diff --git a/src/components/sidenav/sidenav.js b/src/components/sidenav/sidenav.js
index d18b60d5c3f..d4a64d265b1 100644
--- a/src/components/sidenav/sidenav.js
+++ b/src/components/sidenav/sidenav.js
@@ -29,44 +29,71 @@ angular.module('material.components.sidenav', [
  *
  * @usage
  * <hljs lang="js">
- * // Toggle the given sidenav
- * $mdSidenav(componentId).toggle();
+ * // Async lookup for sidenav instance; will resolve when the instance is available
+ * $mdSidenav(componentId).then(function(instance) {
+ *   $log.debug( componentId + "is now ready" );
+ * });
+ * </hljs>
+ * <hljs lang="js">
+ * // Async toggle the given sidenav;
+ * // when instance is known ready and lazy lookup is not needed.
+ * $mdSidenav(componentId)
+ *    .toggle()
+ *    .then(function(){
+ *      $log.debug('toggled');
+ *    });
  * </hljs>
  * <hljs lang="js">
- * // Open the given sidenav
- * $mdSidenav(componentId).open();
+ * // Async open the given sidenav
+ * $mdSidenav(componentId)
+ *    .open();
+ *    .then(function(){
+ *      $log.debug('opened');
+ *    });
  * </hljs>
  * <hljs lang="js">
- * // Close the given sidenav
- * $mdSidenav(componentId).close();
+ * // Async close the given sidenav
+ * $mdSidenav(componentId)
+ *    .close();
+ *    .then(function(){
+ *      $log.debug('closed');
+ *    });
  * </hljs>
  * <hljs lang="js">
- * // Exposes whether given sidenav is set to be open
+ * // Sync check to see if the specified sidenav is set to be open
  * $mdSidenav(componentId).isOpen();
  * </hljs>
  * <hljs lang="js">
- * // Exposes whether given sidenav is locked open
- * // If this is true, the sidenav will be open regardless of isOpen()
+ * // Sync check to whether given sidenav is locked open
+ * // If this is true, the sidenav will be open regardless of close()
  * $mdSidenav(componentId).isLockedOpen();
  * </hljs>
  */
 function SidenavService($mdComponentRegistry, $q) {
   return function(handle) {
-    var errorMsg = "SideNav '" + handle + "' is not available!";
 
     // Lookup the controller instance for the specified sidNav instance
+    var self;
+    var errorMsg = "SideNav '" + handle + "' is not available!";
     var instance = $mdComponentRegistry.get(handle);
+
     if(!instance) {
       $mdComponentRegistry.notFoundError(handle);
     }
 
-    return {
+    return self = {
+      // -----------------
+      // Sync methods
+      // -----------------
       isOpen: function() {
         return instance && instance.isOpen();
       },
       isLockedOpen: function() {
         return instance && instance.isLockedOpen();
       },
+      // -----------------
+      // Async methods
+      // -----------------
       toggle: function() {
         return instance ? instance.toggle() : $q.reject(errorMsg);
       },
@@ -75,8 +102,24 @@ function SidenavService($mdComponentRegistry, $q) {
       },
       close: function() {
         return instance ? instance.close() : $q.reject(errorMsg);
+      },
+      then : function( callbackFn ) {
+        var promise = instance ? $q.when(instance) : waitForInstance();
+        return promise.then( callbackFn || angular.noop );
       }
     };
+
+    /**
+     * Deferred lookup of component instance using $component registry
+     */
+    function waitForInstance() {
+      return $mdComponentRegistry
+                .when(handle)
+                .then(function( it ){
+                  instance = it;
+                  return it;
+                });
+    }
   };
 }
 
@@ -162,7 +205,10 @@ function SidenavDirective($timeout, $animate, $parse, $log, $mdMedia, $mdConstan
     var isLockedOpenParsed = $parse(attr.mdIsLockedOpen);
     var isLocked = function() {
       return isLockedOpenParsed(scope.$parent, {
-        $media: function(arg) { $log.warn("$media is deprecated for is-locked-open. Use $mdMedia instead."); return $mdMedia(arg); },
+        $media: function(arg) {
+          $log.warn("$media is deprecated for is-locked-open. Use $mdMedia instead.");
+          return $mdMedia(arg);
+        },
         $mdMedia: $mdMedia
       });
     };
@@ -311,13 +357,17 @@ function SidenavController($scope, $element, $attrs, $mdComponentRegistry, $q) {
 
   // Use Default internal method until overridden by directive postLink
 
-  self.$toggleOpen = function() { return $q.when($scope.isOpen); };
+  // Synchronous getters
   self.isOpen = function() { return !!$scope.isOpen; };
   self.isLockedOpen = function() { return !!$scope.isLockedOpen; };
+
+  // Async actions
   self.open   = function() { return self.$toggleOpen( true );  };
   self.close  = function() { return self.$toggleOpen( false ); };
   self.toggle = function() { return self.$toggleOpen( !$scope.isOpen );  };
 
+  self.$toggleOpen = function() { return $q.when($scope.isOpen); };
+
   self.destroy = $mdComponentRegistry.register(self, $attrs.mdComponentId);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/sidenav/sidenav.spec.js b/src/components/sidenav/sidenav.spec.js
index be4b7f01e0c..6ff74f46609 100644
--- a/src/components/sidenav/sidenav.spec.js
+++ b/src/components/sidenav/sidenav.spec.js
@@ -205,6 +205,15 @@ describe('mdSidenav', function() {
   });
 
   describe('$mdSidenav Service', function() {
+    var $rootScope, $timeout;
+
+
+        beforeEach( inject(function(_$rootScope_,_$timeout_) {
+            $rootScope = _$rootScope_;
+            $timeout = _$timeout_;
+        }));
+
+
     it('should grab instance', inject(function($mdSidenav) {
       var el = setup('md-component-id="left"');
       var scope = el.isolateScope();
@@ -253,6 +262,28 @@ describe('mdSidenav', function() {
       expect(instance.isOpen()).toBe(false);
       expect(instance.isLockedOpen()).toBe(true);
     }));
+
+    it('should find a deferred instantiation', inject(function($mdSidenav) {
+          var instance;
+
+          // Lookup deferred (not existing) instance
+          $mdSidenav('left').then( function(inst) { instance = inst; });
+          expect(instance).toBeUndefined();
+
+          // Instantiate `left` sidenav component
+          var el = setup('md-component-id="left"');
+
+          $timeout.flush();
+          expect(instance).toBeTruthy();
+          expect(instance.isOpen()).toBeFalsy();
+
+          // Lookup instance still available in the component registry
+          instance = undefined;
+          instance = $mdSidenav('left');
+
+          expect(instance).toBeTruthy();
+
+        }));
   });
 
 });