diff --git a/src/kibana/apps/discover/controllers/discover.js b/src/kibana/apps/discover/controllers/discover.js
index 4fa334dfd98b..28565f89c214 100644
--- a/src/kibana/apps/discover/controllers/discover.js
+++ b/src/kibana/apps/discover/controllers/discover.js
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ define(function (require) {
   });
 
 
-  app.controller('discover', function ($scope, config, courier, $route, savedSearches, Notifier, $location, AppState, timefilter) {
+  app.controller('discover', function ($scope, config, courier, $route, savedSearches,
+    Notifier, $location, globalState, AppState, timefilter) {
+
     var notify = new Notifier({
       location: 'Discover'
     });
@@ -90,33 +92,23 @@ define(function (require) {
     $scope.time = timefilter.time;
 
     // TODO: Switch this to watching time.string when we implement it
-    $scope.$watchCollection('time', function () {
-      updateDataSource();
-      $scope.fetch();
-    });
+    $scope.$watchCollection('time', _.bindKey($scope, 'fetch'));
 
     // stores the complete list of fields
     $scope.fields = null;
 
     var init = _.once(function () {
       return setFields()
-      .then(updateDataSource)
       .then(function () {
-        // the index to use when they don't specify one
-        $scope.$on('change:config.defaultIndex', function (event, val) {
-          if (!$state.index) $state.index = val;
-        });
+        updateDataSource();
 
-        // changes to state.columns don't require a refresh
-        var ignore = ['columns'];
+        // state fields that shouldn't trigger a fetch when changed
+        var ignoreStateChanges = ['columns'];
 
         // listen for changes, and relisten everytime something happens
         $state.onUpdate(function (changed) {
           // if we only have ignorable changes, do nothing
-          if (_.difference(changed, ignore).length) {
-            updateDataSource();
-            courier.fetch();
-          }
+          if (_.difference(changed, ignoreStateChanges).length) $scope.fetch();
         });
 
         $scope.$watch('state.sort', function (sort) {
@@ -166,18 +158,20 @@ define(function (require) {
     });
 
     $scope.opts.saveDataSource = function () {
+      updateDataSource();
       savedSearch.id = savedSearch.title;
 
       savedSearch.save()
       .then(function () {
         notify.info('Saved Data Source "' + savedSearch.title + '"');
         if (savedSearch.id !== $route.current.params.id) {
-          $location.url('/discover/' + savedSearch.id);
+          $location.url(globalState.writeToUrl('/discover/' + savedSearch.id));
         }
       }, notify.error);
     };
 
     $scope.fetch = function () {
+      updateDataSource();
       $state.commit();
       courier.fetch();
     };
@@ -241,19 +235,22 @@ define(function (require) {
 
       if (!!$scope.opts.timefield) {
         timefilter.enabled(true);
+
         chartOptions = interval.calculate(timefilter.time.from, timefilter.time.to, 100);
+        var bounds = timefilter.getBounds();
 
         searchSource
         .aggs({
           events: {
             date_histogram: {
-              field: $scope.opts.timefield,
               interval: chartOptions.interval + 'ms',
               format: chartOptions.format,
               min_doc_count: 0,
+
+              field: $scope.opts.timefield,
               extended_bounds: {
-                min: datemath.parse(timefilter.time.from).valueOf(),
-                max: datemath.parse(timefilter.time.to, true).valueOf()
+                min: bounds.min,
+                max: bounds.max
               }
             }
           }
@@ -362,7 +359,7 @@ define(function (require) {
         return;
       }
 
-      $state.commit();
+      $scope.fetch();
     }
 
     // TODO: Move to utility class
diff --git a/src/kibana/apps/visualize/controllers/editor.js b/src/kibana/apps/visualize/controllers/editor.js
index aadb639fae82..130eb2384c72 100644
--- a/src/kibana/apps/visualize/controllers/editor.js
+++ b/src/kibana/apps/visualize/controllers/editor.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ define(function (require) {
     var writeStateAndFetch = function () {
       updateDataSource();
       _.assign($state, vis.getState());
-      var changes = $state.commit();
+      $state.commit();
       vis.searchSource.fetch();
     };
 
