diff --git a/src/instance/base.js b/src/instance/base.js
index d887ff6..c97c9e8 100644
--- a/src/instance/base.js
+++ b/src/instance/base.js
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@
         // make a shadow root
         var root = this.createShadowRoot();
         // migrate flag(s)
-        root.applyAuthorStyles = this.applyAuthorStyles;
         root.resetStyleInheritance = this.resetStyleInheritance;
         // stamp template
         // which includes parsing and applying MDV bindings before being 
diff --git a/test/html/styling/apply-reset-styles.html b/test/html/styling/apply-reset-styles.html
index 3c08076..b260845 100644
--- a/test/html/styling/apply-reset-styles.html
+++ b/test/html/styling/apply-reset-styles.html
@@ -25,13 +25,11 @@
   <x-test></x-test>
 
   <polymer-element name="x-test">
-    <template><div id="div">I should be small and green</div></template>
+    <template><div id="div">I should be small and black.</div></template>
     <script>
       Polymer('x-test', {
-        applyAuthorStyles: true,
         resetStyleInheritance: true,
         ready: function() {
-          this.appliedAuthorStyles = this.shadowRoot.applyAuthorStyles;
           this.appliedResetStyles = this.shadowRoot.resetStyleInheritance;
         }
       });
@@ -46,11 +44,10 @@
         return;
       }
       var test = document.querySelector('x-test');
-      chai.assert.isTrue(test.appliedAuthorStyles, 'applyAuthorStyles applied');
       chai.assert.isTrue(test.appliedResetStyles, 'resetStyleInheritance applied');
       chai.assert.equal(getComputedStyle(test).color, 'rgb(255, 0, 0)',
-          'author styles applied correctly');
-      chai.assert.equal(getComputedStyle(test.$.div).color, 'rgb(0, 255, 0)',
+          'styles properly inherited');
+      chai.assert.equal(getComputedStyle(test.$.div).color, 'rgb(0, 0, 0)',
           'styles reset correctly');
       chai.assert.notEqual(parseInt(getComputedStyle(test.$.div).fontSize), 100,
           'styles reset correctly');