diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/router/instruction.ts b/modules/angular2/src/router/instruction.ts
index 74cfb1703b..6fa95f4028 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/router/instruction.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/router/instruction.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import {
   List,
   ListWrapper
 } from 'angular2/src/facade/collection';
-import {Promise, PromiseWrapper} from 'angular2/src/facade/async';
 import {isPresent, normalizeBlank} from 'angular2/src/facade/lang';
 
 export class RouteParams {
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ export class RouteParams {
  */
 export class Instruction {
   component: any;
-  private _children: StringMap<string, Instruction>;
+  child: Instruction;
 
   // the part of the URL captured by this instruction
   capturedUrl: string;
@@ -32,10 +31,10 @@ export class Instruction {
   reuse: boolean;
   specificity: number;
 
-  constructor({params, component, children, matchedUrl, parentSpecificity}: {
+  constructor({params, component, child, matchedUrl, parentSpecificity}: {
     params?: StringMap<string, any>,
     component?: any,
-    children?: StringMap<string, Instruction>,
+    child?: Instruction,
     matchedUrl?: string,
     parentSpecificity?: number
   } = {}) {
@@ -43,61 +42,32 @@ export class Instruction {
     this.capturedUrl = matchedUrl;
     this.accumulatedUrl = matchedUrl;
     this.specificity = parentSpecificity;
-    if (isPresent(children)) {
-      this._children = children;
-      var childUrl;
-      StringMapWrapper.forEach(this._children, (child, _) => {
-        childUrl = child.accumulatedUrl;
-        this.specificity += child.specificity;
-      });
+    if (isPresent(child)) {
+      this.child = child;
+      this.specificity += child.specificity;
+      var childUrl = child.accumulatedUrl;
       if (isPresent(childUrl)) {
         this.accumulatedUrl += childUrl;
       }
     } else {
-      this._children = StringMapWrapper.create();
+      this.child = null;
     }
     this.component = component;
     this.params = params;
   }
 
-  hasChild(outletName: string): boolean {
-    return StringMapWrapper.contains(this._children, outletName);
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Returns the child instruction with the given outlet name
-   */
-  getChild(outletName: string): Instruction {
-    return StringMapWrapper.get(this._children, outletName);
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * (child:Instruction, outletName:string) => {}
-   */
-  forEachChild(fn: Function): void { StringMapWrapper.forEach(this._children, fn); }
-
-  /**
-   * Does a synchronous, breadth-first traversal of the graph of instructions.
-   * Takes a function with signature:
-   * (child:Instruction, outletName:string) => {}
-   */
-  traverseSync(fn: Function): void {
-    this.forEachChild(fn);
-    this.forEachChild((childInstruction, _) => childInstruction.traverseSync(fn));
-  }
-
+  hasChild(): boolean { return isPresent(this.child); }
 
   /**
    * Takes a currently active instruction and sets a reuse flag on each of this instruction's
    * children
    */
   reuseComponentsFrom(oldInstruction: Instruction): void {
-    this.traverseSync((childInstruction, outletName) => {
-      var oldInstructionChild = oldInstruction.getChild(outletName);
-      if (shouldReuseComponent(childInstruction, oldInstructionChild)) {
-        childInstruction.reuse = true;
-      }
-    });
+    var nextInstruction = this;
+    while (nextInstruction.reuse = shouldReuseComponent(nextInstruction, oldInstruction) &&
+                                   isPresent(oldInstruction = oldInstruction.child) &&
+                                   isPresent(nextInstruction = nextInstruction.child))
+      ;
   }
 }
 
