diff --git a/hsp/rt/eltnode.js b/hsp/rt/eltnode.js
index 4d84dec..2b41aec 100644
--- a/hsp/rt/eltnode.js
+++ b/hsp/rt/eltnode.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ var doc = require("../document");
 var TNode = require("./tnode").TNode;
 var hsp = require("../rt");
 var gestures = require("../gestures/gestures");
+//var log = require("./log");
 
 var booleanAttributes = {
     async: true,
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ var EltNode = klass({
         }
         this.gesturesEventHandlers = null;
         this.needSubScope = (needSubScope===1);
+        this.preventRefresh=false; // if true will prevent the field from being refreshed during the typing sequence
     },
 
     $dispose : function () {
@@ -179,8 +181,8 @@ var EltNode = klass({
             }
 
             if (this.isInput) {
-                // ensure we listen to click, keydown and keyup
-                var et, inputEvts = ["click", "keydown", "keyup"];
+                // ensure we listen to click, focus and keyup
+                var et, inputEvts = ["click","focus","input","keyup"];
                 for (var idx in inputEvts) {
                     et = inputEvts[idx];
                     if (!evts[et]) {
@@ -204,15 +206,32 @@ var EltNode = klass({
 
         // if the element is an input tag we synchronize the value
         if (this.isInput && this.inputModelExpIdx) {
+            this.preventRefresh=false;
             var exp = this.eh.getExpr(this.inputModelExpIdx);
             if (exp.setValue) {
-                var v = this.node.value, tp = this.node.type;
-                if (tp === "checkbox") {
-                    v = this.node.checked;
+                if (et==="keydown") {
+                    // value is updated on keyup - so we must no refresh the field if the model
+                    // is updated during keydown, otherwise the value is lost
+                    this.preventRefresh=true;
+                } else if (et==="input" || et==="keyup" || et==="click" || et==="focus") {
+                    // push the field value to the data model
+                    // note: when the input event is properly implemented we don't need to listen to keyup
+                    // but IE8 and IE9 don't implement it completely - thus the need for keyup
+                    var v = this.node.value, tp = this.node.type;
+                    if (tp === "checkbox") {
+                        v = this.node.checked;
+                    }
+
+                    this._lastValue = v; // to avoid refreshing the field and move the cursor
+                    var currentValue=exp.getValue(this.vscope,this.eh);
+                    //log("[EltNode] handleEvent("+et+"): previous model value:["+currentValue+"] new value (from input):["+v+"]");
+                    // if the value is already set no need to set it again and force a resync
+                    if (v!==currentValue) {
+                        exp.setValue(this.vscope, v);
+                        // force refresh to resync other fields linked to the same data immediately
+                        hsp.refresh();
+                    }
                 }
-                this._lastValue = v; // to avoid refreshing the field and move the cursor
-                exp.setValue(this.vscope, v);
-                hsp.refresh(); // to force synchronous change
             }
         }
 
@@ -320,12 +339,17 @@ var EltNode = klass({
                 }
             } else {
                 if (this._lastValue !== v1) {
-                    nd.value = v1;
+                    // value change has not been triggered by typing in this field
+
+                    if (!this.preventRefresh && v1!=nd.value) {
+                        //only update if value is changing and if we are not between 'onkeydown' and 'onkeyup'
+                        //log("[EltNode] Node value update: current value:["+nd.value+"] new value:["+v1+"]");
+                        nd.value = v1;
+                    }
                 }
                 this._lastValue = null;
             }
         }
-
     }
 
