diff --git a/tests/unit/draggable/draggable.html b/tests/unit/draggable/draggable.html
index 6380f3e85b..3d1d3326e0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/draggable/draggable.html
+++ b/tests/unit/draggable/draggable.html
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 <div id="qunit-fixture">
 	<div id="main"></div>
 	<div id="draggable1" style="background: green; width: 200px; height: 100px;">Relative</div>
-	<div id="draggable2" style="background: green; width: 200px; height: 100px; position: absolute; top: 10px; left: 10px;"><span>Absolute</span></div>
+	<div id="draggable2" style="background: green; width: 200px; height: 100px; position: absolute; top: 10px; left: 10px;"><span><em>Absolute</em></span></div>
 	<div id="droppable" style="background: green; width: 200px; height: 100px; position: absolute; top: 110px; left: 110px;"><span>Absolute</span></div>
 	<div style="width: 1px; height: 1000px;"></div>
 	<div style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 2000px;"></div>
diff --git a/tests/unit/draggable/draggable_options.js b/tests/unit/draggable/draggable_options.js
index 2e9f85c242..a71bf57cbd 100644
--- a/tests/unit/draggable/draggable_options.js
+++ b/tests/unit/draggable/draggable_options.js
@@ -603,39 +603,15 @@ test( "grid, switching after initialization", function() {
 });
 
 test( "{ handle: 'span' }", function() {
-	expect( 2 );
+	expect( 3 );
 
 	var element = $( "#draggable2" ).draggable({ handle: "span" });
 
 	TestHelpers.draggable.testDrag( element, "#draggable2 span", 50, 50, 50, 50, "drag span" );
+	TestHelpers.draggable.testDrag( element, "#draggable2 span em", 50, 50, 50, 50, "drag span child" );
 	TestHelpers.draggable.shouldNotMove( element, "drag element" );
 });
 
-/*
-test( "{ handle: Selectors }, matching parent selector", function() {
-
-	expect( 4 );
-
-	var element = $( "#draggable2" ).draggable({ handle: "span a" });
-
-	$( "#qunit-fixture" ).append( "<span id='wrapping'><a></a></span>" );
-
-	element.find( "span" ).append( "<a>" );
-
-	$( "#wrapping a" ).append( element );
-
-	TestHelpers.draggable.testDrag( element, "#draggable2 span a", 50, 50, 50, 50, "drag span child" );
-	TestHelpers.draggable.shouldNotMove( $( "#wrapping a" ) );
-
-	$( "#draggable2" ).draggable( "option", "handle", "span > a" );
-	$( "#draggable2" ).find( "a" ).append( "<a>" );
-
-	TestHelpers.draggable.testDrag( element, $( "#draggable2 span a" ).first(), 50, 50, 50, 50, "drag span child" );
-	TestHelpers.draggable.shouldNotMove( $( "#draggable2 span a" ).last() );
-
-});
-*/
-
 test( "handle, default, switching after initialization", function() {
 	expect( 6 );
 
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.draggable.js b/ui/jquery.ui.draggable.js
index 56b8fc77d8..5762d31717 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.draggable.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.draggable.js
@@ -281,17 +281,9 @@ $.widget("ui.draggable", $.ui.mouse, {
 	},
 
 	_getHandle: function(event) {
-
-		var handle = !this.options.handle || !$(this.options.handle, this.element).length ? true : false;
-
-		this.element.find( this.options.handle ).each(function() {
-			if(this === event.target) {
-				handle = true;
-			}
-		});
-
-		return handle;
-
+		return this.options.handle ?
+			!!$( event.target ).closest( this.element.find( this.options.handle ) ).length :
+			true;
 	},
 
 	_createHelper: function(event) {