diff --git a/ionic/components/action-sheet/action-sheet.ts b/ionic/components/action-sheet/action-sheet.ts
index d1a8f7b6ff9..20e54b70e38 100644
--- a/ionic/components/action-sheet/action-sheet.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/action-sheet/action-sheet.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {Animation} from '../../animations/animation';
 import {Transition, TransitionOptions} from '../../transitions/transition';
 import {Config} from '../../config/config';
 import {Icon} from '../icon/icon';
-import {isDefined} from '../../util/util';
+import {isPresent} from '../../util/util';
 import {NavParams} from '../nav/nav-params';
 import {ViewController} from '../nav/view-controller';
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export class ActionSheet extends ViewController {
 
   constructor(opts: ActionSheetOptions = {}) {
     opts.buttons = opts.buttons || [];
-    opts.enableBackdropDismiss = isDefined(opts.enableBackdropDismiss) ? !!opts.enableBackdropDismiss : true;
+    opts.enableBackdropDismiss = isPresent(opts.enableBackdropDismiss) ? !!opts.enableBackdropDismiss : true;
 
     super(ActionSheetCmp, opts);
     this.viewType = 'action-sheet';
diff --git a/ionic/components/alert/alert.ts b/ionic/components/alert/alert.ts
index 514607ccda7..542f10e3242 100644
--- a/ionic/components/alert/alert.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/alert/alert.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import {NgClass, NgSwitch, NgIf, NgFor} from 'angular2/common';
 import {Animation} from '../../animations/animation';
 import {Transition, TransitionOptions} from '../../transitions/transition';
 import {Config} from '../../config/config';
-import {isDefined} from '../../util/util';
+import {isPresent} from '../../util/util';
 import {NavParams} from '../nav/nav-params';
 import {ViewController} from '../nav/view-controller';
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ export class Alert extends ViewController {
   constructor(opts: AlertOptions = {}) {
     opts.inputs = opts.inputs || [];
     opts.buttons = opts.buttons || [];
-    opts.enableBackdropDismiss = isDefined(opts.enableBackdropDismiss) ? !!opts.enableBackdropDismiss : true;
+    opts.enableBackdropDismiss = isPresent(opts.enableBackdropDismiss) ? !!opts.enableBackdropDismiss : true;
 
     super(AlertCmp, opts);
     this.viewType = 'alert';
@@ -326,9 +326,9 @@ class AlertCmp {
     data.inputs = data.inputs.map((input, index) => {
       return {
         type: input.type || 'text',
-        name: isDefined(input.name) ? input.name : index,
-        placeholder: isDefined(input.placeholder) ? input.placeholder : '',
-        value: isDefined(input.value) ? input.value : '',
+        name: isPresent(input.name) ? input.name : index,
+        placeholder: isPresent(input.placeholder) ? input.placeholder : '',
+        value: isPresent(input.value) ? input.value : '',
         label: input.label,
         checked: !!input.checked,
         id: 'alert-input-' + this.id + '-' + index
diff --git a/ionic/components/list/list.ts b/ionic/components/list/list.ts
index 0089a5285fe..971d9acb75d 100644
--- a/ionic/components/list/list.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/list/list.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import {Directive, ElementRef, Renderer, Attribute, NgZone} from 'angular2/core'
 
 import {Ion} from '../ion';
 import {ItemSlidingGesture} from '../item/item-sliding-gesture';
-import {isDefined} from '../../util';
 
 /**
  * The List is a widely used interface element in almost any mobile app,
diff --git a/ionic/components/nav/nav-controller.ts b/ionic/components/nav/nav-controller.ts
index 340654d358e..8abfdd766d8 100644
--- a/ionic/components/nav/nav-controller.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/nav/nav-controller.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {IonicApp} from '../app/app';
 import {Keyboard} from '../../util/keyboard';
 import {NavParams} from './nav-params';
 import {NavRouter} from './nav-router';
-import {pascalCaseToDashCase, isTrueProperty, isUndefined} from '../../util/util';
+import {pascalCaseToDashCase, isTrueProperty, isBlank} from '../../util/util';
 import {raf} from '../../util/dom';
 import {SwipeBackGesture} from './swipe-back';
 import {Transition} from '../../transitions/transition';
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * @param {object} [opts={}] Any options you want to use pass to transtion
    * @returns {Promise} Returns a promise when done
    */
-  setRoot(page: Type, params: any = {}, opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  setRoot(page: Type, params?: any, opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     return this.setPages([{page, params}], opts);
   }
 
