diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 99049f6e4..2e3d3847e 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -2358,7 +2358,8 @@ <h3>only items selectable (please note structure of treebranch)</h3>
 
 			</div>
 			<div class="btn-panel">
-				<button type="button" class="btn btn-default" id="btnTreeDestroy">destroy and append</button>
+        <button type="button" class="btn btn-default" id="btnTreeDestroy">destroy and append</button>
+				<button type="button" class="btn btn-default" id="btnTreeClearSelected">clear all selected</button>
 				<button type="button" class="btn btn-default" id="btnTreeDiscloseVisible">disclose visible</button>
 				<button type="button" class="btn btn-default" id="btnTreeDiscloseAll">disclose all</button>
 				<button type="button" class="btn btn-default" id="btnTreeCloseAll">close all</button>
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 4c4173dcf..4108254d0 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -992,6 +992,10 @@ myTreeInit();
 		myTreeInit();
 	});
 
+	$('#btnTreeClearSelected').click(function () {
+		log('Items/folders cleared: ', $('#myTree1').tree('deselectAll') );
+	});
+
 	$('#btnTreeDiscloseVisible').click(function () {
 		$('#myTree1').tree('discloseVisible');
 	});
diff --git a/js/tree.js b/js/tree.js
index 99ccbeb95..d73a7368a 100644
--- a/js/tree.js
+++ b/js/tree.js
@@ -60,6 +60,16 @@
 	Tree.prototype = {
 		constructor: Tree,
 
+		deselectAll: function deselectAll(nodes) {
+			// clear all child tree nodes and style as deselected
+			nodes = nodes || this.$element;
+			var $selectedElements = $(nodes).find('.tree-selected');
+			$selectedElements.each(function (index, element) {
+				styleNodeDeselected( $(element), $(element).find( '.glyphicon' ) );
+			});
+			return $selectedElements;
+		},
+
 		destroy: function destroy() {
 			// any external bindings [none]
 			// empty elements to return to original markup
@@ -159,59 +169,43 @@
 			});
 		},
 
-		selectItem: function selectItem(el) {
-			if (!this.options.itemSelect) return;
-			var $el = $(el);
-			var selData = $el.data();
-			var $all = this.$element.find('.tree-selected');
-			var data = [];
-			var $icon = $el.find('.icon-item');
-
-			if (this.options.multiSelect) {
-				$.each($all, function (index, value) {
-					var $val = $(value);
-					if ($val[0] !== $el[0]) {
-						data.push($(value).data());
-					}
-				});
-			} else if ($all[0] !== $el[0]) {
-				$all.removeClass('tree-selected')
-					.find('.glyphicon').removeClass('glyphicon-ok').addClass('fueluxicon-bullet');
-				data.push(selData);
-			}
-
-			var eventType = 'selected';
-			if ($el.hasClass('tree-selected')) {
-				eventType = 'deselected';
-				$el.removeClass('tree-selected');
-				if ($icon.hasClass('glyphicon-ok') || $icon.hasClass('fueluxicon-bullet')) {
-					$icon.removeClass('glyphicon-ok').addClass('fueluxicon-bullet');
-				}
-
-			} else {
-				$el.addClass ('tree-selected');
-				// add tree dot back in
-				if ($icon.hasClass('glyphicon-ok') || $icon.hasClass('fueluxicon-bullet')) {
-					$icon.removeClass('fueluxicon-bullet').addClass('glyphicon-ok');
-				}
+		selectTreeNode: function selectItem(clickedElement, nodeType) {
+			var clicked = {};	// object for clicked element
+			clicked.$element = $(clickedElement);
 
-				if (this.options.multiSelect) {
-					data.push(selData);
-				}
+			var selected = {}; // object for selected elements
+			selected.$elements = this.$element.find('.tree-selected');
+			selected.dataForEvent = [];
 
+			// determine clicked element and it's icon
+			if (nodeType === 'folder') {
+				// make the clicked.$element the container branch
+				clicked.$element = clicked.$element.closest('.tree-branch');
+				clicked.$icon = clicked.$element.find('.icon-folder');
+			}
+			else {
+				clicked.$icon = clicked.$element.find('.icon-item');
 			}
+			clicked.elementData = clicked.$element.data();
 
