diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/src/reflector_host.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/src/reflector_host.ts
index 3ef91c173b..4c53c9bd29 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/src/reflector_host.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/src/reflector_host.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export class ReflectorHost implements StaticReflectorHost, ImportGenerator {
   angularImportLocations() {
     return {
       coreDecorators: '@angular/core/src/metadata',
-      diDecorators: '@angular/core/src/di/decorators',
+      diDecorators: '@angular/core/src/di/metadata',
       diMetadata: '@angular/core/src/di/metadata',
       diOpaqueToken: '@angular/core/src/di/opaque_token',
       animationMetadata: '@angular/core/src/animation/metadata',
diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/test/reflector_host_spec.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/test/reflector_host_spec.ts
index 3385ba137f..c37284bff3 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/test/reflector_host_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/test/reflector_host_spec.ts
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ describe('reflector_host', () => {
     let {coreDecorators, diDecorators, diMetadata, animationMetadata, provider} =
         reflectorNestedGenDir.angularImportLocations();
     expect(coreDecorators).toEqual('@angular/core/src/metadata');
-    expect(diDecorators).toEqual('@angular/core/src/di/decorators');
+    expect(diDecorators).toEqual('@angular/core/src/di/metadata');
     expect(diMetadata).toEqual('@angular/core/src/di/metadata');
     expect(animationMetadata).toEqual('@angular/core/src/animation/metadata');
     expect(provider).toEqual('@angular/core/src/di/provider');
diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/test/static_reflector_spec.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/test/static_reflector_spec.ts
index acaa683e90..d44e8c2121 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/test/static_reflector_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/test/static_reflector_spec.ts
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ class MockReflectorHost implements StaticReflectorHost {
   angularImportLocations() {
     return {
       coreDecorators: 'angular2/src/core/metadata',
-      diDecorators: 'angular2/src/core/di/decorators',
+      diDecorators: 'angular2/src/core/di/metadata',
       diMetadata: 'angular2/src/core/di/metadata',
       diOpaqueToken: 'angular2/src/core/di/opaque_token',
       animationMetadata: 'angular2/src/core/animation/metadata',
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/src/di/metadata.ts b/modules/@angular/core/src/di/metadata.ts
index 9e05286d45..f5a759fd7c 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/src/di/metadata.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/src/di/metadata.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export interface Inject { token: any; }
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Inject: InjectDecorator = makeParamDecorator([['token', undefined]]);
+export const Inject: InjectDecorator = makeParamDecorator('Inject', [['token', undefined]]);
 
 
 /**
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ export interface Optional {}
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Optional: OptionalDecorator = makeParamDecorator([]);
+export const Optional: OptionalDecorator = makeParamDecorator('Optional', []);
 
 /**
  * Type of the Injectable decorator / constructor function.
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ export interface Injectable {}
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Injectable: InjectableDecorator = makeParamDecorator([]);
+export const Injectable: InjectableDecorator = makeParamDecorator('Injectable', []);
 
 /**
  * Type of the Self decorator / constructor function.
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ export interface Self {}
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Self: SelfDecorator = makeParamDecorator([]);
+export const Self: SelfDecorator = makeParamDecorator('Self', []);
 
 
 /**
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ export interface SkipSelf {}
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const SkipSelf: SkipSelfDecorator = makeParamDecorator([]);
+export const SkipSelf: SkipSelfDecorator = makeParamDecorator('SkipSelf', []);
 
 /**
  * Type of the Host decorator / constructor function.
@@ -362,4 +362,4 @@ export interface Host {}
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Host: HostDecorator = makeParamDecorator([]);
+export const Host: HostDecorator = makeParamDecorator('Host', []);
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/di.ts b/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/di.ts
index 81805a60bc..90bf52c3a2 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/di.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/di.ts
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ export interface Attribute { attributeName?: string; }
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Attribute: AttributeDecorator = makeParamDecorator([['attributeName', undefined]]);
+export const Attribute: AttributeDecorator =
+    makeParamDecorator('Attribute', [['attributeName', undefined]]);
 
