diff --git a/backbone.js b/backbone.js
index b5bfe01e..bec4de00 100644
--- a/backbone.js
+++ b/backbone.js
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@
   };
 
   // Cached regex for cleaning hashes.
-  var hashStrip = /^#*/;
+  var hashStrip = /^#*!?/;
 
   // Cached regex for detecting MSIE.
   var isExplorer = /msie [\w.]+/;
diff --git a/test/controller.js b/test/controller.js
index 1ad3c6c6..2c02953a 100644
--- a/test/controller.js
+++ b/test/controller.js
@@ -106,4 +106,13 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
     }, 10);
   });
 
+  asyncTest("Controller: routes (hashbang)", 2, function() {
+    window.location.hash = '!search/news';
+    setTimeout(function() {
+      equals(controller.query, 'news');
+      equals(controller.page, undefined);
+      start();
+    }, 10);
+  });
+
 });