diff --git a/core/misc/ajax.js b/core/misc/ajax.js
index af8a29c..d26c47d 100644
--- a/core/misc/ajax.js
+++ b/core/misc/ajax.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
    */
 
   Drupal.ajax = Drupal.ajax || {};
+  Drupal.ajaxInstances = Drupal.ajaxInstances || {};
 
   /**
    * Attaches the Ajax behavior to each Ajax form element.
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@
         }
         $(element_settings.selector).once('drupal-ajax', function () {
           element_settings.element = this;
-          Drupal.ajax[element_settings.selector] = new Drupal.ajax(base, this, element_settings);
+          Drupal.ajaxInstances[element_settings.selector] = new Drupal.ajax(base, this, element_settings);
         });
       }
 
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@
         element_settings.accepts = $(this).data('accepts');
         element_settings.dialog = $(this).data('dialog-options');
         var baseUseAjax = $(this).attr('id');
-        Drupal.ajax[baseUseAjax] = new Drupal.ajax(baseUseAjax, this, element_settings);
+        Drupal.ajaxInstances[baseUseAjax] = new Drupal.ajax(baseUseAjax, this, element_settings);
       });
 
       // This class means to submit the form to the action using Ajax.
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@
         element_settings.progress = {'type': 'throbber'};
 
         var baseUseAjaxSubmit = $(this).attr('id');
-        Drupal.ajax[baseUseAjaxSubmit] = new Drupal.ajax(baseUseAjaxSubmit, this, element_settings);
+        Drupal.ajaxInstances[baseUseAjaxSubmit] = new Drupal.ajax(baseUseAjaxSubmit, this, element_settings);
       });
     }
   };
@@ -127,9 +128,10 @@
   /**
    * Ajax object.
    *
-   * All Ajax objects on a page are accessible through the global Drupal.ajax
-   * object and are keyed by the submit button's ID. You can access them from
-   * your module's JavaScript file to override properties or functions.
+   * All Ajax objects on a page are accessible through the global
+   * Drupal.ajaxInstances object and are keyed by the submit button's ID. You
+   * can access them from your module's JavaScript file to override properties
+   * or functions.
    *
    * For example, if your Ajax enabled button has the ID 'edit-submit', you can
    * redefine the function that is called to insert the new content like this
@@ -137,7 +139,7 @@
    * @code
    *    Drupal.behaviors.myCustomAJAXStuff = {
    *      attach: function (context, settings) {
-   *        Drupal.ajax['edit-submit'].commands.insert = function (ajax, response, status) {
+   *        Drupal.ajaxInstances['edit-submit'].commands.insert = function (ajax, response, status) {
    *          new_content = $(response.data);
    *          $('#my-wrapper').append(new_content);
    *          alert('New content was appended to #my-wrapper');
@@ -148,9 +150,9 @@
    */
   Drupal.ajax = function (base, element, element_settings) {
     var defaults = {
-      event: 'mousedown',
+      event: element ? 'mousedown' : null,
       keypress: true,
-      selector: '#' + base,
+      selector: base ? '#' + base : null,
       effect: 'none',
       speed: 'none',
       method: 'replaceWith',
@@ -180,16 +182,17 @@
 
     // If there isn't a form, jQuery.ajax() will be used instead, allowing us to
     // bind Ajax to links as well.
-    if (this.element.form) {
+    if (this.element && this.element.form) {
       this.$form = $(this.element.form);
     }
 
     // If no Ajax callback URL was given, use the link href or form action.
     if (!this.url) {
-      if ($(element).is('a')) {
-        this.url = $(element).attr('href');
+      var $element = $(this.element);
+      if ($element.is('a')) {
+        this.url = $element.attr('href');
       }
-      else if (element.form) {
+      else if (this.element && element.form) {
         this.url = this.$form.attr('action');
 
         // @todo If there's a file input on this form, then jQuery will submit the
@@ -281,6 +284,31 @@
   };
 
   /**
+   * Execute the ajax request.
+   *
+   * Allows developers to execute an AJAX request manually without specifying
+   * an event to respond to.
+   */
+  Drupal.ajax.prototype.execute = function() {
+    var ajax = this;
+    // Do not perform another ajax command if one is already in progress.
+    if (ajax.ajaxing) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      ajax.beforeSerialize(ajax.element, ajax.options);
+      $.ajax(ajax.options);
+    }
+    catch (e) {
+      // Unset the ajax.ajaxing flag here because it won't be unset during
+      // the complete response.
+      ajax.ajaxing = false;
+      window.alert("An error occurred while attempting to process " + ajax.options.url + ": " + e.message);
+    }
+  };
+
+  /**
    * Handle a key press.
    *
    * The Ajax object will, if instructed, bind to a key press response. This
@@ -438,30 +466,47 @@
     // from changing its value.
     $(this.element).addClass('progress-disabled').prop('disabled', true);
 