 /**
  * Type of the Query metadata.
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@ export type ContentChildren = Query;
  * @Annotation
  */
 export const ContentChildren: ContentChildrenDecorator = makePropDecorator(
+    'ContentChildren',
     [
       ['selector', undefined],
       {first: false, isViewQuery: false, descendants: false, read: undefined}
@@ -251,6 +253,7 @@ export type ContentChild = Query;
  * @Annotation
  */
 export const ContentChild: ContentChildDecorator = makePropDecorator(
+    'ContentChild',
     [
       ['selector', undefined], {
         first: true,
@@ -362,6 +365,7 @@ export type ViewChildren = Query;
  * @Annotation
  */
 export const ViewChildren: ViewChildrenDecorator = makePropDecorator(
+    'ViewChildren',
     [
       ['selector', undefined], {
         first: false,
@@ -467,6 +471,7 @@ export type ViewChild = Query;
  * @Annotation
  */
 export const ViewChild: ViewChildDecorator = makePropDecorator(
+    'ViewChild',
     [
       ['selector', undefined], {
         first: true,
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/directives.ts b/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/directives.ts
index 2e1eedd08e..dbc6c5994b 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/directives.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/directives.ts
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ export interface Directive {
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Directive: DirectiveDecorator = <DirectiveDecorator>makeDecorator({
+export const Directive: DirectiveDecorator = <DirectiveDecorator>makeDecorator('Directive', {
   selector: undefined,
   inputs: undefined,
   outputs: undefined,
@@ -1051,7 +1051,7 @@ export interface Component extends Directive {
  * @Annotation
  */
 export const Component: ComponentDecorator = <ComponentDecorator>makeDecorator(
-    {
+    'Component', {
       selector: undefined,
       inputs: undefined,
       outputs: undefined,
@@ -1110,7 +1110,7 @@ export interface Pipe {
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Pipe: PipeDecorator = <PipeDecorator>makeDecorator({
+export const Pipe: PipeDecorator = <PipeDecorator>makeDecorator('Pipe', {
   name: undefined,
   pure: true,
 });
@@ -1184,7 +1184,8 @@ export interface Input {
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Input: InputDecorator = makePropDecorator([['bindingPropertyName', undefined]]);
+export const Input: InputDecorator =
+    makePropDecorator('Input', [['bindingPropertyName', undefined]]);
 
 /**
  * Type of the Output decorator / constructor function.
@@ -1249,7 +1250,8 @@ export interface Output { bindingPropertyName?: string; }
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const Output: OutputDecorator = makePropDecorator([['bindingPropertyName', undefined]]);
+export const Output: OutputDecorator =
+    makePropDecorator('Output', [['bindingPropertyName', undefined]]);
 
 
 /**
@@ -1310,7 +1312,7 @@ export interface HostBinding { hostPropertyName?: string; }
  * @Annotation
  */
 export const HostBinding: HostBindingDecorator =
-    makePropDecorator([['hostPropertyName', undefined]]);
+    makePropDecorator('HostBinding', [['hostPropertyName', undefined]]);
 
 
 /**
@@ -1374,4 +1376,4 @@ export interface HostListener {
  * @Annotation
  */
 export const HostListener: HostListenerDecorator =
-    makePropDecorator([['eventName', undefined], ['args', []]]);
+    makePropDecorator('HostListener', [['eventName', undefined], ['args', []]]);
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/ng_module.ts b/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/ng_module.ts
index 3aaf182ebd..180c65b781 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/ng_module.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/src/metadata/ng_module.ts
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ export interface NgModule {
  * @stable
  * @Annotation
  */
-export const NgModule: NgModuleDecorator = <NgModuleDecorator>makeDecorator({
+export const NgModule: NgModuleDecorator = <NgModuleDecorator>makeDecorator('NgModule', {
   providers: undefined,
   declarations: undefined,
   imports: undefined,
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/src/reflection/reflection_capabilities.ts b/modules/@angular/core/src/reflection/reflection_capabilities.ts
index 43f75c68b9..e475ea190e 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/src/reflection/reflection_capabilities.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/src/reflection/reflection_capabilities.ts
@@ -182,11 +182,9 @@ function convertTsickleDecoratorIntoMetadata(decoratorInvocations: any[]): any[]
     return [];
   }
   return decoratorInvocations.map(decoratorInvocation => {
-    var decoratorType = decoratorInvocation.type;
-    var annotationCls = decoratorType.annotationCls;
-    var annotationArgs = decoratorInvocation.args ? decoratorInvocation.args : [];
-    var annotation = Object.create(annotationCls.prototype);
-    annotationCls.apply(annotation, annotationArgs);
-    return annotation;
+    const decoratorType = decoratorInvocation.type;
+    const annotationCls = decoratorType.annotationCls;
+    const annotationArgs = decoratorInvocation.args ? decoratorInvocation.args : [];
+    return new annotationCls(...annotationArgs);
   });
 }
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/src/util/decorators.ts b/modules/@angular/core/src/util/decorators.ts
index 3b6a3ea67d..978406c4dd 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/src/util/decorators.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/src/util/decorators.ts
@@ -252,19 +252,20 @@ export function Class(clsDef: ClassDefinition): Type<any> {
 var Reflect = global.Reflect;
 
