diff --git a/packages/ember-metal/lib/chains.js b/packages/ember-metal/lib/chains.js
index a72be5f1abe..693de378a56 100644
--- a/packages/ember-metal/lib/chains.js
+++ b/packages/ember-metal/lib/chains.js
@@ -21,24 +21,27 @@ function Chains() { }
 
 Chains.prototype = Object.create(null);
 
-// a map of nodes that reference a key
-function ChainWatchers(src) {
-  this.src = src;
-  this.nodes = Object.create(null);
+function ChainWatchers(obj) {
+  // this obj would be the referencing chain node's parent node's value
+  this.obj = obj;
+  // chain nodes that reference a key in this obj by key
+  // we only create ChainWatchers when we are going to add them
+  // so create this upfront
+  this.chains = new Chains();
 }
 
 ChainWatchers.prototype = {
   add(key, node) {
-    let nodes = this.nodes[key];
+    let nodes = this.chains[key];
     if (nodes === undefined) {
-      this.nodes[key] = [node];
+      this.chains[key] = [node];
     } else {
       nodes.push(node);
     }
   },
 
   remove(key, node) {
-    let nodes = this.nodes[key];
+    let nodes = this.chains[key];
     if (nodes) {
       for (var i = 0, l = nodes.length; i < l; i++) {
         if (nodes[i] === node) {
@@ -50,7 +53,7 @@ ChainWatchers.prototype = {
   },
 
   has(key, node) {
-    let nodes = this.nodes[key];
+    let nodes = this.chains[key];
     if (nodes) {
       for (var i = 0, l = nodes.length; i < l; i++) {
         if (nodes[i] === node) {
@@ -62,7 +65,7 @@ ChainWatchers.prototype = {
   },
 
   revalidateAll() {
-    for (let key in this.nodes) {
+    for (let key in this.chains) {
       this.notify(key, true, undefined);
     }
   },
@@ -77,7 +80,7 @@ ChainWatchers.prototype = {
   //           will be/are invalidated by this key change depending on the
   //           whether the revalidate flag is passed
   notify(key, revalidate, callback) {
-    let nodes = this.nodes[key];
+    let nodes = this.chains[key];
     if (nodes === undefined || nodes.length === 0) {
       return;
     }
@@ -135,7 +138,7 @@ function addChainWatcher(obj, keyName, node) {
 
   let m = metaFor(obj);
 
-  if (m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.src !== obj) {
+  if (m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.obj !== obj) {
     m.chainWatchers = new ChainWatchers(obj);
   }
 
@@ -152,7 +155,7 @@ function removeChainWatcher(obj, keyName, node) {
   let m = obj.__ember_meta__;
 
   if (!m ||
-      m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.src !== obj) {
+      m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.obj !== obj) {
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/ember-metal/lib/property_events.js b/packages/ember-metal/lib/property_events.js
index 14768ef51a0..f46505f4f50 100644
--- a/packages/ember-metal/lib/property_events.js
+++ b/packages/ember-metal/lib/property_events.js
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ function iterDeps(method, obj, deps, depKey, seen, meta) {
 }
 
 function chainsWillChange(obj, keyName, m) {
-  if (m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.src !== obj) {
+  if (m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.obj !== obj) {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ function chainsWillChange(obj, keyName, m) {
 }
 
 function chainsDidChange(obj, keyName, m) {
-  if (m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.src !== obj) {
+  if (m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.obj !== obj) {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ function chainsDidChange(obj, keyName, m) {
 }
 
 function overrideChains(obj, keyName, m) {
-  if (m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.src !== obj) {
+  if (m.chainWatchers === undefined || m.chainWatchers.obj !== obj) {
     return;
   }
   m.chainWatchers.revalidate(keyName);