@@ -105,13 +75,3 @@ function shouldReuseComponent(instr1: Instruction, instr2: Instruction): boolean
   return instr1.component == instr2.component &&
          StringMapWrapper.equals(instr1.params, instr2.params);
 }
-
-function mapObjAsync(obj: StringMap<string, any>, fn): Promise<List<any>> {
-  return PromiseWrapper.all(mapObj(obj, fn));
-}
-
-function mapObj(obj: StringMap<any, any>, fn: Function): List<any> {
-  var result = ListWrapper.create();
-  StringMapWrapper.forEach(obj, (value, key) => ListWrapper.push(result, fn(value, key)));
-  return result;
-}
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/router/route_config_impl.ts b/modules/angular2/src/router/route_config_impl.ts
index b5779c455d..1598576a98 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/router/route_config_impl.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/router/route_config_impl.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import {List, Map} from 'angular2/src/facade/collection';
  *
  * Supported keys:
  * - `path` (required)
- * - `component`, `components`, `redirectTo` (requires exactly one of these)
+ * - `component`,  `redirectTo` (requires exactly one of these)
  * - `as` (optional)
  */
 @CONST()
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/router/route_registry.ts b/modules/angular2/src/router/route_registry.ts
index 7f19576090..72c48cadc0 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/router/route_registry.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/router/route_registry.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,16 @@ import {
   StringMap,
   StringMapWrapper
 } from 'angular2/src/facade/collection';
-import {isPresent, isBlank, isType, StringWrapper, BaseException} from 'angular2/src/facade/lang';
+import {Promise, PromiseWrapper} from 'angular2/src/facade/async';
+import {
+  isPresent,
+  isBlank,
+  isType,
+  isMap,
+  isFunction,
+  StringWrapper,
+  BaseException
+} from 'angular2/src/facade/lang';
 import {RouteConfig} from './route_config_impl';
 import {reflector} from 'angular2/src/reflection/reflection';
 
@@ -26,16 +35,7 @@ export class RouteRegistry {
    * Given a component and a configuration object, add the route to this registry
    */
   config(parentComponent, config: StringMap<string, any>): void {
-    if (!StringMapWrapper.contains(config, 'path')) {
-      throw new BaseException('Route config does not contain "path"');
-    }
-
-    if (!StringMapWrapper.contains(config, 'component') &&
-        !StringMapWrapper.contains(config, 'components') &&
-        !StringMapWrapper.contains(config, 'redirectTo')) {
-      throw new BaseException(
-          'Route config does not contain "component," "components," or "redirectTo"');
-    }
+    assertValidConfig(config);
 
     var recognizer: RouteRecognizer = MapWrapper.get(this._rules, parentComponent);
 
@@ -44,19 +44,21 @@ export class RouteRegistry {
       MapWrapper.set(this._rules, parentComponent, recognizer);
     }
 
-    config = normalizeConfig(config);
-
     if (StringMapWrapper.contains(config, 'redirectTo')) {
       recognizer.addRedirect(config['path'], config['redirectTo']);
       return;
     }
 
-    var components = config['components'];
-    StringMapWrapper.forEach(components, (component, _) => this.configFromComponent(component));
+    config = StringMapWrapper.merge(
+        config, {'component': normalizeComponentDeclaration(config['component'])});
+
+    var component = config['component'];
+    this.configFromComponent(component);
 
     recognizer.addConfig(config['path'], config, config['as']);
   }
 
+
   /**
    * Reads the annotations of a component and configures the registry based on them
    */
@@ -87,69 +89,58 @@ export class RouteRegistry {
    * Given a URL and a parent component, return the most specific instruction for navigating
    * the application into the state specified by the
    */
-  recognize(url: string, parentComponent): Instruction {
+  recognize(url: string, parentComponent): Promise<Instruction> {
     var componentRecognizer = MapWrapper.get(this._rules, parentComponent);
     if (isBlank(componentRecognizer)) {
-      return null;
+      return PromiseWrapper.resolve(null);
     }
 
     // Matches some beginning part of the given URL
     var possibleMatches = componentRecognizer.recognize(url);
+    var matchPromises =
+        ListWrapper.map(possibleMatches, (candidate) => this._completeRouteMatch(candidate));
 
-    // A list of instructions that captures all of the given URL
-    var fullSolutions = ListWrapper.create();
+    return PromiseWrapper.all(matchPromises)
+        .then((solutions) => {
+          // remove nulls
+          var fullSolutions = ListWrapper.filter(solutions, (solution) => isPresent(solution));
 