 export function makeDecorator(
-    props: {[key: string]: any}, parentClass?: any,
+    name: string, props: {[key: string]: any}, parentClass?: any,
     chainFn: (fn: Function) => void = null): (...args: any[]) => (cls: any) => any {
-  const annotationCls = makeMetadataClass([props], parentClass);
+  const metaCtor = makeMetadataCtor([props]);
 
   function DecoratorFactory(objOrType: any): (cls: any) => any {
     if (!(Reflect && Reflect.getMetadata)) {
       throw 'reflect-metadata shim is required when using class decorators';
     }
 
-    const annotationInstance = new (<any>annotationCls)(objOrType);
-    if (this instanceof annotationCls) {
-      return annotationInstance;
+    if (this instanceof DecoratorFactory) {
+      metaCtor.call(this, objOrType);
+      return this;
     } else {
+      const annotationInstance = new (<any>DecoratorFactory)(objOrType);
       const chainAnnotation =
           isFunction(this) && this.annotations instanceof Array ? this.annotations : [];
       chainAnnotation.push(annotationInstance);
@@ -280,13 +281,15 @@ export function makeDecorator(
       return TypeDecorator;
     }
   }
-  DecoratorFactory.prototype = annotationCls.prototype;
-  (<any>DecoratorFactory).annotationCls = annotationCls;
+  if (parentClass) {
+    DecoratorFactory.prototype = Object.create(parentClass.prototype);
+  }
+  DecoratorFactory.prototype.toString = () => `@${name}`;
+  (<any>DecoratorFactory).annotationCls = DecoratorFactory;
   return DecoratorFactory;
 }
 
-function makeMetadataClass(
-    props: ([string, any] | {[key: string]: any})[], parentClass?: any): any {
+function makeMetadataCtor(props: ([string, any] | {[key: string]: any})[]): any {
   function ctor(...args: any[]) {
     props.forEach((prop, i) => {
       const argVal = args[i];
@@ -302,24 +305,18 @@ function makeMetadataClass(
       }
     });
   }
-
-  if (parentClass) {
-    ctor.prototype = Object.create(parentClass.prototype);
-  }
-
   return ctor;
 }
 
 export function makeParamDecorator(
-    props: ([string, any] | {[key: string]: any})[], parentClass?: any): any {
-  const annotationCls = makeMetadataClass(props, parentClass);
+    name: string, props: ([string, any] | {[key: string]: any})[], parentClass?: any): any {
+  const metaCtor = makeMetadataCtor(props);
   function ParamDecoratorFactory(...args: any[]): any {
-    let annotationInstance = Object.create(annotationCls.prototype);
-    annotationCls.apply(annotationInstance, args);
-
-    if (this instanceof annotationCls) {
-      return annotationInstance;
+    if (this instanceof ParamDecoratorFactory) {
+      metaCtor.apply(this, args);
+      return this;
     }
+    const annotationInstance = new (<any>ParamDecoratorFactory)(...args);
 
