diff --git a/lib/clientsidescripts.js b/lib/clientsidescripts.js
index f666a7a15..9f2bfbb21 100644
--- a/lib/clientsidescripts.js
+++ b/lib/clientsidescripts.js
@@ -45,11 +45,13 @@ functions.waitForAngular = function(selector, callback) {
  * @param {string} binding The binding, e.g. {{cat.name}}.
  * @param {boolean} exactMatch Whether the binding needs to be matched exactly
  * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} The elements containing the binding.
  */
-functions.findBindings = function(binding, exactMatch, using) {
-  using = using || document;
+functions.findBindings = function(binding, exactMatch, using, rootSelector) {
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
   if (angular.getTestability) {
     return angular.getTestability(using).
         findBindings(using, binding, exactMatch);
@@ -83,13 +85,15 @@ functions.findBindings = function(binding, exactMatch, using) {
  *
  * @param {string} repeater The text of the repeater, e.g. 'cat in cats'.
  * @param {number} index The row index.
- * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.  Defaults to 'document'.
+ * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} The row of the repeater, or an array of elements
  *     in the first row in the case of ng-repeat-start.
  */
- functions.findRepeaterRows = function(repeater, index, using) {
-  using = using || document;
+ functions.findRepeaterRows = function(repeater, index, using, rootSelector) {
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
 
   var prefixes = ['ng-', 'ng_', 'data-ng-', 'x-ng-', 'ng\\:'];
   var rows = [];
@@ -132,12 +136,14 @@ functions.findBindings = function(binding, exactMatch, using) {
  * Find all rows of an ng-repeat.
  *
  * @param {string} repeater The text of the repeater, e.g. 'cat in cats'.
- * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.  Defaults to 'document'.
+ * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} All rows of the repeater.
  */
- functions.findAllRepeaterRows = function(repeater, using) {
-  using = using || document;
+ functions.findAllRepeaterRows = function(repeater, using, rootSelector) {
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
 
   var rows = [];
   var prefixes = ['ng-', 'ng_', 'data-ng-', 'x-ng-', 'ng\\:'];
@@ -177,13 +183,15 @@ functions.findBindings = function(binding, exactMatch, using) {
  * @param {string} repeater The text of the repeater, e.g. 'cat in cats'.
  * @param {number} index The row index.
  * @param {string} binding The column binding, e.g. '{{cat.name}}'.
- * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.  Defaults to 'document'.
+ * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} The element in an array.
  */
-functions.findRepeaterElement = function(repeater, index, binding, using) {
+functions.findRepeaterElement = function(repeater, index, binding, using, rootSelector) {
   var matches = [];
-  using = using || document;
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
 
   var rows = [];
   var prefixes = ['ng-', 'ng_', 'data-ng-', 'x-ng-', 'ng\\:'];
@@ -272,13 +280,15 @@ functions.findRepeaterElement = function(repeater, index, binding, using) {
  *
  * @param {string} repeater The text of the repeater, e.g. 'cat in cats'.
  * @param {string} binding The column binding, e.g. '{{cat.name}}'.
- * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.  Defaults to 'document'.
+ * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} The elements in the column.
  */
-functions.findRepeaterColumn = function(repeater, binding, using) {
+functions.findRepeaterColumn = function(repeater, binding, using, rootSelector) {
   var matches = [];
-  using = using || document;
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
 
