diff --git a/src/components/app/app.ts b/src/components/app/app.ts
index b3df0d51d27..a0f4753b017 100644
--- a/src/components/app/app.ts
+++ b/src/components/app/app.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import {Injectable, Injector} from '@angular/core';
 import {Title} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 
-import {Config} from '../../config/config';
 import {ClickBlock} from '../../util/click-block';
+import {Config} from '../../config/config';
+import {NavController} from '../nav/nav-controller';
 import {Platform} from '../../platform/platform';
+import {Tabs} from '../tabs/tabs';
 
 
 /**
@@ -15,24 +17,17 @@ export class App {
   private _scrollTime: number = 0;
   private _title: string = '';
   private _titleSrv: Title = new Title();
-  private _rootNav: any = null;
+  private _rootNav: NavController = null;
   private _appInjector: Injector;
 
   constructor(
     private _config: Config,
     private _clickBlock: ClickBlock,
-    platform: Platform
+    private _platform: Platform
   ) {
-    platform.backButton.subscribe(() => {
-      let activeNav = this.getActiveNav();
-      if (activeNav) {
-        if (activeNav.length() === 1) {
-          platform.exitApp();
-        } else {
-          activeNav.pop();
-        }
-      }
-    });
+    // listen for hardware back button events
+    // register this back button action with a default priority
+    _platform.registerBackButtonAction(this.navPop.bind(this));
   }
 
   /**
@@ -100,7 +95,7 @@ export class App {
   /**
    * @private
    */
-  getActiveNav(): any {
+  getActiveNav(): NavController {
     var nav = this._rootNav || null;
     var activeChildNav: any;
 
@@ -118,7 +113,7 @@ export class App {
   /**
    * @private
    */
-  getRootNav(): any {
+  getRootNav(): NavController {
     return this._rootNav;
   }
 
@@ -129,6 +124,72 @@ export class App {
     this._rootNav = nav;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @private
+   */
+  navPop(): Promise<any> {
+    // function used to climb up all parent nav controllers
+    function navPop(nav: any): Promise<any> {
+      if (nav) {
+        if (nav.length && nav.length() > 1) {
+          // this nav controller has more than one view
+          // pop the current view on this nav and we're done here
+          console.debug('app, goBack pop nav');
+          return nav.pop();
+
+        } else if (nav.previousTab) {
+          // FYI, using "nav instanceof Tabs" throws a Promise runtime error for whatever reason, idk
+          // this is a Tabs container
+          // see if there is a valid previous tab to go to
+          let prevTab = nav.previousTab(true);
+          if (prevTab) {
+            console.debug('app, goBack previous tab');
+            nav.select(prevTab);
+            return Promise.resolve();
+          }
+        }
+
+        // try again using the parent nav (if there is one)
+        return navPop(nav.parent);
+      }
+
+      // nerp, never found nav that could pop off a view
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    // app must be enabled and there must be a
+    // root nav controller for go back to work
+    if (this._rootNav && this.isEnabled()) {
+
+      // first check if the root navigation has any overlays
+      // opened in it's portal, like alert/actionsheet/popup
+      let portal = this._rootNav.getPortal && this._rootNav.getPortal();
+      if (portal && portal.length() > 0) {
+        // there is an overlay view in the portal
+        // let's pop this one off to go back
+        console.debug('app, goBack pop overlay');
+        return portal.pop();
+      }
+
+      // next get the active nav, check itself and climb up all
+      // of its parent navs until it finds a nav that can pop
+      let navPromise = navPop(this.getActiveNav());
+      if (navPromise === null) {
+        // no views to go back to
+        // let's exit the app
+        if (this._config.getBoolean('navExitApp', true)) {
+          console.debug('app, goBack exitApp');
+          this._platform.exitApp();
+        }
+
+      } else {
+        return navPromise;
+      }
+    }
+
+    return Promise.resolve();
+  }
+
   /**
    * @private
    */
diff --git a/src/components/app/test/app.spec.ts b/src/components/app/test/app.spec.ts
index 44b63a56bf5..9ec924992b9 100644
--- a/src/components/app/test/app.spec.ts
+++ b/src/components/app/test/app.spec.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,277 @@
+import {Component} from '@angular/core';
 import {App, Nav, Tabs, Tab, NavOptions, Config, ViewController, Platform} from '../../../../src';
 