     (<any>ParamDecorator).annotation = annotationInstance;
     return ParamDecorator;
@@ -341,21 +338,23 @@ export function makeParamDecorator(
       return cls;
     }
   }
-  ParamDecoratorFactory.prototype = annotationCls.prototype;
-  (<any>ParamDecoratorFactory).annotationCls = annotationCls;
+  if (parentClass) {
+    ParamDecoratorFactory.prototype = Object.create(parentClass.prototype);
+  }
+  ParamDecoratorFactory.prototype.toString = () => `@${name}`;
+  (<any>ParamDecoratorFactory).annotationCls = ParamDecoratorFactory;
   return ParamDecoratorFactory;
 }
 
 export function makePropDecorator(
-    props: ([string, any] | {[key: string]: any})[], parentClass?: any): any {
-  const annotationCls = makeMetadataClass(props, parentClass);
+    name: string, props: ([string, any] | {[key: string]: any})[], parentClass?: any): any {
+  const metaCtor = makeMetadataCtor(props);
   function PropDecoratorFactory(...args: any[]): any {
-    var decoratorInstance = Object.create(annotationCls.prototype);
-    annotationCls.apply(decoratorInstance, args);
-
-    if (this instanceof annotationCls) {
-      return decoratorInstance;
+    if (this instanceof PropDecoratorFactory) {
+      metaCtor.apply(this, args);
+      return this;
     } else {
+      var decoratorInstance = new (<any>PropDecoratorFactory)(...args);
       return function PropDecorator(target: any, name: string) {
         const meta = Reflect.getOwnMetadata('propMetadata', target.constructor) || {};
         meta[name] = meta[name] || [];
@@ -364,7 +363,10 @@ export function makePropDecorator(
       };
     }
   }
-  PropDecoratorFactory.prototype = annotationCls.prototype;
-  (<any>PropDecoratorFactory).annotationCls = annotationCls;
+  if (parentClass) {
+    PropDecoratorFactory.prototype = Object.create(parentClass.prototype);
+  }
+  PropDecoratorFactory.prototype.toString = () => `@${name}`;
+  (<any>PropDecoratorFactory).annotationCls = PropDecoratorFactory;
   return PropDecoratorFactory;
 }
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/test/reflection/reflector_common.ts b/modules/@angular/core/test/reflection/reflector_common.ts
index 2340dcfdfa..85d93d75c5 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/test/reflection/reflector_common.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/test/reflection/reflector_common.ts
@@ -32,9 +32,11 @@ export function propDecorator(value: any /** TODO #9100 */) {
 }
 
 /** @Annotation */ export const ClassDecorator =
-    <ClassDecoratorFactory>makeDecorator({value: undefined});
-/** @Annotation */ export const ParamDecorator = makeParamDecorator([['value', undefined]]);
-/** @Annotation */ export const PropDecorator = makePropDecorator([['value', undefined]]);
+    <ClassDecoratorFactory>makeDecorator('ClassDecorator', {value: undefined});
+/** @Annotation */ export const ParamDecorator =
+    makeParamDecorator('ParamDecorator', [['value', undefined]]);
+/** @Annotation */ export const PropDecorator =
+    makePropDecorator('PropDecorator', [['value', undefined]]);
 
 // used only in Dart
 export class HasGetterAndSetterDecorators {}
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/test/util/decorators_spec.ts b/modules/@angular/core/test/util/decorators_spec.ts
index 7f836f03e8..325c2184ef 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/test/util/decorators_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/test/util/decorators_spec.ts
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ class DecoratedChild extends DecoratedParent {}
 export function main() {
   var Reflect = global.Reflect;
 
-  var TerminalDecorator = makeDecorator({terminal: true});
-  var TestDecorator =
-      makeDecorator({marker: undefined}, Object, (fn: any) => fn.Terminal = TerminalDecorator);
+  var TerminalDecorator = makeDecorator('TerminalDecorator', {terminal: true});
+  var TestDecorator = makeDecorator(
+      'TestDecorator', {marker: undefined}, Object, (fn: any) => fn.Terminal = TerminalDecorator);
 
   describe('decorators', () => {
     it('should invoke as decorator', () => {
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/testing/lang_utils.ts b/modules/@angular/core/testing/lang_utils.ts
index 4ab7b72935..8b41aa56b2 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/testing/lang_utils.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/testing/lang_utils.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,5 @@ export function getTypeOf(instance: any /** TODO #9100 */) {
 }
 
 export function instantiateType(type: Function, params: any[] = []) {
-  var instance = Object.create(type.prototype);
-  instance.constructor.apply(instance, params);
-  return instance;
+  return new (<any>type)(...params);
 }