 });
diff --git a/hsp/rt/exphandler.js b/hsp/rt/exphandler.js
index 09ec505..c958013 100644
--- a/hsp/rt/exphandler.js
+++ b/hsp/rt/exphandler.js
@@ -213,11 +213,17 @@ var DataRefExpr = klass({
             if (ppl < 1) {
                 return; // this case should not occur
             }
-            for (var i = 0; ppl - 1 > i; i++) {
-                v = v[this.path[i]];
-                if (v === undefined) {
-                    goahead = false;
-                    break;
+            if (ppl===1) {
+                if (!this.isLiteral) {
+                    v=ExpHandler.getScopeOwner(this.path[0], vscope);
+                }
+            } else {
+                for (var i = 0; ppl - 1 > i; i++) {
+                    v = v[this.path[i]];
+                    if (v === undefined) {
+                        goahead = false;
+                        break;
+                    }
                 }
             }
             if (goahead) {
diff --git a/public/samples/inputsample/description.md b/public/samples/inputsample/description.md
index f00ae50..e20bac3 100644
--- a/public/samples/inputsample/description.md
+++ b/public/samples/inputsample/description.md
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 
-Hashspace automatically listens to the main change events of its input elements (*click*, *keypress* and *keyup*) in order to transparently synchronize the input values with the data referenced through the value expression.
+Hashspace automatically listens to the main change events of its input elements (*click*, *focus* and *keyup*) in order to transparently synchronize the input values with the data referenced through the value expression.
 
 The following example shows the same value referenced by two several text fields and a read-only span:
 
 [#output]
 
-For the time being, only simple path expressions are supported to reference input values in a bi-directional way.
-
 You can note that *radio* inputs have to use a **model** attribute in order to be bind their selection to the data-model. All radio buttons referencing the same model property will automatically belong the same group - and they don't need to have the same *name* attribute as in classical HTML forms.
 
 For the sake of consistency the **model** attribute can also be used on all input types, even if the *value* attribute can be used as well, as shown in the previous example.
+
+**Note:** When users type in an input field, **hashspace synchronizes the data model on the keyup event**. As a consequence, applications that need to validate (and potentially change) user inputs should listen to this **keyup** event, and not to the *keydown* event as text fields are not updated yet at this stage.
diff --git a/public/test/rt/input.spec.hsp b/public/test/rt/input.spec.hsp
index 48dfb02..4ffb691 100644
--- a/public/test/rt/input.spec.hsp
+++ b/public/test/rt/input.spec.hsp
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ describe("Input Elements", function () {
         expect(input2.node.value).to.equal(v2);
 
         // change the value from input1 (value attribute)
-        var v3 = "bar";
+        var v3 = "bar2";
         input1.node.value = v3;
-        fireEvent("click",input1.node); // to simulate change
+        fireEvent("keyup",input1.node); // to simulate change
         expect(input1.node.value).to.equal(v3);
         expect(input2.node.value).to.equal(v3);
         expect(d.comment).to.equal(v3);
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ describe("Input Elements", function () {
         // change the value from input2 (model attribute)
         var v4 = "blah";
         input2.node.value = v4;
-        fireEvent("click",input2.node); // to simulate change
+        fireEvent("keyup",input2.node); // to simulate change
         expect(input1.node.value).to.equal(v4);
         expect(input2.node.value).to.equal(v4);
         expect(d.comment).to.equal(v4);
diff --git a/public/test/rt/subtemplates1.spec.hsp b/public/test/rt/subtemplates1.spec.hsp
index bc73ea6..12e01b7 100644
--- a/public/test/rt/subtemplates1.spec.hsp
+++ b/public/test/rt/subtemplates1.spec.hsp
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ describe("Sub-template insertion", function () {
         expect(input.value).to.equal("some text");
 
         input.value = "foo";
-        fireEvent("keydown",input); // triggers change propagation
+        fireEvent("keyup",input); // triggers change propagation
 
         // change must have been propagated to parent scope
         expect(dm.text).to.equal("foo");
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ describe("Sub-template insertion", function () {
         expect(input.value).to.equal("some text");
 
         input.value = "bar";
-        fireEvent("keydown",input);
+        fireEvent("keyup",input);
 
         // change must have been propagated to parent scope
         expect(dm.attributes.value).to.equal("bar");
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ describe("Sub-template insertion", function () {
         expect(input.value).to.equal("new text");
 
         input.value = "bar";
-        fireEvent("keydown",input);
+        fireEvent("keyup",input);
         expect(dm.value).to.equal("bar");
 
         n.$dispose();