diff --git a/demos/accordion/collapsible.html b/demos/accordion/collapsible.html
index 89d78e1cf5..a4e3a31aed 100644
--- a/demos/accordion/collapsible.html
+++ b/demos/accordion/collapsible.html
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 	<script type="text/javascript">
 	$(function() {
 		$("#accordion").accordion({
-			header: "h3",
 			alwaysOpen: false
 		});
 	});
diff --git a/demos/accordion/custom-icons.html b/demos/accordion/custom-icons.html
index 4dae8bb84a..257cf298f6 100644
--- a/demos/accordion/custom-icons.html
+++ b/demos/accordion/custom-icons.html
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 	<script type="text/javascript">
 	$(function() {
 		$("#accordion").accordion({
-			header: "h3",
 			icons: {
     			header: "ui-icon-circle-arrow-e",
    				headerSelected: "ui-icon-circle-arrow-s"
diff --git a/demos/accordion/default.html b/demos/accordion/default.html
index 37353ffa5d..5f1dad2817 100644
--- a/demos/accordion/default.html
+++ b/demos/accordion/default.html
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@
 	<link type="text/css" href="../demos.css" rel="stylesheet" />
 	<script type="text/javascript">
 	$(function() {
-		$("#accordion").accordion({
-			header: "h3"
-		});
+		$("#accordion").accordion();
 	});
 	</script>
 </head>
diff --git a/demos/accordion/fillspace.html b/demos/accordion/fillspace.html
index 0a2f8ae166..c7c055606a 100644
--- a/demos/accordion/fillspace.html
+++ b/demos/accordion/fillspace.html
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 	<script type="text/javascript">
 	$(function() {
 		$("#accordion").accordion({
-			header: "h3",
 			fillSpace: true
 		});
 	});
diff --git a/demos/accordion/mouseover.html b/demos/accordion/mouseover.html
index ecf63f8214..f6fd1394ba 100644
--- a/demos/accordion/mouseover.html
+++ b/demos/accordion/mouseover.html
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@
 	<script type="text/javascript">
 	$(function() {
 		$("#accordion").accordion({
-			event: "mouseover",
-			header: "h3"
+			event: "mouseover"
 		});
 	});
 	</script>
diff --git a/ui/ui.accordion.js b/ui/ui.accordion.js
index 59ae6910a4..0ecbfeb24a 100644
--- a/ui/ui.accordion.js
+++ b/ui/ui.accordion.js
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ $.extend($.ui.accordion, {
 		clearStyle: false,
 		event: "click",
 		fillSpace: false,
-		header: "a",
+		header: "> li :first,> :not(li):odd",
 		icons: {
 			header: "ui-icon-triangle-1-e",
 			headerSelected: "ui-icon-triangle-1-s"