diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tools/wrappers.py b/lib/galaxy/tools/wrappers.py
index 47a18aa71f1..62f4f8ce679 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tools/wrappers.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tools/wrappers.py
@@ -272,6 +272,12 @@ class DatasetCollectionWrapper( object, HasDatasets ):
     def is_collection( self ):
         return True
 
+    def __getitem__( self, key ):
+        if isinstance( key, int ):
+            return self.element_instance_list[ key ]
+        else:
+            return self.element_instances[ key ]
+
     def __getattr__( self, key ):
         return self.element_instances[ key ]
 
diff --git a/test/functional/tools/collection_paired_test.xml b/test/functional/tools/collection_paired_test.xml
index f82e77c2225..72a78371db8 100644
--- a/test/functional/tools/collection_paired_test.xml
+++ b/test/functional/tools/collection_paired_test.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <tool id="collection_paired_test" name="paired_test" version="0.1.0">
   <command>
-    cat $f1.forward $f1.reverse >> $out1;
+    cat $f1.forward $f1['reverse'] >> $out1;
   </command>
   <inputs>
     <param name="f1" type="data_collection" collection_type="paired" />