diff --git a/src/components/swipe/demoBasicUsage/index.html b/src/components/swipe/demoBasicUsage/index.html
index efe7bf6e95..6fc4eb9d02 100644
--- a/src/components/swipe/demoBasicUsage/index.html
+++ b/src/components/swipe/demoBasicUsage/index.html
@@ -1,23 +1,23 @@
 <div ng-controller="demoSwipeCtrl" ng-cloak layout="row">
   <div flex>
-    <div class="demo-swipe" md-swipe-left="onSwipeLeft()">
+    <div class="demo-swipe" md-swipe-left="onSwipeLeft($event, $target)">
       <span class="no-select">Swipe me to the left</span>
       <md-icon md-font-icon="android" aria-label="android"></md-icon>
     </div>
     <md-divider></md-divider>
-    <div class="demo-swipe" md-swipe-right="onSwipeRight()">
+    <div class="demo-swipe" md-swipe-right="onSwipeRight($event, $target)">
       <span class="no-select">Swipe me to the right</span>
     </div>
   </div>
   <md-divider></md-divider>
   <div flex layout="row">
     <div flex layout="row" layout-align="center center"
-         class="demo-swipe" md-swipe-up="onSwipeUp()">
+         class="demo-swipe" md-swipe-up="onSwipeUp($event, $target)">
       <span class="no-select">Swipe me up</span>
     </div>
     <md-divider></md-divider>
     <div flex layout="row" layout-align="center center"
-         class="demo-swipe" md-swipe-down="onSwipeDown()">
+         class="demo-swipe" md-swipe-down="onSwipeDown($event, $target)">
       <span class="no-select">Swipe me down</span>
     </div>
   </div>
diff --git a/src/components/swipe/demoBasicUsage/script.js b/src/components/swipe/demoBasicUsage/script.js
index 2450b8a260..fd14596095 100644
--- a/src/components/swipe/demoBasicUsage/script.js
+++ b/src/components/swipe/demoBasicUsage/script.js
@@ -1,17 +1,33 @@
 angular.module('demoSwipe', ['ngMaterial'])
-  .controller('demoSwipeCtrl', function($scope) {
-    $scope.onSwipeLeft = function(ev) {
+  .controller('demoSwipeCtrl', function($scope, $log) {
+    $scope.onSwipeLeft = function(ev, target) {
       alert('You swiped left!!');
+
+      $log.log('Event Target: ', ev.target);
+      $log.log('Event Current Target: ', ev.currentTarget);
+      $log.log('Original Current Target: ', target.current);
     };
 
-    $scope.onSwipeRight = function(ev) {
+    $scope.onSwipeRight = function(ev, target) {
       alert('You swiped right!!');
+
+      $log.log('Event Target: ', ev.target);
+      $log.log('Event Current Target: ', ev.currentTarget);
+      $log.log('Original Current Target: ', target.current);
     };
-    $scope.onSwipeUp = function(ev) {
+    $scope.onSwipeUp = function(ev, target) {
       alert('You swiped up!!');
+
+      $log.log('Event Target: ', ev.target);
+      $log.log('Event Current Target: ', ev.currentTarget);
+      $log.log('Original Current Target: ', target.current);
     };
 
-    $scope.onSwipeDown = function(ev) {
+    $scope.onSwipeDown = function(ev, target) {
       alert('You swiped down!!');
+
+      $log.log('Event Target: ', ev.target);
+      $log.log('Event Current Target: ', ev.currentTarget);
+      $log.log('Original Current Target: ', target.current);
     };
   });
diff --git a/src/components/swipe/swipe.js b/src/components/swipe/swipe.js
index d248998391..b389c1fa66 100644
--- a/src/components/swipe/swipe.js
+++ b/src/components/swipe/swipe.js
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@
  * The md-swipe-left directive allows you to specify custom behavior when an element is swiped
  * left.
  *
+ * ### Notes
+ * - The `$event.currentTarget` of the swiped element will be `null`, but you can get a
+ * reference to the element that actually holds the `md-swipe-left` directive by using `$target.current`
+ *
+ * > You can see this in action on the <a ng-href="demo/swipe">demo page</a> (Look at the Developer Tools console while swiping).
+ *
  * @usage
  * <hljs lang="html">
- * <div md-swipe-left="onSwipeLeft()">Swipe me left!</div>
+ * <div md-swipe-left="onSwipeLeft($event, $target)">Swipe me left!</div>
  * </hljs>
  */
 /**
@@ -30,9 +36,15 @@
  * The md-swipe-right directive allows you to specify custom behavior when an element is swiped
  * right.
  *
+ * ### Notes
+ * - The `$event.currentTarget` of the swiped element will be `null`, but you can get a
+ * reference to the element that actually holds the `md-swipe-right` directive by using `$target.current`
+ *
+ * > You can see this in action on the <a ng-href="demo/swipe">demo page</a> (Look at the Developer Tools console while swiping).
+ *
  * @usage
  * <hljs lang="html">
- * <div md-swipe-right="onSwipeRight()">Swipe me right!</div>
+ * <div md-swipe-right="onSwipeRight($event, $target)">Swipe me right!</div>
  * </hljs>
  */
 /**
@@ -46,9 +58,15 @@
  * The md-swipe-up directive allows you to specify custom behavior when an element is swiped
  * up.
  *
+ * ### Notes
+ * - The `$event.currentTarget` of the swiped element will be `null`, but you can get a
+ * reference to the element that actually holds the `md-swipe-up` directive by using `$target.current`
+ *
+ * > You can see this in action on the <a ng-href="demo/swipe">demo page</a> (Look at the Developer Tools console while swiping).
+ *
  * @usage
  * <hljs lang="html">
- * <div md-swipe-up="onSwipeUp()">Swipe me up!</div>
+ * <div md-swipe-up="onSwipeUp($event, $target)">Swipe me up!</div>
  * </hljs>
  */
 /**
@@ -62,9 +80,15 @@
  * The md-swipe-down directive allows you to specify custom behavior when an element is swiped
  * down.
  *
+ * ### Notes
+ * - The `$event.currentTarget` of the swiped element will be `null`, but you can get a
+ * reference to the element that actually holds the `md-swipe-down` directive by using `$target.current`
+ *
+ * > You can see this in action on the <a ng-href="demo/swipe">demo page</a> (Look at the Developer Tools console while swiping).
+ *
  * @usage
  * <hljs lang="html">
- * <div md-swipe-down="onSwipDown()">Swipe me down!</div>
+ * <div md-swipe-down="onSwipDown($event, $target)">Swipe me down!</div>
  * </hljs>
  */
 
@@ -86,7 +110,8 @@ function getDirective(name) {
       function postLink(scope, element, attr) {
         var fn = $parse(attr[directiveName]);
         element.on(eventName, function(ev) {
-          scope.$applyAsync(function() { fn(scope, { $event: ev }); });
+          var currentTarget = ev.currentTarget;
+          scope.$applyAsync(function() { fn(scope, { $event: ev, $target: { current: currentTarget } }); });
         });
       }
     }