diff --git a/ui.sortable.js b/ui.sortable.js
index 9288a57..c93fcb7 100644
--- a/ui.sortable.js
+++ b/ui.sortable.js
@@ -76,10 +76,10 @@
 				if(this.disabled || this.options.type == 'static') return false;
 
 				//Find out if the clicked node (or one of its parents) is a actual item in this.items
-				var currentItem = null, nodes = $(e.target).parents().andSelf().each(function() {
-					if($.data(this, 'ui-sortable-item')) currentItem = $(this);
-				});
-				if(currentItem && (!this.options.handle || $(e.target).parents().andSelf().is(this.options.handle))) {
+				var currentItem = $(e.target).add($(e.target).parents()).filter(function() {
+					return $.data(this, 'ui-sortable-item');
+				}).slice(0,1);
+				if(currentItem.length && (!this.options.handle || $(e.target).parents().andSelf().is(this.options.handle))) {
 					this.currentItem = currentItem;
 					return true;
 				} else return false; 
@@ -447,4 +447,4 @@
 		}
 	});
 
-})(jQuery);
\ No newline at end of file
+})(jQuery);