diff --git a/test/unit/property-effects-template.html b/test/unit/property-effects-template.html
index 6fa880bb20..ea2b7f8198 100644
--- a/test/unit/property-effects-template.html
+++ b/test/unit/property-effects-template.html
@@ -32,8 +32,9 @@
 
 <dom-module id="x-element">
   <template>
+    [[prop]] - [[path]]
     <x-element-child id="noBinding" log></x-element>
-    <x-element-child id="hasBinding" prop="{{prop}}" log></x-element>
+    <x-element-child id="hasBinding" prop="{{prop}}" path="{{path}}" log></x-element>
     <x-element-child id="events" on-click="handleClick" on-tap="handleTap"></x-element-child>
   </template>
   <script>
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@
     class XElement extends Polymer.Element {
       static get is() { return 'x-element'; }
       static get observers() { return ['propChanged(prop)', 'pathChanged(path)']; }
+      static get properties() { return { prop: { notify: true }, path: { notify: true } }; }
       constructor() {
         super();
         this.propChanged = sinon.spy();
@@ -138,6 +140,124 @@
   </script>
 </dom-module>
 
+<template id="custom-template">
+  <x-special name="el1" special="attr1" binding="[[prop]]" on-event="handler"></x-special>
+  <div name="el2" special="attr2">
+    <div name="el3" special="attr3">
+      <x-special name="el4" special="attr4"></x-special>
+    </div>
+    <div></div><div></div><div></div>
+    <div name="el5" binding="[[prop]]" on-event="handler"></div>
+    <template name="el6">
+      <div>
+        <x-special name="t-el" special="t-attr" binding="[[prop]]" on-event="handler"></x-special>
+      </div>
+    </template>
+  </div>
+  <x-special name="el7" special="attr5"><x-special name="el8" special="attr6"></x-special></x-special>
+</template>
+<script>
+class XParsing extends Polymer.Element {
+  static get template() { return document.getElementById('custom-template'); }
+  static _parseTemplateNodeAttribute(node, templateInfo, nodeInfo, name, value) {
+    if (name == 'special') {
+      nodeInfo.specialAttr = value;
+      nodeInfo.infoIndex = templateInfo.nodeInfoList.length;
+      node.removeAttribute('special');
+      node.setAttribute('had-special', '');
+      return true;
+    } else {
+      return super._parseTemplateNodeAttribute(node, templateInfo, nodeInfo, name, value);
+    }
+  }
+  static _parseTemplateNode(node, templateInfo, nodeInfo) {
+    let noted = super._parseTemplateNode(node, templateInfo, nodeInfo);
+    if (node.localName == 'x-special') {
+      nodeInfo.infoIndex = templateInfo.nodeInfoList.length;
+      noted = nodeInfo.specialNode = true;
+    }
+    return noted;
+  }
+  _bindTemplate(template) {
+    return this.templateInfoForTesting = super._bindTemplate(template);
+  }
+}
+customElements.define('x-parsing', XParsing);
+
+class XEffects extends XParsing {
+  static get template() { return document.getElementById('custom-template'); }
+  static _parseTemplateNodeAttribute(node, templateInfo, nodeInfo, name, value) {
+    let noted = super._parseTemplateNodeAttribute(node, templateInfo, nodeInfo, name, value);
+    if (nodeInfo.specialAttr) {
+      this._addTemplatePropertyEffect(templateInfo, 'attr', {
+        fn(inst, property, props, oldProps, info, hasPaths, nodeList) {
+          nodeList[nodeInfo.infoIndex].specialAttr = props[property];
+        }
+      });
+    }
+    return noted;
+  }
+  static _parseTemplateNode(node, templateInfo, nodeInfo) {
+    let noted = super._parseTemplateNode(node, templateInfo, nodeInfo);
+    if (nodeInfo.specialNode) {
+      this._addTemplatePropertyEffect(templateInfo, 'node', {
+        fn(inst, property, props, oldProps, info, hasPaths, nodeList) {
+          nodeList[nodeInfo.infoIndex].specialNode = props[property];
+        }
+      });
+    }
+    return noted;
+  }
+}
+customElements.define('x-effects', XEffects);
+</script>
+
+<dom-module id="x-binding">
+  <template>
+    <x-element id="standard1" prop="[[prop]]" path="[[obj.path]]"></x-element>
+    <x-element id="custom1" prop='[{"prop": "prop", "prop2": "prop2"}]'></x-element>
+    <div>
+      <x-element id="standard2" prop="[[prop]]" path="[[obj.path]]"></x-element>
+      <x-element id="custom2" prop='[{"prop": "prop", "prop2": "prop2"}]'></x-element>
+    </div>
+    <template id="domIf" is="dom-if" if="[[prop]]" restamp>
+      <x-element id="standard3" prop="[[prop]]" path="[[obj.path]]"></x-element>
+      <x-element id="custom3" prop='[{"prop": "prop", "prop2": "prop2"}]'></x-element>
+    </template>
+  </template>
+  <script>
+  class XBinding extends Polymer.Element {
+    static get is() { return 'x-binding'; }
+    constructor() {
+      super();
+      this.prop = true;
+      this.obj = {path: 'obj.path'};
+      this.prop2 = true;
+    }
+    static _parseBindings(text, templateInfo) {
+      if (text.slice(0,2) == '[{' && text.slice(-2) == '}]') {
+        let bindingData = JSON.parse(text.slice(1,-1));
+        let dependencies = Object.keys(bindingData).map(n=>bindingData[n]);
+        return [{dependencies, bindingData}]
+      } else {
+        return super._parseBindings(text, templateInfo);
+      }
+    }
+    static _evaluateBinding(scope, part, path, props, oldProps, hasPaths) {
+      if (part.bindingData) {
+        return Object.keys(part.bindingData)
+          .map(n => scope[part.bindingData[n]] ? n : '')
+          .filter(c => Boolean(c))
+          .join(' ');
+      } else {
+        return super._evaluateBinding(scope, part, path, props, oldProps, hasPaths);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  customElements.define(XBinding.is, XBinding);
+  </script>
+</dom-module>
+
 <script>
 