 export function run() {
 
 
-describe('IonicApp', () => {
+describe('App', () => {
+
+  describe('navPop', () => {
+
+    it('should select the previous tab', () => {
+      let nav = mockNav();
+      let portal = mockNav();
+      nav.setPortal(portal);
+      app.setRootNav(nav);
+
+      let tabs = mockTabs();
+      let tab1 = mockTab(tabs);
+      let tab2 = mockTab(tabs);
+      nav.registerChildNav(tabs);
+
+      tabs.select(tab1);
+      tabs.select(tab2);
+
+      expect(tabs.selectHistory).toEqual([tab1.id, tab2.id]);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(tabs, 'select');
+      spyOn(tab1, 'pop');
+      spyOn(tab2, 'pop');
+      spyOn(portal, 'pop');
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(tabs.select).toHaveBeenCalledWith(tab1);
+      expect(tab1.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(tab2.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(portal.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should pop from the active tab, when tabs is nested is the root nav', () => {
+      let nav = mockNav();
+      let portal = mockNav();
+      nav.setPortal(portal);
+      app.setRootNav(nav);
+
+      let tabs = mockTabs();
+      let tab1 = mockTab(tabs);
+      let tab2 = mockTab(tabs);
+      let tab3 = mockTab(tabs);
+      nav.registerChildNav(tabs);
+
+      tab2.setSelected(true);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(tab2, 'pop');
+      spyOn(portal, 'pop');
+
+      let view1 = new ViewController();
+      let view2 = new ViewController();
+      tab2._views = [view1, view2];
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(tab2.pop).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(portal.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should pop from the active tab, when tabs is the root', () => {
+      let tabs = mockTabs();
+      let tab1 = mockTab(tabs);
+      let tab2 = mockTab(tabs);
+      let tab3 = mockTab(tabs);
+      app.setRootNav(tabs);
+
+      tab2.setSelected(true);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(tab2, 'pop');
+
+      let view1 = new ViewController();
+      let view2 = new ViewController();
+      tab2._views = [view1, view2];
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(tab2.pop).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should pop the root nav when nested nav has less than 2 views', () => {
+      let rootNav = mockNav();
+      let nestedNav = mockNav();
+      let portal = mockNav();
+      rootNav.setPortal(portal);
+      rootNav.registerChildNav(nestedNav);
+      nestedNav.parent = rootNav;
+      app.setRootNav(rootNav);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(rootNav, 'pop');
+      spyOn(nestedNav, 'pop');
+      spyOn(portal, 'pop');
+
+      let rootView1 = new ViewController();
+      let rootView2 = new ViewController();
+      rootNav._views = [rootView1, rootView2];
+
+      let nestedView1 = new ViewController();
+      nestedNav._views = [nestedView1];
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(portal.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(rootNav.pop).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(nestedNav.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should pop a view from the nested nav that has more than 1 view', () => {
+      let rootNav = mockNav();
+      let nestedNav = mockNav();
+      let portal = mockNav();
+      rootNav.setPortal(portal);
+      app.setRootNav(rootNav);
+      rootNav.registerChildNav(nestedNav);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(rootNav, 'pop');
+      spyOn(nestedNav, 'pop');
+      spyOn(portal, 'pop');
+
+      let rootView1 = new ViewController();
+      let rootView2 = new ViewController();
+      rootNav._views = [rootView1, rootView2];
+
+      let nestedView1 = new ViewController();
+      let nestedView2 = new ViewController();
+      nestedNav._views = [nestedView1, nestedView2];
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(portal.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(rootNav.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(nestedNav.pop).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should pop the overlay in the portal of the root nav', () => {
+      let nav = mockNav();
+      let portal = mockNav();
+      nav.setPortal(portal);
+      app.setRootNav(nav);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(nav, 'pop');
+      spyOn(portal, 'pop');
+
+      let view1 = new ViewController();
+      let view2 = new ViewController();
+      nav._views = [view1, view2];
+
+      let overlay = new ViewController();
+      portal._views = [overlay];
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(portal.pop).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(nav.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should pop the second view in the root nav', () => {
+      let nav = mockNav();
+      let portal = mockNav();
+      nav.setPortal(portal);
+      app.setRootNav(nav);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(nav, 'pop');
+      spyOn(portal, 'pop');
+
+      let view1 = new ViewController();
+      let view2 = new ViewController();
+      nav._views = [view1, view2];
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(portal.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(nav.pop).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should exit app when only one view in the root nav', () => {
+      let nav = mockNav();
+      let portal = mockNav();
+      nav.setPortal(portal);
+      app.setRootNav(nav);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(nav, 'pop');
+      spyOn(portal, 'pop');
+
+      let view1 = new ViewController();
+      nav._views = [view1];
+
+      expect(app.getActiveNav()).toBe(nav);
+      expect(nav.first()).toBe(view1);
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(portal.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(nav.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should not exit app when only one view in the root nav, but navExitApp config set', () => {
+      let nav = mockNav();
+      let portal = mockNav();
+      nav.setPortal(portal);
+      app.setRootNav(nav);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(nav, 'pop');
+      spyOn(portal, 'pop');
+
+      config.set('navExitApp', false);
+
+      let view1 = new ViewController();
+      nav._views = [view1];
+
+      expect(app.getActiveNav()).toBe(nav);
+      expect(nav.first()).toBe(view1);
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(portal.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(nav.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should not go back if app is not enabled', () => {
+      let nav = mockNav();
+      let portal = mockNav();
+      nav.setPortal(portal);
+      app.setRootNav(nav);
+
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+      spyOn(nav, 'pop');
+      spyOn(portal, 'pop');
+
+      let view1 = new ViewController();
+      nav._views = [view1];
+
+      app.setEnabled(false, 10000);
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(portal.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(nav.pop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should not go back if there is no root nav', () => {
+      spyOn(platform, 'exitApp');
+
+      app.navPop();
+
+      expect(platform.exitApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+  });
 