diff --git a/src/kibana/components/state_management/_state_sync.js b/src/kibana/components/state_management/_state_sync.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..62955b5f06db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kibana/components/state_management/_state_sync.js
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+define(function (require) {
+
+  var angular = require('angular');
+  var _ = require('lodash');
+
+  // invokable/private angular dep
+  return function ($location) {
+    // feed in some of the private state from globalState
+    return function (globalState, updateListeners, app) {
+      var getAppStash = function (search) {
+        var appStash = search._a && rison.decode(search._a);
+        if (app.current) {
+          appStash = _.defaults(appStash || {}, app.defaults);
+        }
+        return appStash;
+      };
+
+      var diffTrans = function (trans) {
+        var obj = trans[0];
+        var update = trans[1];
+
+        var diff = {};
+
+        // the keys that are currently set on obj, excluding methods
+        var objKeys = Object.keys(obj).filter(function (key) {
+          return typeof obj[key] !== 'function';
+        });
+
+        if (update) {
+          // the keys obj should have after applying the update
+          var updateKeys = diff.keys = Object.keys(update).filter(function (key) {
+            return typeof update[key] !== 'function';
+          });
+
+          // the keys that will be removed
+          diff.remove = _.difference(objKeys, updateKeys);
+
+          // list of keys that will be added or changed
+          diff.change = updateKeys.filter(function (key) {
+            return !angular.equals(obj[key], update[key]);
+          });
+        } else {
+          diff.keys = objKeys.slice(0);
+          diff.remove = [];
+          diff.change = [];
+        }
+
+        // single list of all keys that are effected
+        diff.all = [].concat(diff.remove, diff.change);
+
+        return diff;
+      };
+
+      var notify = function (trans, diff) {
+        var listeners = null;
+
+        if (trans[0] === app.current) {
+          listeners = app.listeners;
+        } else if (trans[0] === globalState) {
+          listeners = updateListeners;
+        }
+
+        listeners && listeners.splice(0).forEach(function (defer) {
+          defer.resolve(diff.all.slice(0));
+        });
+      };
+
+      var applyDiff = function (trans, diff) {
+        if (!diff.all.length) return;
+
+        var obj = trans[0];
+        var update = trans[1];
+
+        diff.remove.forEach(function (key) {
+          delete obj[key];
+        });
+
+        diff.change.forEach(function (key) {
+          obj[key] = update[key];
+        });
+      };
+
+      var syncTrans = function (trans, forceNotify) {
+        // obj that will be modified by update(trans[1])
+        // if it is empty, we can skip it all
+        var skipWrite = !trans[0];
+        trans[0] = trans[0] || {};
+
+        var diff = diffTrans(trans);
+        if (!skipWrite && (forceNotify || diff.all.length)) {
+          applyDiff(trans, diff);
+          notify(trans, diff);
+        }
+        return diff;
+      };
+
+      return {
+        // sync by pushing to the url
+        push: function (forceNotify) {
+          var search = $location.search();
+
+          var appStash = getAppStash(search) || {};
+          var globalStash = search._g ? rison.decode(search._g) : {};
+
+          var res = _.mapValues({
+            app: [appStash, app.current],
+            global: [globalStash, globalState]
+          }, function (trans, key) {
+            var diff = syncTrans(trans, forceNotify);
+            var urlKey = '_' + key.charAt(0);
+            if (diff.keys.length === 0) {
+              delete search[urlKey];
+            } else {
+              search[urlKey] = rison.encode(trans[0]);
+            }
+            return diff;
+          });
+
+          $location.search(search);
+          return res;
+        },
+        // sync by pulling from the url
+        pull: function (forceNotify) {
+          var search = $location.search();
+
+          var appStash = getAppStash(search);
+          var globalStash = search._g && rison.decode(search._g);
+
+          return _.mapValues({
+            app: [app.current, appStash],
+            global: [globalState, globalStash]
+          }, function (trans) {
+            return syncTrans(trans, forceNotify);
+          });
+        }
+      };
+    };
+  };
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/kibana/components/state_management/app_state.js b/src/kibana/components/state_management/app_state.js
index 993c28d8ebe7..e6e8329cc9e9 100644
--- a/src/kibana/components/state_management/app_state.js
+++ b/src/kibana/components/state_management/app_state.js
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ define(function (require) {
   module.factory('AppState', function (globalState, $route, $location, Promise) {
 
     function AppState(defaults) {
-      _.assign(this, defaults);
-      globalState._setApp(this);
+      globalState._setApp(this, defaults);
 
       this.onUpdate = function (handler) {
         return globalState.onAppUpdate(handler);
diff --git a/src/kibana/components/state_management/global_state.js b/src/kibana/components/state_management/global_state.js
index a409bbf235ad..3dc3a40f8b67 100644
--- a/src/kibana/components/state_management/global_state.js
+++ b/src/kibana/components/state_management/global_state.js
@@ -1,14 +1,18 @@
 define(function (require) {
   var _ = require('lodash');
   var angular = require('angular');
+  var qs = require('utils/query_string');
+
 
   var module = require('modules').get('kibana/global_state');
 