 suite('runtime template stamping', function() {
@@ -203,7 +323,7 @@
     assert.equal(getComputedStyle($.textBinding).borderBottomWidth, '10px');
   }
 
-  test('prototypical stamping', ()=> {
+  test('prototypical stamping', () => {
     assertStampingCorrect(el, el.$);
     let stamped = el.shadowRoot.querySelectorAll('x-element#first');
     assert.equal(stamped.length, 1);
@@ -217,7 +337,7 @@
     ]);
   });
 
-  test('runtime stamp template (from shadow dom)', ()=> {
+  test('runtime stamp template (from shadow dom)', () => {
     let dom = el.stampTemplateFromShadow();
     assertStampingCorrect(el, el.$);
     assertStampingCorrect(el, dom.$, 'SD');
@@ -236,7 +356,7 @@
     ]);
   });
 
-  test('runtime stamp and remove multiple templates (from shadow dom)', ()=> {
+  test('runtime stamp and remove multiple templates (from shadow dom)', () => {
     let stamped;
     // Stamp template
     let dom1 = el.stampTemplateFromShadow();
@@ -298,7 +418,7 @@
     assert.equal(stamped[0], el.$.first);
   });
 
-  test('runtime stamp template (from light dom)', ()=> {
+  test('runtime stamp template (from light dom)', () => {
     let dom = el.stampTemplateFromLight();
     assertStampingCorrect(el, el.$);
     assertStampingCorrect(el, dom.$, 'LD');
@@ -317,7 +437,7 @@
     ]);
   });
 
