diff --git a/modules/change_detection/src/record.js b/modules/change_detection/src/record.js
index 1b52d14499..fff5e451af 100644
--- a/modules/change_detection/src/record.js
+++ b/modules/change_detection/src/record.js
@@ -95,25 +95,26 @@ export class Record {
     this.funcOrValue = null;
     this.args = null;
 
-    if (protoRecord.recordType === PROTO_RECORD_CONST) {
+    var type = protoRecord.recordType;
+    if (type === PROTO_RECORD_CONST) {
       this.mode = MODE_STATE_CONST;
       this.funcOrValue = protoRecord.funcOrValue;
 
-    } else if (protoRecord.recordType === PROTO_RECORD_PURE_FUNCTION) {
+    } else if (type === PROTO_RECORD_PURE_FUNCTION) {
       this.mode = MODE_STATE_INVOKE_PURE_FUNCTION;
       this.funcOrValue = protoRecord.funcOrValue;
       this.args = ListWrapper.createFixedSize(protoRecord.arity);
 
-    } else if (protoRecord.recordType === PROTO_RECORD_METHOD) {
+    } else if (type === PROTO_RECORD_METHOD) {
       this.mode = MODE_STATE_INVOKE_METHOD;
       this.funcOrValue = protoRecord.funcOrValue;
       this.args = ListWrapper.createFixedSize(protoRecord.arity);
 
-    } else if (protoRecord.recordType === PROTO_RECORD_CLOSURE) {
+    } else if (type === PROTO_RECORD_CLOSURE) {
       this.mode = MODE_STATE_INVOKE_CLOSURE;
       this.args = ListWrapper.createFixedSize(protoRecord.arity);
 
-    } else if (protoRecord.recordType === PROTO_RECORD_PROPERTY) {
+    } else if (type === PROTO_RECORD_PROPERTY) {
       this.mode = MODE_STATE_PROPERTY;
       this.funcOrValue = protoRecord.funcOrValue;
     }
@@ -210,7 +211,6 @@ const MODE_STATE_LIST = 0x0006;
 const MODE_STATE_CONST = 0x0007;
 
 function isSame(a, b) {
-  if (a instanceof String && b instanceof String) return a == b;
   if (a === b) return true;
   if ((a !== a) && (b !== b)) return true;
   return false;
diff --git a/modules/change_detection/src/watch_group.js b/modules/change_detection/src/watch_group.js
index 54ae35eae7..fc484f43c4 100644
--- a/modules/change_detection/src/watch_group.js
+++ b/modules/change_detection/src/watch_group.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {AST, AccessMember, ImplicitReceiver, AstVisitor, LiteralPrimitive,
 export class ProtoWatchGroup {
   @FIELD('headRecord:ProtoRecord')
   @FIELD('tailRecord:ProtoRecord')
-  constructor(formatters) {
+  constructor(formatters=null) {
     this.formatters = formatters;
 
     this.headRecord = null;
@@ -154,17 +154,6 @@ class ProtoRecordCreator {
     //do nothing
   }
 
-  // TODO: add tests for this method!
-  visitLiteralPrimitive(ast:LiteralPrimitive) {
-    // do nothing
-  }
-
-  // TODO: add tests for this method!
-  visitBinary(ast:Binary) {
-    ast.left.visit(this);
-    ast.right.visit(this);
-  }
-
   visitLiteralPrimitive(ast:LiteralPrimitive, dest) {
     this.add(this.construct(PROTO_RECORD_CONST, ast.value, 0, dest));
   }
diff --git a/modules/core/test/compiler/view_spec.js b/modules/core/test/compiler/view_spec.js
index 1151ca7d3a..32cab0b94d 100644
--- a/modules/core/test/compiler/view_spec.js
+++ b/modules/core/test/compiler/view_spec.js
@@ -21,133 +21,81 @@ export function main() {
 
     describe('ProtoView.instantiate', function() {
 
-      function createCollectDomNodesTestCases(useTemplateElement:boolean) {
+      describe('collect root nodes', () => {
 
-        function templateAwareCreateElement(html) {
-          return createElement(useTemplateElement ? `<template>${html}</template>` : html);
-        }
-
-        it('should collect the root node in the ProtoView element', () => {
-          var pv = new ProtoView(templateAwareCreateElement('<div id="1"></div>'), new ProtoWatchGroup());
+        it('should use the ProtoView element if it is no TemplateElement', () => {
+          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div id="1"></div>'), new ProtoWatchGroup(null));
           var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
           expect(view.nodes.length).toBe(1);
           expect(view.nodes[0].getAttribute('id')).toEqual('1');
         });
 
