diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/testing/ts/app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts b/public/docs/_examples/testing/ts/app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts
index 03eb393c33..297e5d7ef8 100644
--- a/public/docs/_examples/testing/ts/app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts
+++ b/public/docs/_examples/testing/ts/app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts
@@ -34,19 +34,23 @@ describe('HeroDetailComponent', () => {
 
 ////////////////////
 function overrideSetup() {
-  // #docregion stub-hds
-  class StubHeroDetailService {
+  // #docregion hds-spy
+  class HeroDetailServiceSpy {
     testHero = new Hero(42, 'Test Hero');
 
-    getHero(id: number | string): Promise<Hero>  {
-      return Promise.resolve(true).then(() => Object.assign({}, this.testHero) );
-    }
+    getHero = jasmine.createSpy('getHero').and.callFake(
+      () => Promise
+        .resolve(true)
+        .then(() => Object.assign({}, this.testHero))
+    );
 
-    saveHero(hero: Hero): Promise<Hero> {
-      return Promise.resolve(true).then(() => Object.assign(this.testHero, hero) );
-    }
+    saveHero = jasmine.createSpy('saveHero').and.callFake(
+      (hero: Hero) => Promise
+        .resolve(true)
+        .then(() => Object.assign(this.testHero, hero))
+    );
   }
-  // #enddocregion stub-hds
+  // #enddocregion hds-spy
 
   // the `id` value is irrelevant because ignored by service stub
   beforeEach(() => activatedRoute.testParams = { id: 99999 } );
@@ -70,7 +74,7 @@ function overrideSetup() {
     .overrideComponent(HeroDetailComponent, {
       set: {
         providers: [
-          { provide: HeroDetailService, useClass: StubHeroDetailService }
+          { provide: HeroDetailService, useClass: HeroDetailServiceSpy }
         ]
       }
     })
@@ -81,31 +85,37 @@ function overrideSetup() {
   // #enddocregion setup-override
 
   // #docregion override-tests
-  let hds: StubHeroDetailService;
+  let hdsSpy: HeroDetailServiceSpy;
 
   beforeEach( async(() => {
     createComponent();
-    // get the component's injected StubHeroDetailService
-    hds = fixture.debugElement.injector.get(HeroDetailService);
+    // get the component's injected HeroDetailServiceSpy
+    hdsSpy = fixture.debugElement.injector.get(HeroDetailService);
   }));
 
+  it('should have called `getHero`', () => {
+    expect(hdsSpy.getHero.calls.count()).toBe(1, 'getHero called once');
+  });
+
   it('should display stub hero\'s name', () => {
-    expect(page.nameDisplay.textContent).toBe(hds.testHero.name);
+    expect(page.nameDisplay.textContent).toBe(hdsSpy.testHero.name);
   });
 
   it('should save stub hero change', fakeAsync(() => {
-    const origName = hds.testHero.name;
+    const origName = hdsSpy.testHero.name;
     const newName = 'New Name';
 
     page.nameInput.value = newName;
     page.nameInput.dispatchEvent(newEvent('input')); // tell Angular
 
     expect(comp.hero.name).toBe(newName, 'component hero has new name');
-    expect(hds.testHero.name).toBe(origName, 'service hero unchanged before save');
+    expect(hdsSpy.testHero.name).toBe(origName, 'service hero unchanged before save');
 
     click(page.saveBtn);
+    expect(hdsSpy.saveHero.calls.count()).toBe(1, 'saveHero called once');
+
     tick(); // wait for async save to complete
-    expect(hds.testHero.name).toBe(newName, 'service hero has new name after save');
+    expect(hdsSpy.testHero.name).toBe(newName, 'service hero has new name after save');
     expect(page.navSpy.calls.any()).toBe(true, 'router.navigate called');
   }));
   // #enddocregion override-tests
@@ -114,7 +124,7 @@ function overrideSetup() {
     inject([HeroDetailService], (service: HeroDetailService) => {
 
     expect(service).toEqual({}, 'service injected from fixture');
-    expect(hds).toBeTruthy('service injected into component');
+    expect(hdsSpy).toBeTruthy('service injected into component');
   }));
 }
 
@@ -164,8 +174,13 @@ function heroModuleSetup() {
     });
 
     it('should save when click save but not navigate immediately', () => {
+      // Get service injected into component and spy on its`saveHero` method.
+      // It delegates to fake `HeroService.updateHero` which delivers a safe test result.
+      const hds = fixture.debugElement.injector.get(HeroDetailService);
+      const saveSpy = spyOn(hds, 'saveHero').and.callThrough();
+
       click(page.saveBtn);
-      expect(page.saveSpy.calls.any()).toBe(true, 'HeroDetailService.save called');
+      expect(saveSpy.calls.any()).toBe(true, 'HeroDetailService.save called');
       expect(page.navSpy.calls.any()).toBe(false, 'router.navigate not called');
     });
 