@@ -255,11 +255,15 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * @param {object} [opts={}] Any options you want to use pass
    * @returns {Promise} Returns a promise when the pages are set
    */
-  setPages(pages: Array<{page: Type, params?: any}>, opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  setPages(pages: Array<{page: Type, params?: any}>, opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     if (!pages || !pages.length) {
       return Promise.resolve(false);
     }
 
+    if (isBlank(opts)) {
+      opts = {};
+    }
+
     // deprecated warning
     pages.forEach(pg => {
       if (pg['componentType']) {
@@ -303,7 +307,7 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
   /**
    * @private
    */
-  private setViews(components, opts: NavOptions = {}) {
+  private setViews(components, opts?: NavOptions) {
     console.warn('setViews() deprecated, use setPages() instead');
     return this.setPages(components, opts);
   }
@@ -373,7 +377,7 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * @param {object} [opts={}] Any options you want to use pass to transtion
    * @returns {Promise} Returns a promise, which resolves when the transition has completed
    */
-  push(page: Type, params: any = {}, opts: NavOptions = {}) {
+  push(page: Type, params?: any, opts?: NavOptions) {
     return this.insertPages(-1, [{page: page, params: params}], opts);
   }
 
@@ -402,7 +406,7 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * @param {object} [opts={}] Any options you want to use pass to transtion
    * @returns {Promise} Returns a promise, which resolves when the transition has completed
    */
-  present(enteringView: ViewController, opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  present(enteringView: ViewController, opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     let rootNav = this.rootNav;
 
     if (rootNav['_tabs']) {
@@ -412,6 +416,10 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
       return;
     }
 
+    if (isBlank(opts)) {
+      opts = {};
+    }
+
     enteringView.setNav(rootNav);
 
     opts.keyboardClose = false;
@@ -454,7 +462,7 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * @param {object} [opts={}] Any options you want to use pass to transtion
    * @returns {Promise} Returns a promise when the page has been inserted into the navigation stack
    */
-  insert(insertIndex: number, page: Type, params: any = {}, opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  insert(insertIndex: number, page: Type, params?: any, opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     return this.insertPages(insertIndex, [{page: page, params: params}], opts);
   }
 
@@ -486,16 +494,20 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * @param {object} [opts={}] Any options you want to use pass to transtion
    * @returns {Promise} Returns a promise when the pages have been inserted into the navigation stack
    */
-  insertPages(insertIndex: number, insertPages: Array<{page: Type, params?: any}>, opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  insertPages(insertIndex: number, insertPages: Array<{page: Type, params?: any}>, opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     let views = insertPages.map(p => new ViewController(p.page, p.params));
     return this._insertViews(insertIndex, views, opts);
   }
 
-  private _insertViews(insertIndex: number, insertViews: Array<ViewController>, opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  private _insertViews(insertIndex: number, insertViews: Array<ViewController>, opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     if (!insertViews || !insertViews.length) {
       return Promise.reject('invalid pages');
     }
 
+    if (isBlank(opts)) {
+      opts = {};
+    }
+
     // insert the new page into the stack
     // returns the newly created entering view
     let enteringView = this._insert(insertIndex, insertViews);
@@ -616,16 +628,20 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * @param {object} [opts={}] Any options you want to use pass to transtion
    * @returns {Promise} Returns a promise when the transition is completed
    */
-  pop(opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  pop(opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     // get the index of the active view
     // which will become the view to be leaving
     let activeView = this.getByState(STATE_TRANS_ENTER) ||
                      this.getByState(STATE_INIT_ENTER) ||
                      this.getActive();
 
