diff --git a/externs/closure-types.js b/externs/closure-types.js
index 8e7f3dd19a..ec51bccff4 100644
--- a/externs/closure-types.js
+++ b/externs/closure-types.js
@@ -886,6 +886,10 @@ Polymer_ElementMixin._finalizeClass = function(){};
 */
 Polymer_ElementMixin.createObservers = function(observers, dynamicFns){};
 /**
+* @return {!HTMLTemplateElement}
+*/
+Polymer_ElementMixin._getTemplateFromDomModule = function(){};
+/**
 * @param {string} cssText Text containing styling to process
 * @param {string} baseURI Base URI to rebase CSS paths against
 * @return {string}
diff --git a/types/lib/mixins/element-mixin.d.ts b/types/lib/mixins/element-mixin.d.ts
index 879ca122d7..a02de4188e 100644
--- a/types/lib/mixins/element-mixin.d.ts
+++ b/types/lib/mixins/element-mixin.d.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,14 @@ declare namespace Polymer {
      */
     createObservers(observers: object|null, dynamicFns: object|null): void;
 
+    /**
+     * Look up template from dom-module for element
+     *
+     * @returns Template found in dom module, or
+     *   undefined if not found
+     */
+    _getTemplateFromDomModule(): HTMLTemplateElement;
+
     /**
      * Gather style text for a style element in the template.
      *