-  test('runtime stamp and remove multiple templates (from light dom)', ()=> {
+  test('runtime stamp and remove multiple templates (from light dom)', () => {
     let stamped;
     // Stamp template
     let dom1 = el.stampTemplateFromLight();
@@ -379,19 +499,185 @@
     assert.equal(stamped[0], el.$.first);
   });
 
-  test('runtime stamp and remove multiple templates (from light dom)', ()=> {
+  function assertPropValues(el, prop, value, count) {
+    let e = el.$[prop + 'Binding'];
+    assert.equal(e[prop], value);
+    assert.equal(e[prop + 'Changed'].callCount, count);
+    assert.equal(e[prop + 'Changed'].getCall(count-1).args[0], value);
+    assert.equal(e.$.hasBinding[prop], value);
+  }
+
+  function assertAllPropValues(el, ld, sd, prop, value, count) {
+    assertPropValues(el, prop, value, count);
+    assertPropValues(ld, prop, value, count);
+    assertPropValues(sd, prop, value, count);
+  }
+
+  test('downward runtime binding', () => {
+    let sd = el.stampTemplateFromShadow();
+    let ld = el.stampTemplateFromLight();
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop', 1);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path', 1);
+    el.prop = 'prop+';
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop+', 2);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path', 1);
+    el.obj = {path: 'obj.path+'};
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop+', 2);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path+', 2);
+    el.set('obj.path', 'obj.path++');
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop+', 2);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path++', 3);
+  });
+
+  test('two-way runtime binding', () => {
     let sd = el.stampTemplateFromShadow();
     let ld = el.stampTemplateFromLight();
-    assert.equal(el.$.propBinding.prop, 'prop');
-    assert.equal(sd.$.propBinding.prop, 'prop');
-    assert.equal(ld.$.propBinding.prop, 'prop');
-    assert.equal(el.$.pathBinding.path, 'obj.path');
-    assert.equal(sd.$.pathBinding.path, 'obj.path');
-    assert.equal(ld.$.pathBinding.path, 'obj.path');
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop', 1);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path', 1);
+    el.$.propBinding.prop = 'prop+';
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop+', 2);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path', 1);
+    sd.$.propBinding.prop = 'prop++';
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop++', 3);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path', 1);
+    ld.$.propBinding.prop = 'prop+++';
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop+++', 4);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path', 1);
+    el.$.pathBinding.path = 'obj.path+';
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop+++', 4);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path+', 2);
+    sd.$.pathBinding.path = 'obj.path++';
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop+++', 4);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path++', 3);
+    ld.$.pathBinding.path = 'obj.path+++';
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'prop', 'prop+++', 4);
+    assertAllPropValues(el, sd, ld, 'path', 'obj.path+++', 4);
   });
 
 });
 
