diff --git a/src/reactfire.js b/src/reactfire.js
index 9bb1b9c..cc9314e 100644
--- a/src/reactfire.js
+++ b/src/reactfire.js
@@ -120,12 +120,19 @@ var ReactFireMixin = {
     var out = [];
     if (obj) {
       if (this._isArray(obj)) {
-        out = obj;
+        for (var i=0; i < obj.length; i++) {
+          out.push({ $id: i, $value: obj[i] });
+        }
       }
       else if (typeof(obj) === "object") {
         for (var key in obj) {
           if (obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
-            out.push(obj[key]);
+            var item = obj[key];
+            if (typeof(item) !== "object") {
+              item = { $value: item };
+            }
+            item.$id = key;
+            out.push(item);
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/tests/specs/reactfire.spec.js b/tests/specs/reactfire.spec.js
index 0066f02..ebc85e7 100644
--- a/tests/specs/reactfire.spec.js
+++ b/tests/specs/reactfire.spec.js
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ describe("ReactFireMixin Tests:", function() {
         },
 
         componentDidUpdate: function(prevProps, prevState) {
-          expect(this.state).toEqual({ items: [1, 2, 3] });
+          expect(this.state).toEqual({ items: [{ $id: "a", $value: 1 }, { $id: "b", $value: 2 }, { $id: "c", $value: 3 }] });
           done();
         },
 
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ describe("ReactFireMixin Tests:", function() {
         },
 
         componentDidUpdate: function(prevProps, prevState) {
-          expect(this.state).toEqual({ items: [2, 3] });
+          expect(this.state).toEqual({ items: [{ $id: "b", $value: 2 }, { $id: "c", $value: 3 }] });
           done();
         },
 
@@ -145,6 +145,48 @@ describe("ReactFireMixin Tests:", function() {
 
       React.render(new TestComponent(), document.body);
     });
+
+    it("bindAsArray() makes $id available on array items when they are objects", function(done) {
+      var TestComponent = React.createClass({
+        mixins: [ReactFireMixin],
+        componentWillMount: function() {
+          this.bindAsArray(firebaseRef, "items");
+        },
+        componentDidMount: function() {
+          firebaseRef.set({ first: { index: 1 }, second: { index: 2 }, third: { index: 3 } });
+        },
+        componentDidUpdate: function(prevProps, prevState) {
+          expect(this.state.items.map(function(item) { return item.$id; })).toEqual(["first", "second", "third"]);
+          done();
+        },
+        render: function() {
+          return React.DOM.div(null, "Testing");
+        }
+      });
+      React.render(new TestComponent(), document.body);
+    })
+
+    it("bindAsArray() makes $id available on array items when they are primitives", function(done) {
+      var TestComponent = React.createClass({
+        mixins: [ReactFireMixin],
+        componentWillMount: function() {
+          this.bindAsArray(firebaseRef, "items");
+        },
+        componentDidMount: function() {
+          firebaseRef.set(["first", "second", "third"]);
+        },
+        componentDidUpdate: function(prevProps, prevState) {
+          console.log(JSON.stringify(this.state));
+          expect(this.state.items.map(function(item) { return item.$id; })).toEqual([0, 1, 2]);
+          expect(this.state.items.map(function(item) { return item.$value; })).toEqual(["first", "second", "third"]);
+          done();
+        },
+        render: function() {
+          return React.DOM.div(null, "Testing");
+        }
+      });
+      React.render(new TestComponent(), document.body);
+    })
   });
 
   describe("bindAsObject():", function() {