-  module.service('globalState', function ($rootScope, $location, $route, $injector, Promise) {
+  module.service('globalState', function ($rootScope, $route, $injector, Promise) {
     var globalState = this;
 
-    // store the current app and it's metadata here
-    var app, appMeta;
+    var setupSync = $injector.invoke(require('./_state_sync'));
+
+    // store app related stuff in here
+    var app = {};
 
     // resolve all of these when a global update is detected coming in from the url
     var updateListeners = [];
@@ -16,147 +20,29 @@ define(function (require) {
     // resolve all of these when ANY global update is detected coming in from the url
     var anyUpdateListeners = [];
 
-    globalState._setApp = function (newApp) {
-      app = newApp;
-      appMeta = {
-        name: $route.current.$$route.originalPath,
-        listeners: []
-      };
+    globalState._setApp = function (newAppState, defaults) {
+      app.current = newAppState;
+      app.defaults = defaults;
+      app.name = $route.current.$$route.originalPath;
+      app.listeners = [];
 
       sync.pull();
     };
 
-    var sync = (function () {
-      var diffTrans = function (trans) {
-        var obj = trans[0];
-        var update = trans[1];
-
-        var diff = {};
-
-        // the keys that are currently set on obj, excluding methods
-        var objKeys = Object.keys(obj).filter(function (key) {
-          return typeof obj[key] !== 'function';
-        });
-
-        if (update) {
-          // the keys obj should have after applying the update
-          var updateKeys = diff.keys = Object.keys(update).filter(function (key) {
-            return typeof update[key] !== 'function';
-          });
-
-          // the keys that will be removed
-          diff.remove = _.difference(objKeys, updateKeys);
-
-          // list of keys that will be added or changed
-          diff.change = updateKeys.filter(function (key) {
-            return !angular.equals(obj[key], update[key]);
-          });
-        } else {
-          diff.keys = objKeys.slice(0);
-          diff.remove = [];
-          diff.change = [];
-        }
-
-        // single list of all keys that are effected
-        diff.all = [].concat(diff.remove, diff.change);
-
-        return diff;
-      };
-
-      var notify = function (trans, diff) {
-        var listeners = null;
-
-        if (trans[0] === app) {
-          listeners = appMeta.listeners;
-        } else if (trans[0] === globalState) {
-          listeners = updateListeners;
-        } else if (trans[1] === globalState) {
-          // if the update is coming from the globalState, only onAnyUpdate listeners will be notified
-          listeners = anyUpdateListeners;
-        }
-
-        listeners && listeners.splice(0).forEach(function (defer) {
-          defer.resolve(diff.all.slice(0));
-        });
-      };
-
-      var applyDiff = function (trans, diff) {
-        if (!diff.all.length) return;
-
-        var obj = trans[0];
-        var update = trans[1];
-
-        diff.remove.forEach(function (key) {
-          delete obj[key];
-        });
-
-        diff.change.forEach(function (key) {
-          obj[key] = update[key];
-        });
-      };
-
-      var syncTrans = function (trans, forceNotify) {
-        trans[0] = trans[0] || {}; // obj that will be modified by update(trans[1])
-
-        var diff = diffTrans(trans);
-        if (forceNotify || diff.all.length) {
-          applyDiff(trans, diff);
-          notify(trans, diff);
-        }
-        return diff;
-      };
-
-      return {
-        // sync by pushing to the url
-        push: function (forceNotify) {
-          var qs = $location.search();
-
-          var res = _.mapValues({
-            app: [
-              qs._a ? rison.decode(qs._a) : {},
-              app
-            ],
-            global: [
-              qs._g ? rison.decode(qs._g) : {},
-              globalState
-            ]
-          }, function (trans, key) {
-            var diff = syncTrans(trans, forceNotify);
-            var urlKey = '_' + key.charAt(0);
-            if (diff.keys.length === 0) {
-              delete qs[urlKey];
-            } else {
-              qs[urlKey] = rison.encode(trans[0]);
-            }
-            return diff;
-          });
-
-          $location.search(qs);
-          return res;
-        },
-        // sync by pulling from the url
-        pull: function (forceNotify) {
-          var qs = $location.search();
-
-          var appStash = qs._a && rison.decode(qs._a);
-          var globalStash = qs._g && rison.decode(qs._g);
-
-          return _.mapValues({
-            app: [app, appStash],
-            global: [globalState, globalStash]
-          }, function (trans) {
-            return syncTrans(trans, forceNotify);
-          });
-        }
-      };
-    }());
-
-    var unwatch = [
-      //                     force the event arg out of the way \/
-      $rootScope.$on('$locationChangeSuccess', sync.pull.bind(null, null)),
-      //                     force the event arg out of the way \/
-      $rootScope.$on('$locationUpdate', sync.pull.bind(null, null))
-    ];
+    globalState.writeToUrl = function (url) {
+      return qs.replaceParamInUrl(url, '_g', rison.encode(globalState));
+    };
+
+    // exposes sync.pull and sync.push
+    var sync = setupSync(globalState, updateListeners, app);
+
+    $rootScope.$on('$locationChangeSuccess', function () {
+      sync.pull();
+    });
+
+    $rootScope.$on('$locationUpdate', function () {
+      sync.pull();
+    });
 
     globalState.onUpdate = function (handler) {
       return new Promise.emitter(function (resolve, reject, defer) {
@@ -164,15 +50,9 @@ define(function (require) {
       }, handler);
     };
 
