diff --git a/src/elements/element.html b/src/elements/element.html
index 316db14b40..9b6b76b30e 100644
--- a/src/elements/element.html
+++ b/src/elements/element.html
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@
       disconnectedCallback() {}
 
       ready() {
+        super.ready();
         if (!this.root) {
           if (this._template) {
             if (this.attachShadow) {
diff --git a/src/elements/legacy-element.html b/src/elements/legacy-element.html
index efec382dc1..08c09c18a0 100644
--- a/src/elements/legacy-element.html
+++ b/src/elements/legacy-element.html
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 
       constructor() {
         super();
-        this._applyConfigMetaData();
         this.created();
       }
 
@@ -65,6 +64,7 @@
       }
 
       ready() {
+        this._applyConfigMetaData();
         super.ready();
       }
 
diff --git a/src/properties/property-effects.html b/src/properties/property-effects.html
index a40ef5af02..154f482a51 100644
--- a/src/properties/property-effects.html
+++ b/src/properties/property-effects.html
@@ -706,7 +706,6 @@
 
       _flushProperties(fromAbove) {
         if (!this.__dataInitialized) {
-          this.__dataInitialized = true;
           this.ready();
         }
         if (this.__dataPending || this.__dataPendingClients) {
@@ -716,7 +715,9 @@
         }
       }
 
-      ready() {}
+      ready() {
+        this.__dataInitialized = true;
+      }
 
       _stampTemplate(template) {
         let dom = super._stampTemplate(template);
diff --git a/test/unit/attributes-elements.html b/test/unit/attributes-elements.html
index 892d7304f7..73a318a27f 100644
--- a/test/unit/attributes-elements.html
+++ b/test/unit/attributes-elements.html
@@ -172,10 +172,11 @@
     },
 
     properties: {
+      attr1: String,
       prop2: String
     },
 
-    created: function() {
+    ready: function() {
       this.setAttribute('prop2', 'hi');
     }
   });
diff --git a/test/unit/attributes.html b/test/unit/attributes.html
index f2d7e8e107..de0e7ba144 100644
--- a/test/unit/attributes.html
+++ b/test/unit/attributes.html
@@ -260,60 +260,50 @@
       configuredObject = {foo: 'bar', nested: {'meaning': 42}, arr: [0, 'foo', true]};
     });
 
-    test('hostAttributes set correctly', function(done) {
+    test('hostAttributes set correctly', function() {
       var element = fixture('basic');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.getAttribute('attr1'), 'this is attr 1');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.getAttribute('attr2'), '42');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.getAttribute('attr3'), 'instance', 'host attribute overrode instance attribute and should not');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.getAttribute('aria-role'), 'button');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.getAttribute('title'), 'awesome');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.title, 'awesome');
+      assert.equal(element.getAttribute('attr-object'), JSON.stringify(configuredObject));
+      assert.equal(element.hasAttribute('attr-stupid'), false);
+      // class *is* serialized
+      // TODO: reenable the next lines when https://github.com/PolymerLabs/alacarte/issues/41 is fixed
+      // BREAKME(sorvell): document breaking change.
+      assert.ok(element.classList.contains('foo'));
+      assert.ok(element.classList.contains('bar'));
+      assert.ok(element.classList.contains('baz'));
 
-      Polymer.RenderStatus.afterNextRender(element, function() {
-        assert.strictEqual(this.getAttribute('attr1'), 'this is attr 1');
-        assert.strictEqual(this.getAttribute('attr2'), '42');
-        assert.strictEqual(this.getAttribute('attr3'), 'instance', 'host attribute overrode instance attribute and should not');
-        assert.strictEqual(this.getAttribute('aria-role'), 'button');
-        assert.strictEqual(this.getAttribute('title'), 'awesome');
-        assert.strictEqual(this.title, 'awesome');
-        assert.equal(this.getAttribute('attr-object'), JSON.stringify(configuredObject));
-        assert.equal(this.hasAttribute('attr-stupid'), false);
-
-        // class is not serialized
-        // TODO: reenable the next lines when https://github.com/PolymerLabs/alacarte/issues/41 is fixed
-        //assert.notOk(this.classList.contains('foo'));
-        //assert.notOk(this.classList.contains('bar'));
-        //assert.notOk(this.classList.contains('baz'));
-
-        done();
-      });
     });
 
-    test('hostAttributes set correctly in composed element', function(done) {
+    test('hostAttributes set correctly in composed element', function() {
       var element = fixture('compose');
-
-      Polymer.RenderStatus.afterNextRender(element, function() {
-        // TODO: reenable the next line when https://github.com/PolymerLabs/alacarte/issues/43 is fixed
-        //assert.strictEqual(this.$.basic.getAttribute('attr1'), 'compose');
-        assert.strictEqual(this.$.basic.getAttribute('attr2'), '42');
-        assert.strictEqual(this.$.basic.getAttribute('aria-role'), 'button');
-        assert.strictEqual(this.$.basic.getAttribute('title'), 'awesome');
-        assert.strictEqual(this.$.basic.title, 'awesome');
-
-        assert.equal(this.$.basic.getAttribute('attr-object'), JSON.stringify(configuredObject));
-        assert.equal(this.$.basic.hasAttribute('attr-stupid'), false);
-
-        // class is not serialized
-        // TODO: reenable the next lines when https://github.com/PolymerLabs/alacarte/issues/41 is fixed
-        //assert.notOk(this.$.basic.classList.contains('foo'));
-        //assert.notOk(this.$.basic.classList.contains('bar'));
-        //assert.notOk(this.$.basic.classList.contains('baz'));
-
-        assert(this.$.basic.classList.contains('should-not-override'));
-
-        // applied to property with effect
-        // TODO: reenable the next lines when https://github.com/PolymerLabs/alacarte/issues/43 is fixed
-        //assert.strictEqual(this.$.basic.prop, 'compose');
-        //assert.equal(this.$.basic.propChangedCount, 1);
-        //assert.equal(this.$.basic.attr1ChangedCount, 1);
-        assert.equal(this.prop2, 'hi');
-
-        done();
-      });
+      // TODO: reenable the next line when https://github.com/PolymerLabs/alacarte/issues/43 is fixed
+      //assert.strictEqual(this.$.basic.getAttribute('attr1'), 'compose');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.$.basic.getAttribute('attr2'), '42');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.$.basic.getAttribute('aria-role'), 'button');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.$.basic.getAttribute('title'), 'awesome');
+      assert.strictEqual(element.$.basic.title, 'awesome');
+
+      assert.equal(element.$.basic.getAttribute('attr-object'), JSON.stringify(configuredObject));
+      assert.equal(element.$.basic.hasAttribute('attr-stupid'), false);
+
+      // class does not overwrite user setting
+      assert.notOk(element.$.basic.classList.contains('foo'));
+      assert.notOk(element.$.basic.classList.contains('bar'));
+      assert.notOk(element.$.basic.classList.contains('baz'));
+
+      assert(element.$.basic.classList.contains('should-not-override'));
+
+      // applied to property with effect
+      // TODO: reenable the next lines when https://github.com/PolymerLabs/alacarte/issues/43 is fixed
+      //assert.strictEqual(element.$.basic.prop, 'compose');
+      assert.equal(element.$.basic.propChangedCount, 1);
+      assert.equal(element.$.basic.attr1ChangedCount, 1);
+      assert.equal(element.prop2, 'hi');
     });
 
   });