diff --git a/src/htmx.js b/src/htmx.js
index 7fb43b6f..8fba09b9 100644
--- a/src/htmx.js
+++ b/src/htmx.js
@@ -523,6 +523,10 @@ return (function () {
                 return [closest(elt, selector.substr(8))];
             } else if (selector.indexOf("find ") === 0) {
                 return [find(elt, selector.substr(5))];
+            } else if (selector.indexOf("next ") === 0) {
+                return [scanForwardQuery(elt, selector.substr(5))];
+            } else if (selector.indexOf("previous ") === 0) {
+                return [scanBackwardsQuery(elt, selector.substr(9))];
             } else if (selector === 'document') {
                 return [document];
             } else if (selector === 'window') {
@@ -532,6 +536,26 @@ return (function () {
             }
         }
 
+        var scanForwardQuery = function(start, match) {
+            var results = getDocument().querySelectorAll(match);
+            for (var i = 0; i < results.length; i++) {
+                var elt = results[i];
+                if (elt.compareDocumentPosition(start) === Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING) {
+                    return elt;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        var scanBackwardsQuery = function(start, match) {
+            var results = getDocument().querySelectorAll(match);
+            for (var i = results.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+                var elt = results[i];
+                if (elt.compareDocumentPosition(start) === Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_FOLLOWING) {
+                    return elt;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         function querySelectorExt(eltOrSelector, selector) {
             if (selector) {
                 return querySelectorAllExt(eltOrSelector, selector)[0];
@@ -1111,7 +1135,7 @@ return (function () {
                                 } else if (token === "from" && tokens[0] === ":") {
                                     tokens.shift();
                                     var from_arg = consumeUntil(tokens, WHITESPACE_OR_COMMA);
-                                    if (from_arg === "closest" || from_arg === "find") {
+                                    if (from_arg === "closest" || from_arg === "find" || from_arg === "next" || from_arg === "previous") {
                                         tokens.shift();
                                         from_arg +=
                                             " " +
diff --git a/test/attributes/hx-target.js b/test/attributes/hx-target.js
index 5969c728..da48ea03 100644
--- a/test/attributes/hx-target.js
+++ b/test/attributes/hx-target.js
@@ -91,5 +91,44 @@ describe("hx-target attribute", function(){
         div1.innerHTML.should.equal("Clicked!");
     });
 
+    it('targets a `next` element properly', function()
+    {
+        this.server.respondWith("GET", "/test", "Clicked!");
+        make('<div>' +
+            '  <div id="d3"></div>' +
+            '  <button id="b1" hx-target="next div" hx-get="/test">Click Me!</button>' +
+            '  <div id="d1"></div>' +
+            '  <div id="d2"></div>' +
+            '</div>')
+        var btn = byId("b1")
+        var div1 = byId("d1")
+        var div2 = byId("d2")
+        var div3 = byId("d3")
+        btn.click();
+        this.server.respond();
+        div1.innerHTML.should.equal("Clicked!");
+        div2.innerHTML.should.equal("");
+        div3.innerHTML.should.equal("");
+    });
+
+    it('targets a `previous` element properly', function()
+    {
+        this.server.respondWith("GET", "/test", "Clicked!");
+        make('<div>' +
+            '  <div id="d3"></div>' +
+            '  <button id="b1" hx-target="previous div" hx-get="/test">Click Me!</button>' +
+            '  <div id="d1"></div>' +
+            '  <div id="d2"></div>' +
+            '</div>')
+        var btn = byId("b1")
+        var div1 = byId("d1")
+        var div2 = byId("d2")
+        var div3 = byId("d3")
+        btn.click();
+        this.server.respond();
+        div1.innerHTML.should.equal("");
+        div2.innerHTML.should.equal("");
+        div3.innerHTML.should.equal("Clicked!");
+    });
 
 })