   var rows = [];
   var prefixes = ['ng-', 'ng_', 'data-ng-', 'x-ng-', 'ng\\:'];
@@ -364,12 +374,15 @@ functions.findRepeaterColumn = function(repeater, binding, using) {
  * Find elements by model name.
  *
  * @param {string} model The model name.
- * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.  Defaults to 'document'.
+ * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} The matching elements.
  */
-functions.findByModel = function(model, using) {
-  using = using || document;
+functions.findByModel = function(model, using, rootSelector) {
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
+
   if (angular.getTestability) {
     return angular.getTestability(using).
         findModels(using, model);
@@ -389,12 +402,15 @@ functions.findByModel = function(model, using) {
  *
  * @param {string} optionsDescriptor The descriptor for the option 
  *     (i.e. fruit for fruit in fruits).
- * @param {Element} using The scope of the search. Defaults to 'document'.
+ * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} The matching elements.
  */
-functions.findByOptions = function(optionsDescriptor, using) {
-  using = using || document;
+functions.findByOptions = function(optionsDescriptor, using, rootSelector) {
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
+
   var prefixes = ['ng-', 'ng_', 'data-ng-', 'x-ng-', 'ng\\:'];
   for (var p = 0; p < prefixes.length; ++p) {
     var selector = '[' + prefixes[p] + 'options="' + optionsDescriptor + '"] option';
@@ -409,12 +425,15 @@ functions.findByOptions = function(optionsDescriptor, using) {
  * Find buttons by textual content.
  *
  * @param {string} searchText The exact text to match.
- * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.  Defaults to 'document'.
+ * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} The matching elements.
  */
-functions.findByButtonText = function(searchText, using) {
-  using = using || document;
+functions.findByButtonText = function(searchText, using, rootSelector) {
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
+
   var elements = using.querySelectorAll('button, input[type="button"], input[type="submit"]');
   var matches = [];
   for (var i = 0; i < elements.length; ++i) {
@@ -437,12 +456,15 @@ functions.findByButtonText = function(searchText, using) {
  * Find buttons by textual content.
  *
  * @param {string} searchText The exact text to match.
- * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.  Defaults to 'document'.
+ * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} The matching elements.
  */
-functions.findByPartialButtonText = function(searchText, using) {
-  using = using || document;
+functions.findByPartialButtonText = function(searchText, using, rootSelector) {
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
+
   var elements = using.querySelectorAll('button, input[type="button"], input[type="submit"]');
   var matches = [];
   for (var i = 0; i < elements.length; ++i) {
@@ -466,12 +488,15 @@ functions.findByPartialButtonText = function(searchText, using) {
  *
  * @param {string} cssSelector The css selector to match.
  * @param {string} searchText The exact text to match.
- * @param {Element} using The scope of the search. Defaults to 'document'.
+ * @param {Element} using The scope of the search.
+ * @param {string} rootSelector The selector to use for the root app element.
  *
  * @return {Array.<Element>} An array of matching elements.
  */
-functions.findByCssContainingText = function(cssSelector, searchText, using) {
-  var using = using || document;
+functions.findByCssContainingText = function(cssSelector, searchText, using, rootSelector) {
+  rootSelector = rootSelector || 'body';
+  using = using || document.querySelector(rootSelector);
+
   var elements = using.querySelectorAll(cssSelector);
   var matches = [];
   for (var i = 0; i < elements.length; ++i) {
@@ -528,7 +553,6 @@ functions.testForAngular = function(attempts, asyncCallback) {
  * @return {?Object} The result of the evaluation.
  */
 functions.evaluate = function(element, expression) {
-
   return angular.element(element).scope().$eval(expression);
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/locators.js b/lib/locators.js
index fd59831e0..ff0813d84 100644
--- a/lib/locators.js
+++ b/lib/locators.js
@@ -28,11 +28,12 @@ util.inherits(ProtractorBy, WebdriverBy);
  *
  * @example
  * // Add the custom locator.
- * by.addLocator('buttonTextSimple', function(buttonText, opt_parentElement) {
+ * by.addLocator('buttonTextSimple',
+ *     function(buttonText, opt_parentElement, opt_rootSelector) {
  *   // This function will be serialized as a string and will execute in the
  *   // browser. The first argument is the text for the button. The second
  *   // argument is the parent element, if any.
- *   var using = opt_parentElement || document,
+ *   var using = opt_parentElement || document.querySelector(opt_rootSelector),
  *   buttons = using.querySelectorAll('button');
  *
  *   // Return an array of buttons with the text.
@@ -49,18 +50,20 @@ util.inherits(ProtractorBy, WebdriverBy);
  * @param {Function|string} script A script to be run in the context of
  *     the browser. This script will be passed an array of arguments
  *     that contains any args passed into the locator followed by the
- *     element scoping the search. It should return an array of elements.
+ *     element scoping the search and the css selector for the root angular
+ *     element. It should return an array of elements.
  */
 ProtractorBy.prototype.addLocator = function(name, script) {
   this[name] = function() {
     var locatorArguments = arguments;
     return {
-      findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+      findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
         var findElementArguments = [script];
         for (var i = 0; i < locatorArguments.length; i++) {
           findElementArguments.push(locatorArguments[i]);
         }
         findElementArguments.push(using);
+        findElementArguments.push(rootSelector);
 
