { return angular.equals(_getKeyForComparison(selection), _getKeyForComparison(item)); }).length > 0);
   };
 
   var disabledItems = [];
diff --git a/src/uiSelectDirective.js b/src/uiSelectDirective.js
index 285cfb4ac..ea45a28de 100644
--- a/src/uiSelectDirective.js
+++ b/src/uiSelectDirective.js
@@ -127,6 +127,15 @@ uis.directive('uiSelect',
           }
         });
 
+        $select.objectUniqueKey = attrs.objectUniqueKey;
+        attrs.$observe('objectUniqueKey', function() {
+          if(attrs.objectUniqueKey !== undefined) {
+            $select.objectUniqueKey = attrs.objectUniqueKey;
+          } else {
+            $select.objectUniqueKey = undefined;
+          }
+        });
+
         attrs.$observe('taggingLabel', function() {
           if(attrs.tagging !== undefined )
           {
@@ -378,7 +387,7 @@ uis.directive('uiSelect',
         };
 
         var opened = false;
-        
+
         scope.calculateDropdownPos = function() {
           if ($select.open) {
             dropdown = angular.element(element).querySelectorAll('.ui-select-dropdown');
diff --git a/test/select.spec.js b/test/select.spec.js
index 7332c6ec7..e951fa17a 100644
--- a/test/select.spec.js
+++ b/test/select.spec.js
@@ -2863,6 +2863,25 @@ describe('ui-select tests', function () {
       expect(el.hasClass('ng-not-empty')).toBeTruthy();
     });
 
+    it('should be able to re-select the item with removeselected set to false', function() {
+         scope.selection.selectedMultiple = [scope.people[4], scope.people[5]]; //Wladimir & Samantha
+         var el = createUiSelectMultiple({removeSelected : true});
+         expect(el.scope().$select.selected.length).toBe(2);
+         el.find('.ui-select-match-item').first().find('.ui-select-match-close').click();
+         expect(el.scope().$select.selected.length).toBe(1);
+         clickItem(el, 'Wladimir');
+         expect(el.scope().$select.selected.length).toBe(2);
+    });
+
+    it('should not allow duplicate objects if unique object key is specified', function() {
+        var el = createUiSelectMultiple({objectUniqueKey: "name"});
+        expect(el.scope().$select.selected.length).toBe(0);
+        clickItem(el, 'Samantha');
+        expect(el.scope().$select.selected.length).toBe(1);
+        clickItem(el, 'Samantha');
+        expect(el.scope().$select.selected.length).toBe(1);
+    });
+
     it('should be able to re-select the item with removeselected set to false', function () {
       scope.selection.selectedMultiple = [scope.people[4], scope.people[5]]; //Wladimir & Samantha
       var el = createUiSelectMultiple({ removeSelected: true });