diff --git a/lib/mixins/dir-mixin.html b/lib/mixins/dir-mixin.html
index 33ad6300fc..a044e9f73e 100644
--- a/lib/mixins/dir-mixin.html
+++ b/lib/mixins/dir-mixin.html
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
 subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
 -->
-<link rel="import" href="../utils/style-gather.html">
-<link rel="import" href="../utils/resolve-url.html">
 <link rel="import" href="property-accessors.html">
 
 <script>
@@ -27,11 +25,13 @@
     const DIR_INSTANCES = [];
 
     /** @type {MutationObserver} */
-    let OBSERVER = null;
+    let observer = null;
 
-    let DOCUMENT_DIR = document.documentElement.getAttribute('dir');
+    let DOCUMENT_DIR = '';
 
-    let takeRecords = function(){};
+    function getRTL() {
+      DOCUMENT_DIR = document.documentElement.getAttribute('dir');
+    }
 
     /**
      * @param {!Polymer_DirMixin} instance Instance to set RTL status on
@@ -73,13 +73,10 @@
      */
     Polymer.DirMixin = Polymer.dedupingMixin((base) => {
 
-      if (!OBSERVER) {
-        OBSERVER = new MutationObserver(updateDirection);
-        OBSERVER.observe(document.documentElement, {attributes: true, attributeFilter: ['dir']});
-        takeRecords = function() {
-          OBSERVER.takeRecords();
-          updateDirection();
-        };
+      if (!observer) {
+        getRTL();
+        observer = new MutationObserver(updateDirection);
+        observer.observe(document.documentElement, {attributes: true, attributeFilter: ['dir']});
       }
 
       /**
@@ -142,8 +139,8 @@
             /** @type {!Polymer_ElementMixin} */(elementBase).prototype.connectedCallback.call(this);
           }
           if (this.constructor.__activateDir) {
-            takeRecords();
             DIR_INSTANCES.push(this);
+            getRTL();
             setRTL(this);
           }
         }
@@ -154,7 +151,6 @@
             /** @type {!Polymer_ElementMixin} */(elementBase).prototype.disconnectedCallback.call(this);
           }
           if (this.constructor.__activateDir) {
-            takeRecords();
             const idx = DIR_INSTANCES.indexOf(this);
             if (idx > -1) {
               DIR_INSTANCES.splice(idx, 1);