diff --git a/src/lib/style-util.html b/src/lib/style-util.html
index bd93a09429..84dc1377c8 100644
--- a/src/lib/style-util.html
+++ b/src/lib/style-util.html
@@ -106,13 +106,10 @@
         var cssText = '';
         // if element is a template, get content from its .content
         var content = element.content || element;
-        var sourceDoc = element.ownerDocument;
         var e$ = Array.prototype.slice.call(
           content.querySelectorAll(this.MODULE_STYLES_SELECTOR));
-        for (var i=0, e, resolveDoc, addModule; i < e$.length; i++) {
+        for (var i=0, e; i < e$.length; i++) {
           e = e$[i];
-          resolveDoc = sourceDoc;
-          addModule = null;
           // look inside templates for elements
           if (e.localName === 'template') {
             cssText += this._cssFromElement(e);
@@ -120,25 +117,21 @@
             // style elements inside dom-modules will apply to the main document
             // we don't want this, so we remove them here.
             if (e.localName === 'style') {
-              addModule = e.getAttribute(this.INCLUDE_ATTR);
+              var include = e.getAttribute(this.INCLUDE_ATTR);
               // get style element applied to main doc via HTMLImports polyfill
               e = e.__appliedElement || e;
               e.parentNode.removeChild(e);
+              cssText += this.resolveCss(e.textContent, element.ownerDocument);
+              // now support module refs on 'styling' elements
+              if (include) {
+                cssText += this.cssFromModules(include);
+              }
             // it's an import, assume this is a text file of css content.
-            } else {
-              // TODO(sorvell): plan is to deprecate this way to get styles;
-              // remember to add deprecation warning when this is done.
-              e = e.import && e.import.body;
-              resolveDoc = e.ownerDocument;
+            // TODO(sorvell): plan is to deprecate this way to get styles;
+            // remember to add deprecation warning when this is done.
+            } else if (e.import && e.import.body) {
+              cssText += this.resolveCss(e.import.body.textContent, e.import);
             }
-            // adjust paths in css.
-            if (e) {
-              cssText += this.resolveCss(e.textContent, resolveDoc);
-            }
-          }
-          // now support module refs on 'styling' elements
-          if (addModule) {
-            cssText += this.cssFromModules(addModule);
           }
         }
         return cssText;
diff --git a/test/unit/styling-remote-elements.html b/test/unit/styling-remote-elements.html
index 1e6f96565b..dee3c08229 100644
--- a/test/unit/styling-remote-elements.html
+++ b/test/unit/styling-remote-elements.html
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
     }
   </style>
   <template>
+    <link rel="import" type="css" href="styling-remote-sheet.css">
     <div id="me" class="border">border should be 10px</div>
   </template>
   <script>