-    for (var i = 0; i < possibleMatches.length; i++) {
-      var candidate: RouteMatch = possibleMatches[i];
-
-      // if the candidate captures all of the URL, add it to our list of solutions
-      if (candidate.unmatchedUrl.length == 0) {
-        ListWrapper.push(fullSolutions, routeMatchToInstruction(candidate, parentComponent));
-      } else {
-        // otherwise, recursively match the remaining part of the URL against the component's
-        // children
-        var children = StringMapWrapper.create(), allChildrenMatch = true,
-            components = StringMapWrapper.get(candidate.handler, 'components');
-
-        var componentNames = StringMapWrapper.keys(components);
-        for (var nameIndex = 0; nameIndex < componentNames.length; nameIndex++) {
-          var name = componentNames[nameIndex];
-          var component = StringMapWrapper.get(components, name);
-
-          var childInstruction = this.recognize(candidate.unmatchedUrl, component);
-          if (isPresent(childInstruction)) {
-            childInstruction.params = candidate.params;
-            children[name] = childInstruction;
-          } else {
-            allChildrenMatch = false;
-            break;
+          if (fullSolutions.length > 0) {
+            return mostSpecific(fullSolutions);
           }
-        }
+          return null;
+        });
+  }
 
-        if (allChildrenMatch) {
-          ListWrapper.push(fullSolutions, new Instruction({
-                             component: parentComponent,
-                             children: children,
-                             matchedUrl: candidate.matchedUrl,
-                             parentSpecificity: candidate.specificity
-                           }));
-        }
-      }
-    }
 
-    if (fullSolutions.length > 0) {
-      var mostSpecificSolution = fullSolutions[0];
-      for (var solutionIndex = 1; solutionIndex < fullSolutions.length; solutionIndex++) {
-        var solution = fullSolutions[solutionIndex];
-        if (solution.specificity > mostSpecificSolution.specificity) {
-          mostSpecificSolution = solution;
-        }
-      }
+  _completeRouteMatch(candidate: RouteMatch): Promise<Instruction> {
+    return componentHandlerToComponentType(candidate.handler)
+        .then((componentType) => {
+          this.configFromComponent(componentType);
 
-      return mostSpecificSolution;
-    }
+          if (candidate.unmatchedUrl.length == 0) {
+            return new Instruction({
+              component: componentType,
+              params: candidate.params,
+              matchedUrl: candidate.matchedUrl,
+              parentSpecificity: candidate.specificity
+            });
+          }
 
-    return null;
+          return this.recognize(candidate.unmatchedUrl, componentType)
+              .then(childInstruction => {
+                if (isBlank(childInstruction)) {
+                  return null;
+                }
+                return new Instruction({
+                  component: componentType,
+                  child: childInstruction,
+                  params: candidate.params,
+                  matchedUrl: candidate.matchedUrl,
+                  parentSpecificity: candidate.specificity
+                });
+              });
+        });
   }
 
   generate(name: string, params: StringMap<string, string>, hostComponent): string {
@@ -159,42 +150,74 @@ export class RouteRegistry {
   }
 }
 
-function routeMatchToInstruction(routeMatch: RouteMatch, parentComponent): Instruction {
-  var children = StringMapWrapper.create();
-  var components = StringMapWrapper.get(routeMatch.handler, 'components');
-  StringMapWrapper.forEach(components, (component, outletName) => {
-    children[outletName] =
-        new Instruction({component: component, params: routeMatch.params, parentSpecificity: 0});
-  });
-  return new Instruction({
-    component: parentComponent,
-    children: children,
-    matchedUrl: routeMatch.matchedUrl,
-    parentSpecificity: routeMatch.specificity
-  });
-}
-
 