   describe('getActiveNav', () => {
 
@@ -27,7 +295,7 @@ describe('IonicApp', () => {
       expect(app.getActiveNav()).toBe(nav3);
     });
 
-    it('should get active NavController when using tabs', () => {
+    it('should get active NavController when using tabs, nested in a root nav', () => {
       let nav = mockNav();
       app.setRootNav(nav);
 
@@ -46,6 +314,22 @@ describe('IonicApp', () => {
       expect(app.getActiveNav()).toBe(tab3);
     });
 
+    it('should get active tab NavController when using tabs, and tabs is the root', () => {
+      let tabs = mockTabs();
+      let tab1 = mockTab(tabs);
+      let tab2 = mockTab(tabs);
+      let tab3 = mockTab(tabs);
+      app.setRootNav(tabs);
+
+      tab2.setSelected(true);
+
+      expect(app.getActiveNav()).toBe(tab2);
+
+      tab2.setSelected(false);
+      tab3.setSelected(true);
+      expect(app.getActiveNav()).toBe(tab3);
+    });
+
     it('should get active NavController when nested 3 deep', () => {
       let nav1 = mockNav();
       let nav2 = mockNav();
@@ -170,9 +454,18 @@ describe('IonicApp', () => {
   }
 
   function mockTab(parentTabs: Tabs): Tab {
-    return new Tab(parentTabs, app, config, null, null, null, null, null, _cd);
+    var tab = new Tab(parentTabs, app, config, null, null, null, null, null, _cd);
+    parentTabs.add(tab);
+    tab.root = SomePage;
+    tab.load = function(opts: any, cb: Function) {
+      cb();
+    };
+    return tab;
   }
 
+  @Component({})
+  class SomePage {}
+
   beforeEach(() => {
     config = new Config();
     platform = new Platform();
diff --git a/src/components/modal/modal.ts b/src/components/modal/modal.ts
index 7bc4f353cef..2b415962a6f 100644
--- a/src/components/modal/modal.ts
+++ b/src/components/modal/modal.ts
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ export class Modal extends ViewController {
     this.modalViewType = componentType.name;
     this.viewType = 'modal';
     this.isOverlay = true;
+    this.usePortal = true;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/components/nav/nav-controller.ts b/src/components/nav/nav-controller.ts
index 61b391bfca8..5edd378dbd4 100644
--- a/src/components/nav/nav-controller.ts
+++ b/src/components/nav/nav-controller.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import {Config} from '../../config/config';
 import {Ion} from '../ion';
 import {isBlank, pascalCaseToDashCase} from '../../util/util';
 import {Keyboard} from '../../util/keyboard';
-import {NavParams} from './nav-params';
 import {MenuController} from '../menu/menu-controller';
+import {NavParams} from './nav-params';
 import {NavPortal} from './nav-portal';
 import {SwipeBackGesture} from './swipe-back';
 import {Transition} from '../../transitions/transition';
@@ -245,6 +245,13 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
     this.viewDidUnload = new EventEmitter();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @private
+   */
+  getPortal(): NavController {
+    return this._portal;
+  }
+
   /**
    * @private
    */
diff --git a/src/components/nav/test/nested/index.ts b/src/components/nav/test/nested/index.ts
index 31868369531..663d120ac4a 100644
--- a/src/components/nav/test/nested/index.ts
+++ b/src/components/nav/test/nested/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {Component, ViewChild} from '@angular/core';
-import {ionicBootstrap, NavParams, NavController, ViewController, MenuController} from '../../../../../src';
-import {Config, Nav} from '../../../../../src';
+import {ionicBootstrap, NavController, MenuController} from '../../../../../src';
+import {Config, Nav, App} from '../../../../../src';
 