+suite('template parsing hooks', () => {
+
+  test('custom parsing', () => {
+    let el = document.createElement('x-parsing');
+    document.body.appendChild(el);
+    let templateInfo = el.templateInfoForTesting;
+    let nodeInfoList = templateInfo.nodeInfoList;
+    let nodeList = templateInfo.nodeList;
+    // The node order is depth-first bottom up but not a guarantee or generally
+    // important; as such, just ensure all expected nodes are there, then
+    // loop to
+    assert.sameMembers(nodeList.map(e=>e.getAttribute('name')),
+      ['el1', 'el2', 'el3', 'el4', 'el5', 'el6', 'el7', 'el8']);
+    for (let i=0; i<nodeList.length; i++) {
+      let node = nodeList[i];
+      let nodeInfo = nodeInfoList[i];
+      switch (node.getAttribute('name')) {
+        case 'el1':
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialNode, true);
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialAttr, 'attr1');
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.bindings.length, 1);
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.events.length, 1);
+          break;
+        case 'el2':
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialAttr, 'attr2');
+          break;
+        case 'el3':
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialAttr, 'attr3');
+          break;
+        case 'el4':
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialNode, true);
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialAttr, 'attr4');
+          break;
+        case 'el5':
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.bindings.length, 1);
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.events.length, 1);
+          break;
+        case 'el6':
+          assert.isOk(nodeInfo.templateInfo);
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.templateInfo.nodeInfoList.length, 1)
+          let templateNodeInfo = nodeInfo.templateInfo.nodeInfoList[0];
+          assert.equal(templateNodeInfo.bindings.length, 1);
+          assert.equal(templateNodeInfo.events.length, 1);
+          assert.equal(templateNodeInfo.specialAttr, 't-attr');
+          assert.equal(templateNodeInfo.specialNode, true);
+          break;
+        case 'el7':
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialNode, true);
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialAttr, 'attr5');
+          break;
+        case 'el8':
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialNode, true);
+          assert.equal(nodeInfo.specialAttr, 'attr6');
+          break;
+        default:
+          throw new Error('unexpected node was recorded');
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  test('custom template effects', () => {
+    let el = document.createElement('x-effects');
+    document.body.appendChild(el);
+
+    assert.equal(Array.from(el.shadowRoot.querySelectorAll('x-special')).length, 4);
+    Array.from(el.shadowRoot.querySelectorAll('x-special')).forEach(e => {
+      assert.notOk(e.isSpecialNode);
+    });
+    el.node = 'node!';
+    Array.from(el.shadowRoot.querySelectorAll('x-special')).forEach(e => {
+      assert.equal(e.specialNode, 'node!');
+    });
+
+    assert.equal(Array.from(el.shadowRoot.querySelectorAll('[had-special]')).length, 6);
+    Array.from(el.shadowRoot.querySelectorAll('[had-special]')).forEach(e => {
+      assert.notOk(e.hasSpecialAttr);
+    });
+    el.attr = 'attr!';
+    Array.from(el.shadowRoot.querySelectorAll('[had-special]')).forEach(e => {
+      assert.equal(e.specialAttr, 'attr!');
+    });
+    document.body.removeChild(el);
+  });
+
+  test('custom template binding', () => {
+    let el = document.createElement('x-binding');
+    document.body.appendChild(el);
+    el.$.domIf.render();
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard1.prop, true);
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard2.prop, true);
+    assert.equal(el.shadowRoot.querySelector('#standard3').prop, true);
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard1.path, 'obj.path');
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard2.path, 'obj.path');
+    assert.equal(el.shadowRoot.querySelector('#standard3').path, 'obj.path');
+    assert.equal(el.$.custom1.prop, 'prop prop2');
+    assert.equal(el.$.custom2.prop, 'prop prop2');
+    assert.equal(el.shadowRoot.querySelector('#custom3').prop, 'prop prop2');
+    el.prop = false;
+    el.$.domIf.render();
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard1.prop, false);
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard2.prop, false);
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard1.path, 'obj.path');
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard2.path, 'obj.path');
+    assert.notOk(el.shadowRoot.querySelector('#standard3'));
+    assert.equal(el.$.custom1.prop, 'prop2');
+    assert.equal(el.$.custom2.prop, 'prop2');
+    assert.equal(el.shadowRoot.querySelector('#custom3'));
+    el.prop = true;
+    el.$.domIf.render();
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard1.prop, true);
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard2.prop, true);
+    assert.equal(el.shadowRoot.querySelector('#standard3').prop, true);
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard1.path, 'obj.path');
+    assert.equal(el.$.standard2.path, 'obj.path');
+    assert.equal(el.shadowRoot.querySelector('#standard3').path, 'obj.path');
+    assert.equal(el.$.custom1.prop, 'prop prop2');
+    assert.equal(el.$.custom2.prop, 'prop prop2');
+    assert.equal(el.shadowRoot.querySelector('#custom3').prop, 'prop prop2');
+    document.body.removeChild(el);
+  });
+});
+
 </script>
 
 </body>