-        describe('collect elements with property bindings', () => {
-
-          it('should collect property bindings on the root element if it has the ng-binding class', () => {
-            var pv = new ProtoView(templateAwareCreateElement('<div [prop]="a" class="ng-binding"></div>'), new ProtoWatchGroup());
-            pv.bindElement(null);
-            pv.bindElementProperty('prop', parser.parseBinding('a'));
-
-            var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
-            expect(view.bindElements.length).toEqual(1);
-            expect(view.bindElements[0]).toBe(view.nodes[0]);
-          });
-
-          it('should collect property bindings on child elements with ng-binding class', () => {
-            var pv = new ProtoView(templateAwareCreateElement('<div><span></span><span class="ng-binding"></span></div>'),
-              new ProtoWatchGroup());
-            pv.bindElement(null);
-            pv.bindElementProperty('a', parser.parseBinding('b'));
-
-            var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
-            expect(view.bindElements.length).toEqual(1);
-            expect(view.bindElements[0]).toBe(view.nodes[0].childNodes[1]);
-          });
-
+        it('should use the ProtoView elements children if it is a TemplateElement', () => {
+          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<template><div id="1"></div></template>'),
+            new ProtoWatchGroup());
+          var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
+          expect(view.nodes.length).toBe(1);
+          expect(view.nodes[0].getAttribute('id')).toEqual('1');
         });
 
-        describe('collect text nodes with bindings', () => {
-
-          it('should collect text nodes under the root element', () => {
-            var pv = new ProtoView(templateAwareCreateElement('<div class="ng-binding">{{}}<span></span>{{}}</div>'), new ProtoWatchGroup());
-            pv.bindElement(null);
-            pv.bindTextNode(0, parser.parseBinding('a'));
-            pv.bindTextNode(2, parser.parseBinding('b'));
-
-            var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
-            expect(view.textNodes.length).toEqual(2);
-            expect(view.textNodes[0]).toBe(view.nodes[0].childNodes[0]);
-            expect(view.textNodes[1]).toBe(view.nodes[0].childNodes[2]);
-          });
-
-          it('should collect text nodes with bindings on child elements with ng-binding class', () => {
-            var pv = new ProtoView(templateAwareCreateElement('<div><span> </span><span class="ng-binding">{{}}</span></div>'),
-              new ProtoWatchGroup());
-            pv.bindElement(null);
-            pv.bindTextNode(0, parser.parseBinding('b'));
-
-            var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
-            expect(view.textNodes.length).toEqual(1);
-            expect(view.textNodes[0]).toBe(view.nodes[0].childNodes[1].childNodes[0]);
-          });
-
-        });
-      }
-
-      describe('collect dom nodes with a regular element as root', () => {
-        createCollectDomNodesTestCases(false);
       });
 
-      describe('collect dom nodes with a template element as root', () => {
-        createCollectDomNodesTestCases(true);
+      describe('collect elements with property bindings', () => {
+
+        it('should collect property bindings on the root element if it has the ng-binding class', () => {
+          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div [prop]="a" class="ng-binding"></div>'), new ProtoWatchGroup(null));
+          pv.bindElement(null);
+          pv.bindElementProperty('prop', parser.parseBinding('a'));
+
+          var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
+          expect(view.bindElements.length).toEqual(1);
+          expect(view.bindElements[0]).toBe(view.nodes[0]);
+        });
+
+        it('should collect property bindings on child elements with ng-binding class', () => {
+          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div><span></span><span class="ng-binding"></span></div>'),
+            new ProtoWatchGroup(null));
+          pv.bindElement(null);
+          pv.bindElementProperty('a', parser.parseBinding('b'));
+
+          var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
+          expect(view.bindElements.length).toEqual(1);
+          expect(view.bindElements[0]).toBe(view.nodes[0].childNodes[1]);
+        });
+
+      });
+
+      describe('collect text nodes with bindings', () => {
+
+        it('should collect text nodes under the root element', () => {
+          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div class="ng-binding">{{}}<span></span>{{}}</div>'), new ProtoWatchGroup(null));
+          pv.bindElement(null);
+          pv.bindTextNode(0, parser.parseBinding('a'));
+          pv.bindTextNode(2, parser.parseBinding('b'));
+
+          var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
+          expect(view.textNodes.length).toEqual(2);
+          expect(view.textNodes[0]).toBe(view.nodes[0].childNodes[0]);
+          expect(view.textNodes[1]).toBe(view.nodes[0].childNodes[2]);
+        });
+
+        it('should collect text nodes with bindings on child elements with ng-binding class', () => {
+          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div><span> </span><span class="ng-binding">{{}}</span></div>'),
+            new ProtoWatchGroup(null));
+          pv.bindElement(null);
+          pv.bindTextNode(0, parser.parseBinding('b'));
+
+          var view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
+          expect(view.textNodes.length).toEqual(1);
+          expect(view.textNodes[0]).toBe(view.nodes[0].childNodes[1].childNodes[0]);
+        });
+
       });
 
