diff --git a/src/standard/effectBuilder.html b/src/standard/effectBuilder.html
index e2154c7929..81b40b1860 100644
--- a/src/standard/effectBuilder.html
+++ b/src/standard/effectBuilder.html
@@ -289,10 +289,12 @@
             (node.localName == 'input' && property == 'value')) {
           value = value == undefined ? '' : value;
         }
-        // TODO(kschaaf): Ideally we'd use `fromAbove: true`, but this
-        // breaks read-only properties
-        // this.__setProperty(property, value, true, node);
-        return node[property] = value;
+        // setProperty using fromAbove to avoid spinning the wheel needlessly.
+        var pinfo;
+        if (!node._propertyInfo || !(pinfo = node._propertyInfo[property]) || 
+          !pinfo.readOnly) {
+          this.__setProperty(property, value, true, node);
+        }
       }
     },