 /*
- * Given a config object:
- * { 'component': Foo }
- * Returns a new config object:
- * { components: { default: Foo } }
- *
- * If the config object does not contain a `component` key, the original
- * config object is returned.
+ * A config should have a "path" property, and exactly one of:
+ * - `component`
+ * - `redirectTo`
  */
-function normalizeConfig(config: StringMap<string, any>): StringMap<string, any> {
-  if (!StringMapWrapper.contains(config, 'component')) {
-    return config;
+var ALLOWED_TARGETS = ['component', 'redirectTo'];
+function assertValidConfig(config: StringMap<string, any>): void {
+  if (!StringMapWrapper.contains(config, 'path')) {
+    throw new BaseException(`Route config should contain a "path" property`);
   }
-  var newConfig = {'components': {'default': config['component']}};
-
-  StringMapWrapper.forEach(config, (value, key) => {
-    if (key != 'component' && key != 'components') {
-      newConfig[key] = value;
+  var targets = 0;
+  ListWrapper.forEach(ALLOWED_TARGETS, (target) => {
+    if (StringMapWrapper.contains(config, target)) {
+      targets += 1;
     }
   });
-
-  return newConfig;
+  if (targets != 1) {
+    throw new BaseException(
+        `Route config should contain exactly one 'component', or 'redirectTo' property`);
+  }
+}
+
+/*
+ * Returns a StringMap like: `{ 'constructor': SomeType, 'type': 'constructor' }`
+ */
+var VALID_COMPONENT_TYPES = ['constructor', 'loader'];
+function normalizeComponentDeclaration(config: any): StringMap<string, any> {
+  if (isType(config)) {
+    return {'constructor': config, 'type': 'constructor'};
+  } else if (isMap(config)) {
+    if (isBlank(config['type'])) {
+      throw new BaseException(
+          `Component declaration when provided as a map should include a 'type' property`);
+    }
+    var componentType = config['type'];
+    if (!ListWrapper.contains(VALID_COMPONENT_TYPES, componentType)) {
+      throw new BaseException(`Invalid component type '${componentType}'`);
+    }
+    return config;
+  } else {
+    throw new BaseException(`Component declaration should be either a Map or a Type`);
+  }
+}
+
+function componentHandlerToComponentType(handler): Promise<any> {
+  var componentDeclaration = handler['component'], type = componentDeclaration['type'];
+
+  if (type == 'constructor') {
+    return PromiseWrapper.resolve(componentDeclaration['constructor']);
+  } else if (type == 'loader') {
+    var resolverFunction = componentDeclaration['loader'];
+    return resolverFunction();
+  } else {
+    throw new BaseException(`Cannot extract the component type from a '${type}' component`);
+  }
+}
+
+/*
+ * Given a list of instructions, returns the most specific instruction
+ */
+function mostSpecific(instructions: List<Instruction>): Instruction {
+  var mostSpecificSolution = instructions[0];
+  for (var solutionIndex = 1; solutionIndex < instructions.length; solutionIndex++) {
+    var solution = instructions[solutionIndex];
+    if (solution.specificity > mostSpecificSolution.specificity) {
+      mostSpecificSolution = solution;
+    }
+  }
+  return mostSpecificSolution;
 }
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/router/router.ts b/modules/angular2/src/router/router.ts
index d13a83af37..b060bbda4e 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/router/router.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/router/router.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ export class Router {
   previousUrl: string;
 
   private _currentInstruction: Instruction;
-  private _outlets: Map<any, RouterOutlet>;
+  private _currentNavigation: Promise<any>;
+  private _outlet: RouterOutlet;
   private _subject: EventEmitter;
   // todo(jeffbcross): rename _registry to registry since it is accessed from subclasses
   // todo(jeffbcross): rename _pipeline to pipeline since it is accessed from subclasses
@@ -41,9 +42,10 @@ export class Router {
               public hostComponent: any) {
     this.navigating = false;
     this.previousUrl = null;
-    this._outlets = MapWrapper.create();
+    this._outlet = null;
     this._subject = new EventEmitter();
     this._currentInstruction = null;
+    this._currentNavigation = PromiseWrapper.resolve(true);
   }
 