-    globalState.onAnyUpdate = function (handler) {
-      return new Promise.emitter(function (resolve, reject, defer) {
-        anyUpdateListeners.push(defer);
-      }, handler);
-    };
-
     globalState.onAppUpdate = function (handler) {
       return new Promise.emitter(function (resolve, reject, defer) {
-        appMeta.listeners.push(defer);
+        app.listeners.push(defer);
       }, handler);
     };
 
@@ -183,7 +63,7 @@ define(function (require) {
       return sync.push(true);
     };
 
-    // set the on globalState
+    // pull in the default globalState
     sync.pull();
   });
 
diff --git a/src/kibana/controllers/kibana.js b/src/kibana/controllers/kibana.js
index d76063be2035..7294968ed4b8 100644
--- a/src/kibana/controllers/kibana.js
+++ b/src/kibana/controllers/kibana.js
@@ -96,14 +96,7 @@ define(function (require) {
             var url = lastPathFor(app);
             if (!url || url === currentUrl) return;
 
-            var loc = qs.findInUrl(url);
-            var parsed = qs.decode(url.substring(loc.start + 1, loc.end));
-            parsed._g = _g;
-
-            var chars = url.split('');
-            chars.splice(loc.start, loc.end - loc.start, '?' + qs.encode(parsed));
-
-            lastPathFor(app, chars.join(''));
+            lastPathFor(app, qs.replaceParamInUrl(url, '_g', _g));
           });
         };
 
@@ -115,10 +108,6 @@ define(function (require) {
           writeGlobalStateToLastPaths();
         });
 
-        globalState.onUpdate(function readFromGlobalState() {
-          _.assign(timefilter.time, globalState.time);
-        });
-
         $scope.$on('application.load', function () {
           courier.start();
         });
diff --git a/src/kibana/services/timefilter.js b/src/kibana/services/timefilter.js
index 9e10236f9629..b93ef75373e0 100644
--- a/src/kibana/services/timefilter.js
+++ b/src/kibana/services/timefilter.js
@@ -17,26 +17,39 @@ define(function (require) {
       to: 'now'
     });
 
+    globalState.onUpdate(function readFromGlobalState() {
+      _.assign(self.time, globalState.time);
+    });
+
     this.enabled = function (state) {
       if (!_.isUndefined(state)) enable = state;
       return enable;
     };
 
-    this.get = function (indexPattern) {
+    this.get = function (fieldHash) {
       var timefield, filter;
       
       // TODO: time field should be stored in the pattern meta data. For now we just use the first date field we find
-      timefield = _.findKey(indexPattern, {type: 'date'});
+      timefield = _.findKey(fieldHash, {type: 'date'});
+      var bounds = this.getBounds();
+
       if (!!timefield) {
         filter = {range : {}};
         filter.range[timefield] = {
-          gte: datemath.parse(self.time.from).valueOf(),
-          lte: datemath.parse(self.time.to, true).valueOf()
+          gte: bounds.min,
+          lte: bounds.max
         };
       }
       return filter;
     };
 
+    this.getBounds = function (timefield) {
+      return {
+        min: datemath.parse(self.time.from).valueOf(),
+        max: datemath.parse(self.time.to, true).valueOf()
+      };
+    };
+
   });
 
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/kibana/utils/query_string.js b/src/kibana/utils/query_string.js
index 036c5910fee7..05b36b5513cf 100644
--- a/src/kibana/utils/query_string.js
+++ b/src/kibana/utils/query_string.js
@@ -108,5 +108,15 @@ define(function (require) {
     };
   };
 
+  qs.replaceParamInUrl = function (url, param, newVal) {
+    var loc = qs.findInUrl(url);
+    var parsed = qs.decode(url.substring(loc.start + 1, loc.end));
+    parsed[param] = newVal;
+
+    var chars = url.split('');
+    chars.splice(loc.start, loc.end - loc.start, '?' + qs.encode(parsed));
+    return chars.join('');
+  };
+
   return qs;
 });
\ No newline at end of file