diff --git a/src/Node.js b/src/Node.js
index 0d5b333a..d679a1a2 100644
--- a/src/Node.js
+++ b/src/Node.js
@@ -572,24 +572,22 @@
             }
         },
         /**
-         * simulate event with event bubbling
-         * @name simulate
-         * @methodOf Kinetic.Node.prototype
-         * @param {String} eventType
-         * @param {EventObject} evt event object
-         */
-        simulate: function(eventType, evt) {
-            this._handleEvent(eventType, evt || {});
-        },
-        /**
-         * synthetically fire an event. The event object will not bubble up the Node tree. You can also pass in custom properties
+         * fire event
          * @name fire
          * @methodOf Kinetic.Node.prototype
-         * @param {String} eventType
-         * @param {Object} obj optional object which can be used to pass parameters
+         * @param {String} eventType event type.  can be a regular event, like click, mouseover, or mouseout, or it can be a custom event, like myCustomEvent
+         * @param {EventObject} evt event object
+         * @param {Boolean} preventBubble setting the value to false, or leaving it undefined, will result in the event bubbling.  Setting the value to true will result in the event not bubbling.
          */
-        fire: function(eventType, obj) {
-            this._executeHandlers(eventType, obj || {});
+        fire: function(eventType, evt, preventBubble) {
+            // no bubble
+            if (preventBubble) {
+                this._executeHandlers(eventType, evt || {});
+            }
+            // bubble
+            else {
+                this._handleEvent(eventType, evt || {});
+            }
         },
         /**
          * get absolute transform of the node which takes into
@@ -889,9 +887,7 @@
             }
 
             if(okayToRun) {
-                if(el[eventType]) {
-                    this.fire(eventType, evt);
-                }
+                this._executeHandlers(eventType, evt);
 
                 // simulate event bubbling
                 if(evt && !evt.cancelBubble && this.parent) {
@@ -905,10 +901,14 @@
             }
         },
         _executeHandlers: function(eventType, evt) {
-            var events = this.eventListeners[eventType];
-            var len = events.length;
-            for(var i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-                events[i].handler.apply(this, [evt]);
+            var events = this.eventListeners[eventType],
+                len, i;
+                
+            if (events) {
+                len = events.length;
+                for(i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+                    events[i].handler.apply(this, [evt]);
+                }
             }
         }
     };
diff --git a/tests/js/unit/containerTests.js b/tests/js/unit/containerTests.js
index 6ea424b2..9f66a115 100644
--- a/tests/js/unit/containerTests.js
+++ b/tests/js/unit/containerTests.js
@@ -247,9 +247,9 @@ Test.Modules.CONTAINER = {
         shapes.on('mouseover', function() {
             a++;
         });
-        circle.simulate('mouseover');
+        circle.fire('mouseover');
         test(a === 1, 'listener should have fired for circle');
-        rect.simulate('mouseover');
+        rect.fire('mouseover');
         test(a === 2, 'listener should have fired for rect');
     },
     'test ids and names hashes': function(containerId) {
diff --git a/tests/js/unit/nodeTests.js b/tests/js/unit/nodeTests.js
index 12145132..9e48d9eb 100644
--- a/tests/js/unit/nodeTests.js
+++ b/tests/js/unit/nodeTests.js
@@ -253,9 +253,9 @@ Test.Modules.NODE = {
 
         // test user event binding cloning
         test(clicks.length === 0, 'no clicks should have been triggered yet');
-        rect.simulate('click');
+        rect.fire('click');
         test(clicks.toString() === 'myRect', 'only myRect should have been clicked on');
-        clone.simulate('click');
+        clone.fire('click');
         test(clicks.toString() === 'myRect,rectClone', 'click order should be myRect followed by rectClone');
     },
     'clone a group': function(containerId) {
@@ -351,16 +351,16 @@ Test.Modules.NODE = {
 
         // test user event binding cloning
         test(clicks.length === 0, 'no clicks should have been triggered yet');
-        group.simulate('click');
+        group.fire('click');
         test(clicks.toString() === 'myGroup', 'only myGroup should have been clicked on');
-        clone.simulate('click');
+        clone.fire('click');
         test(clicks.toString() === 'myGroup,groupClone', 'click order should be myGroup followed by groupClone');
 
         // test user event binding cloning on children
         test(taps.length === 0, 'no taps should have been triggered yet');
-        group.get('.myRect')[0].simulate('tap');
+        group.get('.myRect')[0].fire('tap');
         test(taps.toString() === 'group rect', 'only group rect should have been tapped on');
-        clone.get('.myRect')[0].simulate('tap');
+        clone.get('.myRect')[0].fire('tap');
         test(taps.toString() === 'group rect,clone rect', 'tap order should be group rect followed by clone rect');
 
         stage.draw();
@@ -1547,7 +1547,7 @@ Test.Modules.NODE = {
         stage.setListening(false);
         test(!rect.isListening(), 'rect should not be listening because stage is not listening');
     },
-    'test simulate and fire event': function(containerId) {
+    'test fire event': function(containerId) {
         var stage = new Kinetic.Stage({
             container: containerId,
             width: 578,
@@ -1587,15 +1587,17 @@ Test.Modules.NODE = {
         layer.on('click', function() {
             clicks.push('layer');
         });
-        // simulated event
-        circle.simulate('click');
+        // fire event with bubbling
+        circle.fire('click');
+        
+        //console.log(clicks);
 
-        test(clicks.toString() == 'circle,layer', 'problem with simulate');
+        test(clicks.toString() == 'circle,layer', 'problem with fire 1');
 
         // synthetic event
-        circle.fire('click');
+        circle.fire('click', null, true);
 
-        test(clicks.toString() == 'circle,layer,circle', 'problem with fire');
+        test(clicks.toString() == 'circle,layer,circle', 'problem with fire 2');
 
         // test custom event
         circle.fire('customEvent', {
@@ -1603,6 +1605,9 @@ Test.Modules.NODE = {
         });
 
         test(foo === 'bar', 'problem with customEvent param passing');
+        
+        // test fireing custom event that doesn't exist.  script should not fail
+        circle.fire('kaboom');
 
     },
     'add remove event': function(containerId) {
@@ -1716,7 +1721,7 @@ Test.Modules.NODE = {
             clicks.push('layer');
         });
 
-        circle.simulate('click');
+        circle.fire('click');
 
         test(clicks[0] === 'circle', 'circle event should be fired first');
         test(clicks[1] === 'layer', 'layer event should be fired second');