+    if (isBlank(opts)) {
+      opts = {};
+    }
+
     // if not set, by default climb up the nav controllers if
     // there isn't a previous view in this nav controller
-    if (isUndefined(opts.climbNav)) {
+    if (isBlank(opts.climbNav)) {
       opts.climbNav = true;
     }
     return this.remove(this.indexOf(activeView), 1, opts);
@@ -635,7 +651,7 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * Similar to `pop()`, this method let's you navigate back to the root of the stack, no matter how many views that is
    * @param {object} [opts={}] Any options you want to use pass to transtion
    */
-  popToRoot(opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  popToRoot(opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     return this.popTo(this.first(), opts);
   }
 
@@ -644,7 +660,7 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * @param {ViewController} view  to pop to
    * @param {object} [opts={}]  Any options you want to use pass to transtion
    */
-  popTo(view: ViewController, opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  popTo(view: ViewController, opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     let startIndex = this.indexOf(view);
     let activeView = this.getByState(STATE_TRANS_ENTER) ||
                      this.getByState(STATE_INIT_ENTER) ||
@@ -673,7 +689,7 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
    * @param {object} [opts={}] Any options you want to use pass to transtion.
    * @returns {Promise} Returns a promise when the page has been removed.
    */
-  remove(startIndex: number = -1, removeCount: number = 1, opts: NavOptions = {}): Promise<any> {
+  remove(startIndex: number = -1, removeCount: number = 1, opts?: NavOptions): Promise<any> {
     if (startIndex === -1) {
       startIndex = this._views.length - 1;
 
@@ -681,6 +697,10 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
       return Promise.reject("remove index out of range");
     }
 
+    if (isBlank(opts)) {
+      opts = {};
+    }
+
     // default the direction to "back"
     opts.direction = opts.direction || 'back';
 
@@ -878,8 +898,11 @@ export class NavController extends Ion {
     // lets time this sucker, ready go
     let wtfScope = wtfStartTimeRange('NavController#_transition', (enteringView && enteringView.name));
 
-    if (this.config.get('animate') === false ||
-        (this._views.length === 1 && !this._init)) {
+    if (isBlank(opts)) {
+      opts = {};
+    }
+
+    if (this.config.get('animate') === false || (this._views.length === 1 && !this._init)) {
       opts.animate = false;
     }
 
diff --git a/ionic/components/nav/test/basic/index.ts b/ionic/components/nav/test/basic/index.ts
index 776e0e2f4d6..99f5a488a26 100644
--- a/ionic/components/nav/test/basic/index.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/nav/test/basic/index.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class MyCmpTest{}
         <button ion-item (click)="setPages()">setPages() (Go to PrimaryHeaderPage)</button>
         <button ion-item (click)="setRoot()">setRoot(PrimaryHeaderPage) (Go to PrimaryHeaderPage)</button>
         <button ion-item (click)="nav.pop()">Pop</button>
+        <button ion-item (click)="viewDismiss()">View Dismiss</button>
         <button ion-item (click)="quickPush()">New push during transition</button>
         <button ion-item (click)="quickPop()">New pop during transition</button>
         <button ion-item (click)="reload()">Reload</button>
@@ -62,8 +63,7 @@ class FirstPage {
 
   constructor(
     private nav: NavController,
-    app: IonicApp,
-    config: Config
+    private view: ViewController
   ) {
     this.pushPage = FullPage;
 
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ class FirstPage {
     }, 250);
   }
 
+  viewDismiss() {
+    this.view.dismiss();
+  }
+
   reload() {
     window.location.reload();
   }
diff --git a/ionic/components/nav/test/nav-controller.spec.ts b/ionic/components/nav/test/nav-controller.spec.ts
index 7bffb87a063..7253dbab2ac 100644
--- a/ionic/components/nav/test/nav-controller.spec.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/nav/test/nav-controller.spec.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,20 @@ export function run() {
 