 
 @Component({
@@ -9,16 +9,21 @@ import {Config, Nav} from '../../../../../src';
       <ion-title>Login</ion-title>
     </ion-navbar>
     <ion-content style="text-align:center;" padding>
-      <button (click)="goToAccount()">Login</button>
+      <p><button (click)="goToAccount()">Login</button></p>
+      <p><button (click)="goBack()">App goBack()</button></p>
     </ion-content>
   `
 })
 export class Login {
-  constructor(private nav: NavController) {}
+  constructor(private nav: NavController, private app: App) {}
 
   goToAccount() {
     this.nav.push(Account);
   }
+
+  goBack() {
+    this.app.navPop();
+  }
 }
 
 
@@ -39,21 +44,22 @@ export class Login {
          <button ion-item detail-none (click)="logOut()">
            Logout
          </button>
+         <button ion-item detail-none (click)="goBack()">
+           App Go Back
+         </button>
        </ion-list>
      </ion-content>
     </ion-menu>
 
-    <ion-nav id="account-nav" [root]="rootPage" #content swipeBackEnabled="false"></ion-nav>
+    <ion-nav #accountNav #content [root]="root" swipeBackEnabled="false"></ion-nav>
   `
 })
 export class Account {
-  @ViewChild('account-nav') accountNav: Nav;
+  @ViewChild('accountNav') accountNav: Nav;
 
-  rootPage = Dashboard;
+  root = Dashboard;
 
-  constructor(private menu: MenuController, private nav: NavController) {
-
-  }
+  constructor(private menu: MenuController, private app: App) {}
 
   goToProfile() {
     this.accountNav.setRoot(Profile).then(() => {
@@ -68,7 +74,13 @@ export class Account {
   }
 
   logOut() {
-    this.nav.parent.setRoot(Login, null, { animate: true });
+    this.accountNav.setRoot(Login, null, { animate: true }).then(() => {
+      this.menu.close();
+    });
+  }
+
+  goBack() {
+    this.app.navPop();
   }
 }
 
@@ -84,21 +96,27 @@ export class Account {
     <ion-content padding>
       <p><button (click)="goToProfile()">Profile</button></p>
       <p><button (click)="logOut()">Logout</button></p>
+      <p><button (click)="goBack()">App goBack()</button></p>
     </ion-content>
   `
 })
 export class Dashboard {
-  constructor(private nav: NavController) {}
+  constructor(private nav: NavController, private app: App) {}
 
   goToProfile() {
     this.nav.push(Profile);
   }
+
   logOut() {
     this.nav.parent.setRoot(Login, null, {
       animate: true,
       direction: 'back'
     });
   }
+
+  goBack() {
+    this.app.navPop();
+  }
 }
 
 
@@ -113,11 +131,12 @@ export class Dashboard {
     <ion-content padding>
       <p><button (click)="goToDashboard()">Dashboard</button></p>
       <p><button (click)="logOut()">Logout</button></p>
+      <p><button (click)="goBack()">App goBack()</button></p>
     </ion-content>
   `
 })
 export class Profile {
-  constructor(private nav: NavController) {}
+  constructor(private nav: NavController, private app: App) {}
 
   goToDashboard() {
     this.nav.push(Dashboard);
@@ -129,6 +148,10 @@ export class Profile {
       direction: 'back'
     });
   }
+
+  goBack() {
+    this.app.navPop();
+  }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/components/tabs/test/basic/index.ts b/src/components/tabs/test/basic/index.ts
index 2351767a4e3..a9fd393064c 100644
--- a/src/components/tabs/test/basic/index.ts
+++ b/src/components/tabs/test/basic/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {Component} from '@angular/core';
-import {ionicBootstrap, NavController, Alert, Modal, ViewController} from '../../../../../src';
+import {ionicBootstrap, NavController, App, Alert, Modal, ViewController, Tab, Tabs} from '../../../../../src';
 
