diff --git a/src/lib/dom-api.html b/src/lib/dom-api.html
index 7295e4422a..944234ea43 100644
--- a/src/lib/dom-api.html
+++ b/src/lib/dom-api.html
@@ -238,8 +238,9 @@
 
       _tryRemoveUndistributedNode: function(node) {
         if (this.node.shadyRoot) {
-          if (node._composedParent) {
-            nativeRemoveChild.call(node._composedParent, node);
+          var parent = getComposedParent(node);
+          if (parent) {
+            nativeRemoveChild.call(parent, node);
           }
           return true;
         }
@@ -289,7 +290,7 @@
           this._updateInsertionPoints(root.host);
           this._lazyDistribute(root.host);
         } else if (ensureComposedRemoval) {
-          removeFromComposedParent(node._composedParent, node);
+          removeFromComposedParent(getComposedParent(node), node);
         }
       },
 
@@ -572,8 +573,7 @@
         parentNode: {
           get: function() {
             return this.node._lightParent ||
-              (this.node.__patched ? this.node._composedParent :
-              this.node.parentNode);
+              getComposedParent(this.node);
           },
           configurable: true
         },
@@ -909,7 +909,10 @@
       } else {
         addNodeToComposedChildren(node, parent, children, i);
       }
+    }
 
+    function getComposedParent(node) {
+      return node.__patched ? node._composedParent : node.parentNode;
     }
 
     function addNodeToComposedChildren(node, parent, children, i) {
@@ -956,6 +959,7 @@
 
     return {
       getLightChildren: getLightChildren,
+      getComposedParent: getComposedParent,
       getComposedChildren: getComposedChildren,
       removeFromComposedParent: removeFromComposedParent,
       saveLightChildrenIfNeeded: saveLightChildrenIfNeeded,
diff --git a/src/mini/shady.html b/src/mini/shady.html
index 0caa80eab4..2b281a6841 100644
--- a/src/mini/shady.html
+++ b/src/mini/shady.html
@@ -320,6 +320,8 @@
             composed.splice(j, 0, n);
           }
         }
+        // ensure composed parent is set
+        ensureComposedParent(container, children);
       },
 
       _matchesContentSelect: function(node, contentElement) {
@@ -364,6 +366,7 @@
     var matchesSelector = Polymer.DomApi.matchesSelector;
     var hasInsertionPoint = Polymer.DomApi.hasInsertionPoint;
     var getComposedChildren = Polymer.DomApi.getComposedChildren;
+    var getComposedParent = Polymer.DomApi.getComposedParent;
     var removeFromComposedParent = Polymer.DomApi.removeFromComposedParent;
 
     function distributeNodeInto(child, insertionPoint) {
@@ -434,8 +437,10 @@
       }
     }
 
-    function getComposedParent(node) {
-      return node.__patched ? node._composedParent : node.parentNode;
+    function ensureComposedParent(parent, children) {
+      for (var i=0, n; i < children.length; i++) {
+        children[i]._composedParent = parent;
+      }
     }
 
     // returns the host that's the top of this host's distribution tree