     });
 
+    describe('remove', () => {
+
+      it('should create opts if passed in arg is undefined or null', () => {
+        let view1 = new ViewController(Page1);
+        view1.state = STATE_INACTIVE;
+        let view2 = new ViewController(Page2);
+        view2.state = STATE_ACTIVE;
+        nav._views = [view1, view2];
+
+        nav.remove(1, 1, null);
+      });
+
+    });
+
     describe('_remove', () => {
 
       it('should reassign activily transitioning leave that isnt getting removed, to become force active', () => {
diff --git a/ionic/components/nav/view-controller.ts b/ionic/components/nav/view-controller.ts
index ee61dae2908..062d745b844 100644
--- a/ionic/components/nav/view-controller.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/nav/view-controller.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {Output, EventEmitter, Type, TemplateRef, ViewContainerRef, ElementRef, R
 import {Navbar} from '../navbar/navbar';
 import {NavController, NavOptions} from './nav-controller';
 import {NavParams} from './nav-params';
+import {isPresent} from '../../util/util';
 
 
 /**
@@ -86,9 +87,9 @@ export class ViewController {
    */
   @Output() private _emitter: EventEmitter<any> = new EventEmitter();
 
-  constructor(public componentType?: Type, data: any = {}) {
+  constructor(public componentType?: Type, data?: any) {
     // passed in data could be NavParams, but all we care about is its data object
-	  this.data = (data instanceof NavParams ? data.data : data);
+	  this.data = (data instanceof NavParams ? data.data : isPresent(data) ? data : {});
   }
 
   subscribe(generatorOrNext?: any): any {
diff --git a/ionic/components/option/option.ts b/ionic/components/option/option.ts
index 522c254b4cf..b4ddfc269fb 100644
--- a/ionic/components/option/option.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/option/option.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {Directive, ElementRef, Input, Output, EventEmitter} from 'angular2/core';
 
-import {isDefined, isTrueProperty} from '../../util/util';
+import {isPresent, isTrueProperty} from '../../util/util';
 
 /**
  * @name Option
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export class Option {
    */
   @Input()
   get value() {
-    if (isDefined(this._value)) {
+    if (isPresent(this._value)) {
       return this._value;
     }
     return this.text;
diff --git a/ionic/components/radio/radio-button.ts b/ionic/components/radio/radio-button.ts
index f45a2cd65fd..d5130f1c33a 100644
--- a/ionic/components/radio/radio-button.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/radio/radio-button.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import {Component, Optional, Input, Output, HostListener, EventEmitter} from 'angular2/core';
 
 import {Form} from '../../util/form';
-import {isTrueProperty, isDefined, isBlank} from '../../util/util';
+import {isTrueProperty, isPresent, isBlank} from '../../util/util';
 import {Item} from '../item/item';
 import {ListHeader} from '../list/list';
 import {RadioGroup} from './radio-group';
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ export class RadioButton {
    * @private
    */
   ngOnInit() {
-    if (this._group && isDefined(this._group.value) && this._group.value == this.value) {
+    if (this._group && isPresent(this._group.value) && this._group.value == this.value) {
       this.checked = true;
     }
   }
diff --git a/ionic/components/radio/radio-group.ts b/ionic/components/radio/radio-group.ts
index fdf64f23f07..6dc45cabb3c 100644
--- a/ionic/components/radio/radio-group.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/radio/radio-group.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {NG_VALUE_ACCESSOR} from 'angular2/common';
 
 import {RadioButton} from './radio-button';
 import {ListHeader} from '../list/list';
-import {isDefined} from '../../util/util';
+import {isPresent} from '../../util/util';
 
 const RADIO_VALUE_ACCESSOR = new Provider(
     NG_VALUE_ACCESSOR, {useExisting: forwardRef(() => RadioGroup), multi: true});
diff --git a/ionic/components/searchbar/searchbar.ts b/ionic/components/searchbar/searchbar.ts
index f3f95247bae..51e37d49852 100644
--- a/ionic/components/searchbar/searchbar.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/searchbar/searchbar.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {Ion} from '../ion';
 import {Config} from '../../config/config';
 import {Icon} from '../icon/icon';
 import {Button} from '../button/button';
-import {isDefined, debounce} from '../../util/util';
+import {isPresent, debounce} from '../../util/util';
 
