diff --git a/core-list.html b/core-list.html
index 5253bed..88742a3 100644
--- a/core-list.html
+++ b/core-list.html
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@
         physicalDatum.index = virtualIndex;
         physicalDatum.physicalIndex = physicalIndex;
         physicalDatum.selected = this.selectionEnabled && virtualDatum ? 
-            this._selectedData.get(virtualDatum) : null;
+            (this._selectedData.get(virtualDatum) || false) : null;
         // Set group-related fields
         if (this._grouped) {
           var groupModel = this.groups[groupIndex];
diff --git a/test/core-list-basic.html b/test/core-list-basic.html
index d97d746..7052976 100755
--- a/test/core-list-basic.html
+++ b/test/core-list-basic.html
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@
         item.templateInstance.model && 
         item.templateInstance.model.index == index,
           'top item index should be ' + index + ' ' + positionDescription);
+      chai.assert(item.templateInstance.model.selected == false,
+          'top item should start out with selected == false');
       chai.assert(item.templateInstance.model.model == list.data[index],
           'top item model should be data[' + index + ']  ' + positionDescription);
       chai.assert(item.querySelector('#index').textContent == index,