diff --git a/src/lib/template/templatizer.html b/src/lib/template/templatizer.html
index 5f1feec182..bec168f427 100644
--- a/src/lib/template/templatizer.html
+++ b/src/lib/template/templatizer.html
@@ -15,50 +15,55 @@
   Templatizer = {
 
     templatize: function(template) {
-      if (template._content && template._content._ctor) {
+      // TODO(sjmiles): supply _alternate_ content reference missing from root
+      // templates (not nested). `_content` exists to provide content sharing
+      // for nested templates.
+      if (!template._content) {
+        template._content = template.content;
+      }
+      // fast path if template's anonymous class has been memoized
+      if (template._content._ctor) {
         this.ctor = template._content._ctor;
         //console.log('Templatizer.templatize: using memoized archetype');
         return;
       }
-      //
-      var host = this.host;
+      // `archetype` is the prototype of the anonymous
+      // class created by the templatizer 
       var archetype = Object.create(Base);
-      //
-      archetype._template = template;
+      // normally Annotations.parseAnnotations(template) but
+      // archetypes do special caching
       this.customPrepAnnotations(archetype, template);
+      // setup accessors
       archetype._prepEffects();
+      // late-binds archetype.listen to host.listen; h.l doesn't exist yet
+      archetype.listen = function() { 
+        this.listen.apply(this, arguments);
+      }.bind(this.host);
+      /*
+      var host = this.host;
       archetype.listen = function() {
         host.listen.apply(host, arguments);
       };
-      //
+      */
+      // boilerplate code
+      archetype._notifyPath = this._notifyPathImpl;
+      // boilerplate code
+      var _constructor = this._constructorImpl;
       var ctor = function() {
-        this._setupConfigure();
-        this.root = this.instanceTemplate(this._template);
-        this._marshalTemplateContent();
-        this._marshalAnnotatedNodes();
-        this._marshalInstanceEffects();
-        this._marshalAnnotatedListeners();
-        this._ready();
-        this._notifyPath = function() {
-          var pd = this.pathDelegate;
-          if (pd) {
-            var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
-            args.unshift(this);
-            pd._notifyDelegatePath.apply(pd, args);
-          }
-        };
+        _constructor.call(this);
       };
-      //
+      // standard references
       ctor.prototype = archetype;
       archetype.constructor = ctor;
+      // TODO(sjmiles): constructor cache?
       template._content._ctor = ctor;
-      //
       // TODO(sjmiles): choose less general name
       this.ctor = ctor;
     },
 
     customPrepAnnotations: function(archetype, template) {
       if (template) {
+        archetype._template = template;
         var c = template._content;
         if (c) {
           archetype._annotes = c._annotes ||
@@ -74,6 +79,25 @@
       }
     },
 
+    _notifyPathImpl: function() {
+      var pd = this.pathDelegate;
+      if (pd) {
+        var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
+        args.unshift(this);
+        pd._notifyDelegatePath.apply(pd, args);
+      }
+    },
+
+    _constructorImpl: function() {
+      this._setupConfigure();
+      this.root = this.instanceTemplate(this._template);
+      this._marshalTemplateContent();
+      this._marshalAnnotatedNodes();
+      this._marshalInstanceEffects();
+      this._marshalAnnotatedListeners();
+      this._ready();
+    },
+
     stamp: function(model) {
       var instance = new this.ctor();
       if (model) {
diff --git a/src/lib/template/x-repeat.html b/src/lib/template/x-repeat.html
index dcfa48f562..60de27f0de 100644
--- a/src/lib/template/x-repeat.html
+++ b/src/lib/template/x-repeat.html
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@
         'items.*': 'itemsChanged'
       },
 
+      created: function() {
+        this.boundArrayObserver = this.arrayObserver.bind(this);
+      },
+
       attached: function() {
         if (!this.ctor) {
           this.templatize(this);
@@ -55,22 +59,25 @@
 
       itemsChanged: function(items, old, path) {
         if (this.isAttached) {
-          if (path) {
-            this.notifyElement(path, items);
-          } else {
-            if (old) {
-              this.unobserveArray(old);
-            }
-            if (items) {
-              this.observeArray(items);
-            }
-            this.render();
+          this._itemsChanged(items, old, path);
+        }
+      },
+
+      _itemsChanged: function(items, old, path) {
+        if (path) {
+          this.notifyElement(path, items);
+        } else {
+          if (old) {
+            this.unobserveArray(old);
+          }
+          if (items) {
+            this.observeArray(items);
           }
+          this.render();
         }
       },
 
       observeArray: function(items) {
-        this.boundArrayObserver = this.boundArrayObserver || this.arrayObserver.bind(this);
         ArrayObserve.observe(items, this.boundArrayObserver);
       },
 
@@ -136,11 +143,11 @@
 
       createRows: function(items, parent) {
         var rows = [];
-        for (var i=0, row, item; item=items[i]; i++) {
-          row = this.generateRow(i, item);
+        for (var i=0, l=items.length, row; i<l; i++) {
+          row = this.generateRow(i, items[i]);
+          rows.push(row);
           // TODO(sorvell): replace with localDom API
           parent.insertBefore(row.root, this);
-          rows.push(row);
         }
         return rows;
       },