diff --git a/src/lib/template/dom-repeat.html b/src/lib/template/dom-repeat.html
index 37c2cede7c..6a0def7a4b 100644
--- a/src/lib/template/dom-repeat.html
+++ b/src/lib/template/dom-repeat.html
@@ -204,19 +204,15 @@
     },
 
     detached: function() {
-      if (this._instances) {
-        for (var i=0; i<this._instances.length; i++) {
-          this._detachRow(i);
-        }
+      for (var i=0; i<this._instances.length; i++) {
+        this._detachRow(i);
       }
     },
 
     attached: function() {
-      if (this._instances) {
-        var parentNode = Polymer.dom(this).parentNode;
-        for (var i=0; i<this._instances.length; i++) {
-          Polymer.dom(parentNode).insertBefore(this._instances[i].root, this);
-        }
+      var parentNode = Polymer.dom(this).parentNode;
+      for (var i=0; i<this._instances.length; i++) {
+        Polymer.dom(parentNode).insertBefore(this._instances[i].root, this);
       }
     },
 
@@ -567,10 +563,8 @@
 
     // Implements extension point from Templatizer mixin
     _showHideChildren: function(hidden) {
-      if (this._instances) {
-        for (var i=0; i<this._instances.length; i++) {
-          this._instances[i]._showHideChildren(hidden);
-        }
+      for (var i=0; i<this._instances.length; i++) {
+        this._instances[i]._showHideChildren(hidden);
       }
     },
 
@@ -607,22 +601,18 @@
     // Called as side-effect of a host property change, responsible for
     // notifying parent path change on each inst
     _forwardParentProp: function(prop, value) {
-      if (this._instances) {
-        this._instances.forEach(function(inst) {
-          inst.__setProperty(prop, value, true);
-        }, this);
-      }
+      this._instances.forEach(function(inst) {
+        inst.__setProperty(prop, value, true);
+      }, this);
     },
 
     // Implements extension point from Templatizer
     // Called as side-effect of a host path change, responsible for
     // notifying parent path change on each inst
     _forwardParentPath: function(path, value) {
-      if (this._instances) {
-        this._instances.forEach(function(inst) {
-          inst.notifyPath(path, value, true);
-        }, this);
-      }
+      this._instances.forEach(function(inst) {
+        inst.notifyPath(path, value, true);
+      }, this);
     },
 
     // Called as a side effect of a host items.<key>.<path> path change,