-			this.$element.trigger(eventType + '.fu.tree', {
-				target: selData,
-				selected: data
+			// the below functions pass objects by copy/reference and use modified object in this function
+			if ( this.options.multiSelect ) {
+				multiSelectSyncNodes(this, clicked, selected);
+			}
+			else {
+				singleSelectSyncNodes(this, clicked, selected);
+			} 
+
+			// all done with the DOM, now fire events
+			this.$element.trigger(selected.eventType + '.fu.tree', {
+				target: clicked.elementData,
+				selected: selected.dataForEvent
 			});
 
-			// Return new list of selected items, the item
-			// clicked, and the type of event:
-			$el.trigger('updated.fu.tree', {
-				selected: data,
-				item: $el,
-				eventType: eventType
+			clicked.$element.trigger('updated.fu.tree', {
+				selected: selected.dataForEvent,
+				item: clicked.$element,
+				eventType: selected.eventType
 			});
 		},
 
@@ -270,52 +264,16 @@
 			}
 		},
 
-		selectFolder: function selectFolder(clickedElement) {
-			if (!this.options.folderSelect) return;
-			var $clickedElement = $(clickedElement);
-			var $clickedBranch = $clickedElement.closest('.tree-branch');
-			var $selectedBranch = this.$element.find('.tree-branch.tree-selected');
-			var clickedData = $clickedBranch.data();
-			var selectedData = [];
-			var eventType = 'selected';
-
-			// select clicked item
-			if ($clickedBranch.hasClass('tree-selected')) {
-				eventType = 'deselected';
-				$clickedBranch.removeClass('tree-selected');
-			} else {
-				$clickedBranch.addClass('tree-selected');
+		selectFolder: function selectFolder(el) {
+			if (this.options.folderSelect) {
+				this.selectTreeNode(el, 'folder');
 			}
+		},
 
-			if (this.options.multiSelect) {
-				// get currently selected
-				$selectedBranch = this.$element.find('.tree-branch.tree-selected');
-
-				$.each($selectedBranch, function (index, value) {
-					var $value = $(value);
-					if ($value[0] !== $clickedElement[0]) {
-						selectedData.push($(value).data());
-					}
-				});
-
-			} else if ($selectedBranch[0] !== $clickedElement[0]) {
-				$selectedBranch.removeClass('tree-selected');
-
-				selectedData.push(clickedData);
+		selectItem: function selectItem(el) {
+			if (this.options.itemSelect) {
+				this.selectTreeNode(el, 'item');
 			}
-
-			this.$element.trigger(eventType + '.fu.tree', {
-				target: clickedData,
-				selected: selectedData
-			});
-
-			// Return new list of selected items, the item
-			// clicked, and the type of event:
-			$clickedElement.trigger('updated.fu.tree', {
-				selected: selectedData,
-				item: $clickedElement,
-				eventType: eventType
-			});
 		},
 
 		selectedItems: function selectedItems() {
@@ -465,11 +423,71 @@
 		}
 	};
 
+
+	// ALIASES
+
 	//alias for collapse for consistency. "Collapse" is an ambiguous term (collapse what? All? One specific branch?)
 	Tree.prototype.closeAll = Tree.prototype.collapse;
 	//alias for backwards compatibility because there's no reason not to.
 	Tree.prototype.openFolder = Tree.prototype.discloseFolder;
 
+
+	// PRIVATE FUNCTIONS
+
+	function styleNodeSelected ($element, $icon) {
+		$element.addClass('tree-selected');
+		if ( $element.data('type') === 'item' && $icon.hasClass('fueluxicon-bullet') ) { 
+			$icon.removeClass('fueluxicon-bullet').addClass('glyphicon-ok'); // make checkmark
+		}
+	}
+
+	function styleNodeDeselected ($element, $icon) {
+		$element.removeClass('tree-selected');
+		if ( $element.data('type') === 'item' && $icon.hasClass('glyphicon-ok') ) { 
+			$icon.removeClass('glyphicon-ok').addClass('fueluxicon-bullet'); // make bullet
+		}
+	}
+
+	function multiSelectSyncNodes (self, clicked, selected) {
+		// search for currently selected and add to selected data list if needed
+		$.each(selected.$elements, function (index, element) {
+			var $element = $(element);
+			if ($element[0] !== clicked.$element[0]) {
+				selected.dataForEvent.push( $($element).data() );
+			}
+		});
+
+		if (clicked.$element.hasClass('tree-selected')) {
+			styleNodeDeselected (clicked.$element, clicked.$icon);
+			// set event data
+			selected.eventType = 'deselected';
+		} 
+		else {
+			styleNodeSelected(clicked.$element, clicked.$icon);
+			// set event data
+			selected.eventType = 'selected';
+			selected.dataForEvent.push(clicked.elementData);
+		}
+	}
+
+	function singleSelectSyncNodes(self, clicked, selected) {
+		// element is not currently selected
+		if (selected.$elements[0] !== clicked.$element[0]) {
+			var clearedElements = self.deselectAll(self.$element);
+			styleNodeSelected(clicked.$element, clicked.$icon);
+			// set event data
+			selected.eventType = 'selected';
+			selected.dataForEvent = [clicked.elementData];
+		}
+		else {
+			styleNodeDeselected(clicked.$element, clicked.$icon);
+			// set event data
+			selected.eventType = 'deselected';
+			selected.dataForEvent = [];
+		}
+	}
+
+
 	// TREE PLUGIN DEFINITION
 