 //
 // Modal
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ import {ionicBootstrap, NavController, Alert, Modal, ViewController} from '../..
       <button ion-item danger detail-none>
         Reset All Filters
       </button>
+      <button ion-item danger detail-none (click)="appNavPop()">
+        App Nav Pop
+      </button>
     </ion-list>
   </ion-content>
   `
@@ -41,7 +44,7 @@ import {ionicBootstrap, NavController, Alert, Modal, ViewController} from '../..
 class MyModal {
   items: any[] = [];
 
-  constructor(private viewCtrl: ViewController) {
+  constructor(private viewCtrl: ViewController, private app: App) {
     for (var i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
       this.items.push(i);
     }
@@ -52,6 +55,10 @@ class MyModal {
     // can "dismiss" itself and pass back data
     this.viewCtrl.dismiss();
   }
+
+  appNavPop() {
+    this.app.navPop();
+  }
 }
 
 //
@@ -69,17 +76,31 @@ class MyModal {
         </ion-list-header>
         <ion-item *ngFor="let i of items">Item {{i}} {{i}} {{i}} {{i}}</ion-item>
       </ion-list>
+      <p>
+        <button (click)="selectPrevious()">Select Previous Tab</button>
+      </p>
+      <p>
+        <button (click)="appNavPop()">App Nav Pop</button>
+      </p>
     </ion-content>
     `
 })
 export class Tab1 {
   items: any[] = [];
 
-  constructor() {
+  constructor(private tabs: Tabs, private app: App) {
     for (var i = 1; i <= 250; i++) {
       this.items.push(i);
     }
   }
+
+  selectPrevious() {
+    this.tabs.select(this.tabs.previousTab());
+  }
+
+  appNavPop() {
+    this.app.navPop();
+  }
 }
 
 //
@@ -103,13 +124,19 @@ export class Tab1 {
           </ion-item-options>
         </ion-item-sliding>
       </ion-list>
+      <p>
+        <button (click)="selectPrevious()">Select Previous Tab</button>
+      </p>
+      <p>
+        <button (click)="appNavPop()">App Nav Pop</button>
+      </p>
     </ion-content>
   `
 })
 export class Tab2 {
   sessions: any[] = [];
 
-  constructor() {
+  constructor(private tabs: Tabs, private app: App) {
     for (var i = 1; i <= 250; i++) {
       this.sessions.push({
         name: 'Name ' + i,
@@ -117,6 +144,14 @@ export class Tab2 {
       });
     }
   }
+
+  selectPrevious() {
+    this.tabs.select(this.tabs.previousTab());
+  }
+
+  appNavPop() {
+    this.app.navPop();
+  }
 }
 
 //
@@ -136,11 +171,17 @@ export class Tab2 {
         <button (click)="presentAlert()">Present Alert</button>
         <button (click)="presentModal()">Present Modal</button>
       </p>
+      <p>
+        <button (click)="selectPrevious()">Select Previous Tab</button>
+      </p>
+      <p>
+        <button (click)="appNavPop()">App Nav Pop</button>
+      </p>
     </ion-content>
     `
 })
 export class Tab3 {
-  constructor(private nav: NavController) {}
+  constructor(private nav: NavController, private tabs: Tabs, private app: App) {}
 
   presentAlert() {
     let alert = Alert.create({
@@ -154,6 +195,14 @@ export class Tab3 {
     let modal = Modal.create(MyModal);
     this.nav.present(modal);
   }
+
+  selectPrevious() {
+    this.tabs.select(this.tabs.previousTab());
+  }
+
+  appNavPop() {
+    this.app.navPop();
+  }
 }
 
 
@@ -184,11 +233,11 @@ export class TabsPage {
   root2 = Tab2;
   root3 = Tab3;
 
-  onChange(ev) {
+  onChange(ev: Tab) {
     console.log("Changed tab", ev);
   }
 
-  onSelect(ev) {
+  onSelect(ev: Tab) {
     console.log("Selected tab", ev);
   }
 }