-    // Insert progressbar or throbber.
-    if (this.progress.type === 'bar') {
-      var progressBar = new Drupal.ProgressBar('ajax-progress-' + this.element.id, $.noop, this.progress.method, $.noop);
-      if (this.progress.message) {
-        progressBar.setProgress(-1, this.progress.message);
-      }
-      if (this.progress.url) {
-        progressBar.startMonitoring(this.progress.url, this.progress.interval || 1500);
-      }
-      this.progress.element = $(progressBar.element).addClass('ajax-progress ajax-progress-bar');
-      this.progress.object = progressBar;
+    // Insert progress indicator
+    var progressIndicatorMethod = 'setProgressIndicator' + this.progress.type.slice(0, 1).toUpperCase() + this.progress.type.slice(1).toLowerCase();
+    if (progressIndicatorMethod in this && typeof this[progressIndicatorMethod] === 'function') {
+      this[progressIndicatorMethod].call(this);
       $(this.element).after(this.progress.element);
     }
-    else if (this.progress.type === 'throbber') {
-      this.progress.element = $('<div class="ajax-progress ajax-progress-throbber"><div class="throbber">&nbsp;</div></div>');
-      if (this.progress.message) {
-        this.progress.element.find('.throbber').after('<div class="message">' + this.progress.message + '</div>');
-      }
-      $(this.element).after(this.progress.element);
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Sets the progress bar progress indicator.
+   */
+  Drupal.ajax.prototype.setProgressIndicatorBar = function() {
+    var progressBar = new Drupal.ProgressBar('ajax-progress-' + this.element.id, $.noop, this.progress.method, $.noop);
+    if (this.progress.message) {
+      progressBar.setProgress(-1, this.progress.message);
     }
-    else if (this.progress.type === 'fullscreen') {
-      this.progress.element = $('<div class="ajax-progress ajax-progress-fullscreen">&nbsp;</div>');
-      $('body').after(this.progress.element);
+    if (this.progress.url) {
+      progressBar.startMonitoring(this.progress.url, this.progress.interval || 1500);
     }
+    this.progress.element = $(progressBar.element).addClass('ajax-progress ajax-progress-bar');
+    this.progress.object = progressBar;
+    $(this.element).after(this.progress.element);
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Sets the throbber progress indicator.
+   */
+  Drupal.ajax.prototype.setProgressIndicatorThrobber = function() {
+    this.progress.element = $('<div class="ajax-progress ajax-progress-throbber"><div class="throbber">&nbsp;</div></div>');
+    if (this.progress.message) {
+      this.progress.element.find('.throbber').after('<div class="message">' + this.progress.message + '</div>');
+    }
+    $(this.element).after(this.progress.element);
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Sets the fullscreen progress indicator.
+   */
+  Drupal.ajax.prototype.setProgressIndicatorFullscreen = function() {
+    this.progress.element = $('<div class="ajax-progress ajax-progress-fullscreen">&nbsp;</div>');
+    $('body').after(this.progress.element);
   };
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/modules/views_ui/js/ajax.js b/core/modules/views_ui/js/ajax.js
index e693493..f1780ed 100644
--- a/core/modules/views_ui/js/ajax.js
+++ b/core/modules/views_ui/js/ajax.js
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
           element_settings.url = $(this).attr('href');
         }
         var base = $(this).attr('id');
-        Drupal.ajax[base] = new Drupal.ajax(base, this, element_settings);
+        Drupal.ajaxInstances[base] = new Drupal.ajax(base, this, element_settings);
       });
 
       $('div#views-live-preview a')
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
           element_settings.wrapper = 'views-preview-wrapper';
           element_settings.method = 'replaceWith';
           var base = $(this).attr('id');
-          Drupal.ajax[base] = new Drupal.ajax(base, this, element_settings);
+          Drupal.ajaxInstances[base] = new Drupal.ajax(base, this, element_settings);
         });
 
       // Within a live preview, make exposed widget form buttons re-trigger the
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
           element_settings.event = 'click';
 
           var base = $(this).attr('id');
-          Drupal.ajax[base] = new Drupal.ajax(base, this, element_settings);
+          Drupal.ajaxInstances[base] = new Drupal.ajax(base, this, element_settings);
         });
 
     }