diff --git a/tests/unit/tabs/tabs.html b/tests/unit/tabs/tabs.html
index 3a55f3b791..e6c9547276 100644
--- a/tests/unit/tabs/tabs.html
+++ b/tests/unit/tabs/tabs.html
@@ -145,6 +145,14 @@
 	</div>
 </div>
 
+<div id="tabs9">
+	<ul>
+		<li>not a tab</li>
+		<li><a href="#tabs9-1">tab</a></li>
+	</ul>
+	<div id="tabs9-1"></div>
+</div>
+
 </div>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/tests/unit/tabs/tabs_core.js b/tests/unit/tabs/tabs_core.js
index 53dd50a98c..5dbe1d6b12 100644
--- a/tests/unit/tabs/tabs_core.js
+++ b/tests/unit/tabs/tabs_core.js
@@ -44,6 +44,15 @@ test( "disconnected from DOM", function() {
 	equal( element.find( ".ui-tabs-panel" ).length, 3, "should initialize panels" );
 });
 
+test( "non-tab list items", function() {
+	expect( 2 );
+
+	var element = $( "#tabs9" ).tabs();
+	equal( element.tabs( "option", "active" ), 0, "defaults to first tab" );
+	equal( element.find( ".ui-tabs-nav li.ui-state-active" ).index(), 1,
+		"first actual tab is active" );
+});
+
 test( "aria-controls", function() {
 	expect( 7 );
 	var element = $( "#tabs1" ).tabs(),
diff --git a/tests/unit/tabs/tabs_deprecated.html b/tests/unit/tabs/tabs_deprecated.html
index bb40883508..9d3ecef3a9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/tabs/tabs_deprecated.html
+++ b/tests/unit/tabs/tabs_deprecated.html
@@ -144,6 +144,14 @@
 	</div>
 </div>
 
+<div id="tabs9">
+	<ul>
+		<li>not a tab</li>
+		<li><a href="#tabs9-1">tab</a></li>
+	</ul>
+	<div id="tabs9-1"></div>
+</div>
+
 </div>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.tabs.js b/ui/jquery.ui.tabs.js
index 7631366d61..60377ad13d 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.tabs.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.tabs.js
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.tabs", {
 
 		// handle numbers: negative, out of range
 		if ( active !== false ) {
-			active = this.tabs.eq( active ).index();
+			active = this.tabs.index( this.tabs.eq( active ) );
 			if ( active === -1 ) {
 				active = options.collapsible ? false : 0;
 			}