 
 /**
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ export class Searchbar extends Ion {
   ngAfterViewInit() {
     // If the user passes an undefined variable to ngModel this will warn
     // and set the value to an empty string
-    if (!isDefined(this.value)) {
+    if (!isPresent(this.value)) {
       console.warn('Searchbar was passed an undefined value in ngModel. Please make sure the variable is defined.');
       this.value = '';
       this.onChange(this.value);
diff --git a/ionic/components/segment/segment.ts b/ionic/components/segment/segment.ts
index e9bb16532ae..6aae3bba2cb 100644
--- a/ionic/components/segment/segment.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/segment/segment.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import {Directive, Component, ElementRef, Renderer, Optional, EventEmitter, Input, Output, HostListener, ContentChildren, QueryList} from 'angular2/core';
 import {NgControl} from 'angular2/common';
 
-import {isDefined} from '../../util/util';
+import {isPresent} from '../../util/util';
 
 
 /**
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export class SegmentButton {
    * @private
    */
   ngOnInit() {
-    if (!isDefined(this.value)) {
+    if (!isPresent(this.value)) {
       console.warn('<ion-segment-button> requires a "value" attribute');
     }
   }
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ export class Segment {
    * Write a new value to the element.
    */
   writeValue(value) {
-    this.value = isDefined(value) ? value : '';
+    this.value = isPresent(value) ? value : '';
     if (this._buttons) {
       let buttons = this._buttons.toArray();
       for (let button of buttons) {
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ export class Segment {
        this.change.emit(selectedButton);
      });
 
-     if (isDefined(this.value)) {
+     if (isPresent(this.value)) {
        button.isActive = (button.value === this.value);
      }
    }
diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts
index a9996a8afaa..3ebe4acedf0 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {NavController} from '../nav/nav-controller';
 import {ViewController} from '../nav/view-controller';
 import {Icon} from '../icon/icon';
 import {rafFrames} from '../../util/dom';
-import {isUndefined, isTrueProperty} from '../../util/util';
+import {isBlank, isTrueProperty} from '../../util/util';
 
 
 /**
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ export class Tabs extends Ion {
   ngAfterContentInit() {
     let selectedIndex = this.selectedIndex ? parseInt(this.selectedIndex, 10) : 0;
 
-    let preloadTabs = (isUndefined(this.preloadTabs) ? this._config.getBoolean('preloadTabs') : isTrueProperty(this.preloadTabs));
+    let preloadTabs = (isBlank(this.preloadTabs) ? this._config.getBoolean('preloadTabs') : isTrueProperty(this.preloadTabs));
 
     this._tabs.forEach((tab, index) => {
       if (index === selectedIndex) {
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ export class Tabs extends Ion {
    */
   private _setConfig(attrKey, fallback) {
     var val = this[attrKey];
-    if (isUndefined(val)) {
+    if (isBlank(val)) {
       val = this._config.get(attrKey, fallback);
     }
     this._renderer.setElementAttribute(this._elementRef.nativeElement, attrKey, val);
diff --git a/ionic/util/util.ts b/ionic/util/util.ts
index 381608894ff..e66bf5a50c9 100644
--- a/ionic/util/util.ts
+++ b/ionic/util/util.ts
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ export const isNumber = val => typeof val === 'number';
 export const isFunction = val => typeof val === 'function';
 export const isDefined = val => typeof val !== 'undefined';
 export const isUndefined = val => typeof val === 'undefined';
+export const isPresent = val => val !== undefined && val !== null;
 export const isBlank = val => val === undefined || val === null;
 export const isObject = val => typeof val === 'object';
 export const isArray = Array.isArray;