         return driver.findElements(
             webdriver.By.js.apply(webdriver.By, findElementArguments));
@@ -93,10 +96,10 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.addLocator = function(name, script) {
  */
 ProtractorBy.prototype.binding = function(bindingDescriptor) {
   return {
-    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
       return driver.findElements(
           webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findBindings,
-              bindingDescriptor, false, using));
+              bindingDescriptor, false, using, rootSelector));
     },
     toString: function toString() {
       return 'by.binding("' + bindingDescriptor + '")';
@@ -126,10 +129,10 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.binding = function(bindingDescriptor) {
  */
 ProtractorBy.prototype.exactBinding = function(bindingDescriptor) {
   return {
-    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
       return driver.findElements(
           webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findBindings,
-              bindingDescriptor, true, using));
+              bindingDescriptor, true, using, rootSelector));
     },
     toString: function toString() {
       return 'by.exactBinding("' + bindingDescriptor + '")';
@@ -153,9 +156,10 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.exactBinding = function(bindingDescriptor) {
  */
 ProtractorBy.prototype.model = function(model) {
   return {
-    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
       return driver.findElements(
-          webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findByModel, model, using));
+          webdriver.By.js(
+              clientSideScripts.findByModel, model, using, rootSelector));
     },
     toString: function toString() {
       return 'by.model("' + model + '")';
@@ -177,10 +181,10 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.model = function(model) {
  */
 ProtractorBy.prototype.buttonText = function(searchText) {
   return {
-    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
       return driver.findElements(
           webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findByButtonText,
-          searchText, using));
+              searchText, using, rootSelector));
     },
     toString: function toString() {
       return 'by.buttonText("' + searchText + '")';
@@ -202,10 +206,10 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.buttonText = function(searchText) {
  */
 ProtractorBy.prototype.partialButtonText = function(searchText) {
   return {
-    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
       return driver.findElements(
           webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findByPartialButtonText,
-          searchText, using));
+              searchText, using, rootSelector));
     },
     toString: function toString() {
       return 'by.partialButtonText("' + searchText + '")';
@@ -267,30 +271,30 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.partialButtonText = function(searchText) {
  */
 ProtractorBy.prototype.repeater = function(repeatDescriptor) {
   return {
-    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
       return driver.findElements(
         webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findAllRepeaterRows,
-            repeatDescriptor, using));
+            repeatDescriptor, using, rootSelector));
     },
     toString: function toString() {
       return 'by.repeater("' + repeatDescriptor + '")';
     },
     row: function(index) {
       return {
-        findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+        findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
           return driver.findElements(
             webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findRepeaterRows,
-                repeatDescriptor, index, using));
+                repeatDescriptor, index, using, rootSelector));
         },
         toString: function toString() {
           return 'by.repeater(' + repeatDescriptor + '").row("' + index + '")"';
         },
         column: function(binding) {
           return {
-            findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+            findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
               return driver.findElements(
                   webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findRepeaterElement,
-                      repeatDescriptor, index, binding, using));
+                      repeatDescriptor, index, binding, using, rootSelector));
             },
             toString: function toString() {
               return 'by.repeater("' + repeatDescriptor + '").row("' + index +
@@ -302,10 +306,10 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.repeater = function(repeatDescriptor) {
