diff --git a/lib/mixins/property-accessors.html b/lib/mixins/property-accessors.html
index 7104d229f8..bddf9d4fca 100644
--- a/lib/mixins/property-accessors.html
+++ b/lib/mixins/property-accessors.html
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@
       _initializeProperties() {
         this.__serializing = false;
         this.__dataCounter = 0;
+        this.__dataEnabled = false;
         this.__dataInitialized = false;
         this.__dataInvalid = false;
         // initialize data with prototype values saved when creating accessors
@@ -475,10 +476,16 @@
         }
       }
 
-      // TODO(kschaaf): document.
+      /**
+       * Call to enable property accessors. This method must be called
+       * for any side effects of setting properties to occur. For elements,
+       * generally `connectedCallback` is a normal spot to do so.
+       * It is safe to call this method multiple times as it only turns
+       * on property accessors once.
+       */
       _enableProperties() {
-        if (!this.__dataPropertiesEnabled) {
-          this.__dataPropertiesEnabled = true;
+        if (!this.__dataEnabled) {
+          this.__dataEnabled = true;
           if (this.__dataInstanceProps) {
             this._initializeInstanceProperties(this.__dataInstanceProps);
             this.__dataInstanceProps = null;
@@ -490,11 +497,9 @@
       /**
        * Calls the `_propertiesChanged` callback with the current set of
        * pending changes (and old values recorded when pending changes were
-       * set), and resets the pending set of changes.
+       * set), and resets the pending set of changes. Generally, this method
+       * should not be called in user code.
        *
-       * Note that this method must be called once to enable the property
-       * accessors system.  For elements, generally `connectedCallback`
-       * is a normal spot to do so.
        *
        * @protected
        */
diff --git a/lib/mixins/property-effects.html b/lib/mixins/property-effects.html
index 917f29fa03..0591094250 100644
--- a/lib/mixins/property-effects.html
+++ b/lib/mixins/property-effects.html
@@ -1461,7 +1461,7 @@
           this.__dataPendingClients = null;
           for (let i=0; i < clients.length; i++) {
             let client = clients[i];
-            if (!client.__dataPropertiesEnabled) {
+            if (!client.__dataEnabled) {
               client._enableProperties();
             }
           }
@@ -1496,13 +1496,21 @@
       }
 
       /**
-       * Overrides `PropertyAccessors` to call `_readyClients` callback
-       * if it was not called as a result of flushing properties.
+       * Overrides `PropertyAccessors` so that property accessor
+       * side effects are not enabled until after client dom is fully ready.
+       * Also calls `_flushClients` callback to ensure client dom is enabled
+       * that was not enabled as a result of flushing properties.
        *
        * @override
        */
       ready() {
+        // It is important that `super.ready()` is not called here as it
+        // immediately turns on accessors. Instead, we wait until `readyClients`
+        // to enable accessors to provide a guarantee that clients are ready
+        // before processing any accessors side effects.
         this._flushProperties();
+        // If no data was pending, `_flushProperties` will not `flushClients`
+        // so ensure this is done.
         if (!this.__dataClientsInitialized) {
           this._flushClients();
         }
@@ -2215,6 +2223,8 @@
        * @protected
        */
       _stampTemplate(template) {
+        // Ensures that created dom is `_enqueueClient`'d to this element so
+        // that it can be flushed on next call to `_flushProperties`
         hostStack.beginHosting(this);
         let dom = super._stampTemplate(template);
         hostStack.endHosting(this);