diff --git a/ui/core.js b/ui/core.js
index aa1ee0f3dbb..a90df48dacf 100644
--- a/ui/core.js
+++ b/ui/core.js
@@ -116,12 +116,12 @@ $.extend( $.expr[ ":" ], {
 	data: $.expr.createPseudo ?
 		$.expr.createPseudo(function( dataName ) {
 			return function( elem ) {
-				return !!$.data( elem, dataName );
+				return $.hasData( elem ) && !!$.data( elem, dataName );
 			};
 		}) :
 		// support: jQuery <1.8
 		function( elem, i, match ) {
-			return !!$.data( elem, match[ 3 ] );
+			return $.hasData( elem ) && !!$.data( elem, match[ 3 ] );
 		},
 
 	focusable: function( element ) {
diff --git a/ui/widget.js b/ui/widget.js
index edeb7fa6fdd..49d52fe6e4c 100644
--- a/ui/widget.js
+++ b/ui/widget.js
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ $.widget = function( name, base, prototype ) {
 
 	// create selector for plugin
 	$.expr[ ":" ][ fullName.toLowerCase() ] = function( elem ) {
-		return !!$.data( elem, fullName );
+		return $.hasData( elem ) && !!$.data( elem, fullName );
 	};
 
 	$[ namespace ] = $[ namespace ] || {};