@@ -322,7 +337,6 @@ function createComponent() {
 class Page {
   gotoSpy:      jasmine.Spy;
   navSpy:       jasmine.Spy;
-  saveSpy:      jasmine.Spy;
 
   saveBtn:      DebugElement;
   cancelBtn:    DebugElement;
@@ -330,14 +344,9 @@ class Page {
   nameInput:    HTMLInputElement;
 
   constructor() {
-    // Use component's injector to see the services it injected.
-    const compInjector = fixture.debugElement.injector;
-    const hds          = compInjector.get(HeroDetailService);
-    const router       = compInjector.get(Router);
-
-    this.gotoSpy       = spyOn(comp, 'gotoList').and.callThrough();
-    this.navSpy        = spyOn(router, 'navigate');
-    this.saveSpy       = spyOn(hds, 'saveHero').and.callThrough();
+    const router = TestBed.get(Router); // get router from root injector
+    this.gotoSpy = spyOn(comp, 'gotoList').and.callThrough();
+    this.navSpy  = spyOn(router, 'navigate');
   }
 
   /** Add page elements after hero arrives */
diff --git a/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/testing.jade b/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/testing.jade
index df7deb4f1b..d4999a9ad4 100644
--- a/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/testing.jade
+++ b/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/testing.jade
@@ -55,8 +55,10 @@ a#top
     - [Testing with the _Observable_ test double](#tests-w-observable-double)
   * [Use a _page_ object to simplify setup](#page-object)
   * [Setup with module imports](#import-module)
-  * [Override component providers](#component-override)
-  <br><br>  
+  <br><br>
+  * [Override a component's providers](#component-override)
+    - [_overrideComponent_](#override-component-method)
+    - [Provide a _spy-stub_](#spy-stub)
   * [Test a _RouterOutlet_ component](#router-outlet-component)
     - [stubbing unneeded components](#stub-component)
     - [Stubbing the _RouterLink_](#router-link-stub)
@@ -664,7 +666,7 @@ a#testbed-get
   :marked
     The [`inject`](#inject)  utility function is another way to get one or more services from the test root injector.
     
-    See the section "[_Override Component Providers_](#component-override)" for a use case
+    See the section "[_Override a component's providers_](#component-override)" for a use case
     in which `inject` and `TestBed.get` do not work and you must get the service from the component's injector.
 :marked
   ### Always get the service from an injector
@@ -734,7 +736,12 @@ a#service-spy
 .l-sub-section
   :marked
     Faking a service instance and spying on the real service are _both_ great options. 
-    Pick the one that seems easiest for the current test suite. Don't be afraid to change your mind.
+    Pick the one that seems easiest for the current test suite. 
+    Don't be afraid to change your mind.
+
+    Spying on the real service isn't always easy, especially when the real service has injected dependencies.
+    You can _stub and spy_ at the same time, as shown in [an example below](#spy-stub).
+
 :marked
   Here are the tests with commentary to follow:
 +makeExample('testing/ts/app/shared/twain.component.spec.ts', 'tests', 'app/shared/twain.component.spec.ts (tests)')
@@ -1196,7 +1203,7 @@ figure.image-display
   * to wait until a `hero` arrives before `*ngIf` allows any element in DOM
   * element references for the title name span and name input-box to inspect their values
   * two button references to click
-  * spies on services and component methods
+  * spies on component and router methods
 
   Even a small form such as this one can produce a mess of tortured conditional setup and CSS element selection.
 
@@ -1309,7 +1316,7 @@ a#component-override
   as seen in the following setup variation:
 +makeExample('testing/ts/app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts', 'setup-override', 'app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts (Override setup)')(format='.')
 :marked
-  Notice that `TestBed.configureTestingModule` no longer provides a (fake) `HeroService` because it's [not needed](#stub-hero-detail-service).
+  Notice that `TestBed.configureTestingModule` no longer provides a (fake) `HeroService` because it's [not needed](#spy-stub).
 
 a#override-component-method
 :marked
@@ -1339,17 +1346,26 @@ code-example(format="." language="javascript").
     providers?: any[];
     ...
 
-a#stub-hero-detail-service
+a#spy-stub
 :marked
-  ### _StubHeroDetailService_
+  ### Provide a _spy stub_ (_HeroDetailServiceSpy_)
 
-  This example completely replaces the component's `providers` with an array containing the `StubHeroDetailService`.
-  The `StubHeroDetailService` is dead simple. It doesn't need a `HeroService` (fake or otherwise).
-+makeExample('testing/ts/app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts', 'stub-hds', 'app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts (StubHeroDetailService)')(format='.')
+  This example completely replaces the component's `providers` array with a new array containing a `HeroDetailServiceSpy`.
+  
+  The `HeroDetailServiceSpy` is a stubbed version of the real `HeroDetailService` 
+  that fakes all necessary features of that service. 
+  It neither injects nor delegates to the lower level `HeroService` 
+  so there's no need to provide a test double for that.
+
+  The related `HeroDetailComponent` tests will assert that methods of the `HeroDetailService` 
+  were called by spying on the service methods.
+  Accordingly, the stub implements its methods as spies:
++makeExample('testing/ts/app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts', 'hds-spy', 'app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts (HeroDetailServiceSpy)')(format='.')
 :marked
   ### The override tests
 
-  Now the tests can control the component's hero directly by manipulating the stub's `testHero`.
+  Now the tests can control the component's hero directly by manipulating the spy-stub's `testHero`
+  and confirm that service methods were called.
 +makeExample('testing/ts/app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts', 'override-tests', 'app/hero/hero-detail.component.spec.ts (override tests)')(format='.')
 :marked
   ### More overrides