       describe('react to watch group changes', function() {
-        var view;
-        beforeEach(() => {
-          var template = DOM.createTemplate(tempalteWithThreeTypesOfBindings);
-          var pv = new ProtoView(template, templateElementBinders(),
-            new ProtoWatchGroup(null), false);
-          view = pv.instantiate(null, null);
-        });
-
-        it('should consume text node changes', () => {
-          var record = new Record(null, null);
-          record.currentValue = 'Hello World!';
-          view.onRecordChange(record , 0);
-          expect(view.textNodes[0].nodeValue).toEqual('Hello World!');
-        });
-      });
-
-        it('should consume element binding changes', () => {
-          var elementWithBinding = view.bindElements[0];
-          expect(elementWithBinding.id).toEqual('');
-          var record = new Record(null, null);
-          var memento = new ElementPropertyMemento(0, 'id');
-          record.currentValue = 'foo';
-          view.onRecordChange(record, memento);
-          expect(elementWithBinding.id).toEqual('foo');
-        });
-
-        it('should collect multiple root element injectors', () => {
-          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div><span class="ng-binding"></span><span class="ng-binding"></span></div>'),
-            new ProtoWatchGroup());
-          pv.bindElement(new ProtoElementInjector(null, 1, [Directive]));
-          pv.bindElement(new ProtoElementInjector(null, 2, [AnotherDirective]));
-
-          expect(elInj.get(Directive).prop).toEqual('foo');
-          var record = new Record(null, null);
-          var memento = new DirectivePropertyMemento(1, 0, 'prop',
-              (o, v) => o.prop = v);
-          record.currentValue = 'bar';
-          view.onRecordChange(record, memento);
-          expect(elInj.get(Directive).prop).toEqual('bar');
-        });
-
-      });
-
-      describe('react to watch group changes', () => {
-        var view, cd, ctx;
-
-          var protoWatchGroup = new ProtoWatchGroup();
-          protoWatchGroup.watch(oneFieldAst('foo'), memento);
-
-          var pv = new ProtoView(template, templateElementBinders(),
-              protoWatchGroup, false);
+        var ctx, view, cd;
 
+        function createView(protoView) {
           ctx = new MyEvaluationContext();
           view = protoView.instantiate(ctx, null);
           cd = new ChangeDetector(view.watchGroup);
@@ -190,6 +138,51 @@ export function main() {
         });
       });
 
+      describe('react to watch group changes', () => {
+        var view, cd, ctx;
+
+        function createView(protoView) {
+          ctx = new MyEvaluationContext();
+          view = protoView.instantiate(ctx, null);
+          cd = new ChangeDetector(view.watchGroup);
+        }
+
+        it('should consume text node changes', () => {
+          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div class="ng-binding">{{}}</div>'),
+            new ProtoWatchGroup(null));
+          pv.bindElement(null);
+          pv.bindTextNode(0, parser.parseBinding('foo'));
+          createView(pv);
+
+          ctx.foo = 'buz';
+          cd.detectChanges();
+          expect(view.textNodes[0].nodeValue).toEqual('buz');
+        });
+
+        it('should consume element binding changes', () => {
+          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div class="ng-binding"></div>'),
+            new ProtoWatchGroup(null));
+          pv.bindElement(null);
+          pv.bindElementProperty('id', parser.parseBinding('foo'));
+          createView(pv);
+
+          ctx.foo = 'buz';
+          cd.detectChanges();
+          expect(view.bindElements[0].id).toEqual('buz');
+        });
+
+        it('should consume directive watch expression change.', () => {
+          var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div class="ng-binding"></div>'),
+            new ProtoWatchGroup(null));
+          pv.bindElement(new ProtoElementInjector(null, 0, [Directive]));
+          pv.bindDirectiveProperty( 0, parser.parseBinding('foo'), 'prop', closureMap.setter('prop'));
+          createView(pv);
+
+          ctx.foo = 'buz';
+          cd.detectChanges();
+          expect(view.elementInjectors[0].get(Directive).prop).toEqual('buz');
+        });
+      });
     });
   });
 }