diff --git a/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.js b/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.js
index 28415ae8d9a..d604c0afe19 100644
--- a/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.js
+++ b/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ angular
  * @param {string=} md-direction Which direction would you like the tooltip to go?  Supports left, right, top, and bottom.  Defaults to bottom.
  * @param {boolean=} md-autohide If present or provided with a boolean value, the tooltip will hide on mouse leave, regardless of focus
  */
-function MdTooltipDirective($timeout, $window, $$rAF, $document, $mdUtil, $mdTheming, $rootElement, $animate, $q) {
+function MdTooltipDirective($timeout, $window, $$rAF, $document, $mdUtil, $mdTheming, $animate, $q) {
 
   var TOOLTIP_SHOW_DELAY = 300;
   var TOOLTIP_WINDOW_EDGE_SPACE = 8;
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ function MdTooltipDirective($timeout, $window, $$rAF, $document, $mdUtil, $mdThe
 
     function getNearestContentElement () {
       var current = element.parent()[0];
-      // Look for the nearest parent md-content, stopping at the rootElement.
-      while (current && current !== $rootElement[0] && current !== document.body) {
+      // Look for the nearest parent md-content
+      while (current && current !== document.body) {
         if (current.tagName && current.tagName.toLowerCase() == 'md-content') break;
         current = current.parentNode;
       }