diff --git a/src/js/component.js b/src/js/component.js
index b6ff71bd89..07f7a8a250 100644
--- a/src/js/component.js
+++ b/src/js/component.js
@@ -563,13 +563,15 @@ vjs.Component.prototype.one = function(type, fn) {
  * Trigger an event on an element
  *
  *     myComponent.trigger('eventName');
+ *     myComponent.trigger({'type':'eventName'});
  *
- * @param  {String}       type  The event type to trigger, e.g. 'click'
- * @param  {Event|Object} event The event object to be passed to the listener
+ * @param  {Event|Object|String} event  either a string (the event type) 
+ *                               to trigger or an event object 
+ *                               with a type attribute.
  * @return {vjs.Component}      self
  */
-vjs.Component.prototype.trigger = function(type, event){
-  vjs.trigger(this.el_, type, event);
+vjs.Component.prototype.trigger = function(event){
+  vjs.trigger(this.el_, event);
   return this;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/js/events.js b/src/js/events.js
index becac0ce9c..5e3098b02a 100644
--- a/src/js/events.js
+++ b/src/js/events.js
@@ -264,8 +264,10 @@ vjs.fixEvent = function(event) {
 
 /**
  * Trigger an event for an element
- * @param  {Element|Object} elem  Element to trigger an event on
- * @param  {String} event Type of event to trigger
+ * @param  {Element|Object} elem   Element to trigger an event on
+ * @param  {Event|Object|String}   event either a string (the event type) 
+ *                                 to trigger or an event object with a 
+ *                                 type attribute.
  * @private
  */
 vjs.trigger = function(elem, event) {