 	$.fn.tree = function tree(option) {
diff --git a/test/markup/tree-markup.html b/test/markup/tree-markup.html
index d8330cb3c..cdfaaaf60 100644
--- a/test/markup/tree-markup.html
+++ b/test/markup/tree-markup.html
@@ -66,6 +66,13 @@
 				<ul class="tree-branch-children"></ul>
 				<div class="tree-loader" role="alert">Loading...</div>
 			</li>
+			<!-- item template -->
+			<li class="tree-item hidden" data-template="treeitem" role="treeitem">
+				<button class="tree-item-name">
+					<span class="glyphicon icon-item fueluxicon-bullet"></span>
+					<span class="tree-label">Example Item</span>
+				</button>
+			</li>
 		</ul>
 
 	</div>
diff --git a/test/tree-test.js b/test/tree-test.js
index bd4d1740e..e51e8c619 100644
--- a/test/tree-test.js
+++ b/test/tree-test.js
@@ -182,12 +182,13 @@ define(function (require) {
 
 		$selNode = $tree.find('.tree-branch:eq(1)');
 		$tree.tree('discloseFolder', $selNode.find('.tree-branch-header'));
-		equal($selNode.find('.tree-branch-children > li').length, 4, 'Folder has been populated with sub-folders');
+		equal($selNode.find('.tree-branch-children > li').length, 8, 'Folder has been populated with sub-folders and items');
 	});
 
 	test("Single item/folder selection works as designed", function () {
 		var $tree = $(html).find('#MyTree');
 
+		// multiSelect: false is the default
 		$tree.tree({
 			dataSource: this.dataSource
 		});
@@ -204,10 +205,24 @@ define(function (require) {
 			folderSelect: true
 		});
 
-		$tree.tree('selectItem', $tree.find('.tree-branch-name:eq(1)'));
-		equal($tree.tree('selectedItems').length, 1, 'Return single selected value');
-		$tree.tree('selectItem', $tree.find('.tree-branch-name:eq(2)'));
-		equal($tree.tree('selectedItems').length, 1, 'Return new single selected value');
+		$tree.tree('selectItem', $tree.find('.tree-item:eq(1)'));
+		equal($tree.tree('selectedItems').length, 1, 'Return single selected item (none previously selected, 1st programatic selection)');
+
+		$tree.tree('selectFolder', $tree.find('.tree-branch-name:eq(1)'));
+		equal($tree.tree('selectedItems').length, 1, 'Return single selected folder (item previously selected, 2nd programatic selection)');
+
+		$tree.tree('selectItem', $tree.find('.tree-item:eq(2)'));
+		equal($tree.tree('selectedItems').length, 1, 'Return single selected item (folder previously selected, 3rd programatic selection)');
+
+		$tree.find('.tree-item:eq(1)').click();
+		equal($tree.tree('selectedItems').length, 1, 'Return single selected item (item previously selected, 1st click selection)');
+
+		$tree.find('.tree-branch-name:eq(1)').click();
+		equal($tree.tree('selectedItems').length, 1, 'Return single selected folder (item previously selected, 2nd click selection)');
+
+		$tree.find('.tree-item:eq(2)').click();
+		equal($tree.tree('selectedItems').length, 1, 'Return single selected item (folder previously selected, 3rd click selection)');
+
 	});
 
 	test("Multiple item/folder selection works as designed", function () {