diff --git a/examples/Scripts/NearestPoint.html b/examples/Scripts/NearestPoint.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..33a3d3aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/Scripts/NearestPoint.html
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html>
+<head>
+	<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
+	<title>NearestPoint</title>
+	<link rel="stylesheet" href="../css/style.css">
+	<script type="text/javascript" src="../../dist/paper.js"></script>
+	<script type="text/paperscript" canvas="canvas">
+		window.performance = window.performance || {};
+		performance.now = (function() {
+		  return performance.now       ||
+		         performance.mozNow    ||
+		         performance.msNow     ||
+		         performance.oNow      ||
+		         performance.webkitNow ||
+		         function() { return new Date().getTime(); };
+		})();
+
+		var path = project.importSVG(document.getElementById('svg')).firstChild,
+			total = 0,
+			slower = 0;
+
+		function getNearest(point) {
+			var t1 = performance.now();
+			var loc1 = path.getNearestLocation(point);
+			t1 = performance.now() - t1;
+			var t2 = performance.now();
+			var loc2 = path._getNearestLocation(point);
+			t2 = performance.now() - t2;
+			total++;
+			if (t2 > t1) {
+				slower++;
+				console.log('slower', slower / total, t1, t2, point)
+			}
+			if (loc2.distance > loc1.distance) {
+				console.log('not precise');
+			}
+			return [loc1.point, loc2.point];
+		}
+
+		for (var i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
+			getNearest(new Point(1028, 286));
+		}
+		/*
+		*/
+
+		function onMouseMove(event) {
+			var res = getNearest(event.point);
+			console.log(res.join());
+			var circle = new Path.Circle({
+				center: res[0],
+				radius: 2,
+				strokeColor: 'red'
+			}).removeOnMove();
+			var line = new Path.Line({
+				from: res[0],
+				to: event.point,
+				strokeColor: 'red'
+			}).removeOnMove();
+			var circle = new Path.Circle({
+				center: res[1],
+				radius: 4,
+				strokeColor: 'green'
+			}).removeOnMove();
+		}
+	</script>
+</head>
+<body>
+	<canvas id="canvas" resize></canvas>
+	<svg id="svg" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0px" y="0px" xml:space="preserve" style="display: none;">
+		<path fill="none" stroke="#000000" stroke-miterlimit="10" d="M167,265c33.321,23.568,53,38,72.886,109.353
+			c22.516,80.792-52.284,163.541-74.631,92.135C95,242,393.045,246.871,399.326,431.434C402,510,286.311,474.239,289,369
+			c1.961-76.747,78.663-125.069,162.393-91.026C540,314,562.299,442.872,476.159,390.783C424.547,359.573,382.365,317.41,383,221"/>
+	</svg>
+</body>
+</html>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/path/Curve.js b/src/path/Curve.js
index dff14f4d..570e12c9 100644
--- a/src/path/Curve.js
+++ b/src/path/Curve.js
@@ -1246,6 +1246,48 @@ new function() { // Scope for methods that require numerical integration
 					Math.sqrt(minDist));
 		},
 
+		_getNearestLocation: function(point) {
+			var values = this.getValues(),
+				step = 1 / 100,
+				minDist = Infinity,
+				minT = 0;
+
+			for (var t = 0; t <= 1; t += step) {
+				var pt = Curve.evaluate(values, t, true, 0),
+					dist = point.getDistance(pt, true);
+				if (dist < minDist) {
+					minDist = dist;
+					minT = t;
+				}
+			}
+
+			function refine(t, dist, precision) {
+				if(precision < 0.0000001) return t;
+				// refinement
+				// smaller distances?
+				var t1 = t - precision;
+				if (t1 >= 0) {
+					var dist1 = point.getDistance(
+							Curve.evaluate(values, t1, true, 0), true);
+					if (dist1 < dist)
+						return refine(t1, dist1, precision);
+				}
+				var t2 = t + precision;
+				if (t2 <= 1) {
+					var dist2 = point.getDistance(
+							Curve.evaluate(values, t2, true, 0), true);
+					if (dist2 < dist)
+						return refine(t2, dist2, precision);
+				}
+				// larger distances
+				return refine(t, dist, precision / 2);
+			}
+
+			minT = refine(minT, minDist, step);
+			var pt = Curve.evaluate(values, minT, true, 0);
+			return new CurveLocation(this, minT, pt, null, point.getDistance(pt));
+		},
+
 		getNearestPoint: function(point) {
 			return this.getNearestLocation(point).getPoint();
 		}
diff --git a/src/path/Path.js b/src/path/Path.js
index 6f8f3b85..1b29d84b 100644
--- a/src/path/Path.js
+++ b/src/path/Path.js
@@ -1552,6 +1552,20 @@ var Path = this.Path = PathItem.extend(/** @lends Path# */{
 		return minLoc;
 	},
 
+	_getNearestLocation: function(point) {
+		var curves = this.getCurves(),
+			minDist = Infinity,
+			minLoc = null;
+		for (var i = 0, l = curves.length; i < l; i++) {
+			var loc = curves[i]._getNearestLocation(point);
+			if (loc._distance < minDist) {
+				minDist = loc._distance;
+				minLoc = loc;
+			}
+		}
+		return minLoc;
+	},
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns the nearest point on the path to the specified point.
 	 *