     },
     column: function(binding) {
       return {
-        findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+        findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
           return driver.findElements(
               webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findRepeaterColumn,
-                  repeatDescriptor, binding, using));
+                  repeatDescriptor, binding, using, rootSelector));
         },
         toString: function toString() {
           return 'by.repeater("' + repeatDescriptor + '").column("' +
@@ -313,10 +317,10 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.repeater = function(repeatDescriptor) {
         },
         row: function(index) {
           return {
-            findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+            findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
               return driver.findElements(
                   webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findRepeaterElement,
-                      repeatDescriptor, index, binding, using));
+                      repeatDescriptor, index, binding, using, rootSelector));
             },
             toString: function toString() {
               return 'by.repeater("' + repeatDescriptor + '").column("' +
@@ -344,10 +348,10 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.repeater = function(repeatDescriptor) {
  */
 ProtractorBy.prototype.cssContainingText = function(cssSelector, searchText) {
   return {
-    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
       return driver.findElements(
         webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findByCssContainingText,
-        cssSelector, searchText, using));
+        cssSelector, searchText, using, rootSelector));
     },
     toString: function toString() {
       return 'by.cssContainingText("' + cssSelector + '", "' + searchText + '")';
@@ -375,9 +379,10 @@ ProtractorBy.prototype.cssContainingText = function(cssSelector, searchText) {
  */
 ProtractorBy.prototype.options = function(optionsDescriptor) {
   return {
-    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using) {
+    findElementsOverride: function(driver, using, rootSelector) {
       return driver.findElements(
-          webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findByOptions, optionsDescriptor, using));
+          webdriver.By.js(clientSideScripts.findByOptions, optionsDescriptor,
+              using, rootSelector));
     },
     toString: function toString() {
       return 'by.option("' + optionsDescriptor + '")';
diff --git a/lib/protractor.js b/lib/protractor.js
index 0f937577e..3cb99a2a3 100644
--- a/lib/protractor.js
+++ b/lib/protractor.js
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ var buildElementHelper = function(ptor) {
     if (this.parentElementFinder_) {
       var parentWebElement = this.parentElementFinder_.getWebElement();
       if (this.locator_.findElementsOverride) {
-        return this.locator_.findElementsOverride(ptor.driver, parentWebElement);
+        return this.locator_.findElementsOverride(ptor.driver, parentWebElement, ptor.rootEl);
       } else {
         return parentWebElement.findElements(this.locator_);
       }
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ var buildElementHelper = function(ptor) {
       var self = this; 
       return ptor.waitForAngular().then(function() {
         if (self.locator_.findElementsOverride) {
-          return self.locator_.findElementsOverride(ptor.driver);
+          return self.locator_.findElementsOverride(ptor.driver, null, ptor.rootEl);
         } else {
           return ptor.driver.findElements(self.locator_);
         }
@@ -889,6 +889,8 @@ var Protractor = function(webdriverInstance, opt_baseUrl, opt_rootElement) {
    * @type {Array<{name: string, script: function|string, args: Array.<string>}>}
    */
   this.mockModules_ = [];
+
+  this.addBaseMockModules_();
 };
 
 /**
@@ -987,6 +989,7 @@ Protractor.prototype.addMockModule = function(name, script) {
  */
 Protractor.prototype.clearMockModules = function() {
   this.mockModules_ = [];
+  this.addBaseMockModules_();
 };
 
 /**
@@ -1001,6 +1004,22 @@ Protractor.prototype.removeMockModule = function(name) {
   }
 };
 
+/**
+ * Add the base mock modules used for all Protractor tests.
+ *
+ * @private
+ */
+Protractor.prototype.addBaseMockModules_ = function() {
+  this.addMockModule('protractorBaseModule_', function() {
+    angular.module('protractorBaseModule_', []).
+        config(['$compileProvider', function($compileProvider) {
+          if ($compileProvider.enableDebugInfo) {
+            $compileProvider.enableDebugInfo(true);
+          };
+        }]);
+  });
+};
+
 /**
  * See webdriver.WebDriver.get
  *