diff --git a/src/lib/render-status.html b/src/lib/render-status.html
index 01fed70155..eb687cf377 100644
--- a/src/lib/render-status.html
+++ b/src/lib/render-status.html
@@ -49,33 +49,34 @@
       });
     },
 
-    _afterFirstRenderQueue: [],
+    _afterNextRenderQueue: [],
 
-    _waitingAfterFirstRender: false,
+    _waitingNextRender: false,
 
-    afterFirstRender: function(element, fn, args) {
-      if (!this._waitingAfterFirstRender) {
-        this._waitingAfterFirstRender = true;
-        this.whenReady(this._flushAfterFirstRender);
+    afterNextRender: function(element, fn, args) {
+      if (!this._waitingNextRender) {
+        this._waitingNextRender = true;
+        this.whenReady(this._flushAfterNextRender);
       }
-      this._afterFirstRenderQueue.push([element, fn, args]);
+      this._afterNextRenderQueue.push([element, fn, args]);
     },
 
-    _flushAfterFirstRender: function() {
+    _flushAfterNextRender: function() {
       // we want to defer flush until just after the next paint.
       requestAnimationFrame(function() {
-        setTimeout(Polymer.RenderStatus.__flushAfterFirstRender);
+        setTimeout(Polymer.RenderStatus.__flushAfterNextRender);
       });
     },
 
-    __flushAfterFirstRender: function() {
+    __flushAfterNextRender: function() {
+      // called without context so force here.
       var self = Polymer.RenderStatus;
-      self._waitingAfterFirstRender = false;
-      for (var i=0, h; i < self._afterFirstRenderQueue.length; i++) {
-        h = self._afterFirstRenderQueue[i];
+      self._waitingNextRender = false;
+      for (var i=0, h; i < self._afterNextRenderQueue.length; i++) {
+        h = self._afterNextRenderQueue[i];
         h[1].apply(h[0], h[2] || Polymer.nar);
       };
-      self._afterFirstRenderQueue = [];
+      self._afterNextRenderQueue = [];
     }
   };