 
@@ -58,11 +60,11 @@ export class Router {
    * Register an object to notify of route changes. You probably don't need to use this unless
    * you're writing a reusable component.
    */
-  registerOutlet(outlet: RouterOutlet, name: string = 'default'): Promise<boolean> {
-    MapWrapper.set(this._outlets, name, outlet);
+  registerOutlet(outlet: RouterOutlet): Promise<boolean> {
+    // TODO: sibling routes
+    this._outlet = outlet;
     if (isPresent(this._currentInstruction)) {
-      var childInstruction = this._currentInstruction.getChild(name);
-      return outlet.activate(childInstruction);
+      return outlet.activate(this._currentInstruction);
     }
     return PromiseWrapper.resolve(true);
   }
@@ -85,7 +87,6 @@ export class Router {
    *   { 'path': '/user/:id', 'component': UserComp },
    * ]);
    * ```
-   *
    */
   config(config: any): Promise<any> {
     if (config instanceof List) {
@@ -99,39 +100,38 @@ export class Router {
 
 
   /**
-   * Navigate to a URL. Returns a promise that resolves to the canonical URL for the route.
+   * Navigate to a URL. Returns a promise that resolves when navigation is complete.
    *
    * If the given URL begins with a `/`, router will navigate absolutely.
    * If the given URL does not begin with `/`, the router will navigate relative to this component.
    */
   navigate(url: string): Promise<any> {
     if (this.navigating) {
-      return PromiseWrapper.resolve(true);
+      return this._currentNavigation;
     }
-
     this.lastNavigationAttempt = url;
+    return this._currentNavigation = this.recognize(url).then((matchedInstruction) => {
+      if (isBlank(matchedInstruction)) {
+        return PromiseWrapper.resolve(false);
+      }
 
-    var matchedInstruction = this.recognize(url);
+      if (isPresent(this._currentInstruction)) {
+        matchedInstruction.reuseComponentsFrom(this._currentInstruction);
+      }
 
-    if (isBlank(matchedInstruction)) {
-      return PromiseWrapper.resolve(false);
-    }
+      this._startNavigating();
 
-    if (isPresent(this._currentInstruction)) {
-      matchedInstruction.reuseComponentsFrom(this._currentInstruction);
-    }
+      var result =
+          this.commit(matchedInstruction)
+              .then((_) => {
+                this._finishNavigating();
+                ObservableWrapper.callNext(this._subject, matchedInstruction.accumulatedUrl);
+              });
 
-    this._startNavigating();
+      PromiseWrapper.catchError(result, (_) => this._finishNavigating());
 
-    var result = this.commit(matchedInstruction)
-                     .then((_) => {
-                       ObservableWrapper.callNext(this._subject, matchedInstruction.accumulatedUrl);
-                       this._finishNavigating();
-                     });
-
-    PromiseWrapper.catchError(result, (_) => this._finishNavigating());
-
-    return result;
+      return result;
+    });
   }
 
   _startNavigating(): void { this.navigating = true; }
@@ -146,49 +146,34 @@ export class Router {
 
 
   /**
-   *
+   * Updates this router and all descendant routers according to the given instruction
    */
-  commit(instruction: Instruction): Promise<List<any>> {
+  commit(instruction: Instruction): Promise<any> {
     this._currentInstruction = instruction;
-
-    // collect all outlets that do not have a corresponding child instruction
-    // and remove them from the internal map of child outlets
-    var toDeactivate = ListWrapper.create();
-    MapWrapper.forEach(this._outlets, (outlet, outletName) => {
-      if (!instruction.hasChild(outletName)) {
-        MapWrapper.delete(this._outlets, outletName);
-        ListWrapper.push(toDeactivate, outlet);
-      }
-    });
-
-    return PromiseWrapper.all(ListWrapper.map(toDeactivate, (outlet) => outlet.deactivate()))
-        .then((_) => this.activate(instruction));
+    if (isPresent(this._outlet)) {
+      return this._outlet.activate(instruction);
+    }
+    return PromiseWrapper.resolve(true);
   }
 
 
   /**
-   * Recursively remove all components contained by this router's outlets.
-   * Calls deactivate hooks on all descendant components
+   * Removes the contents of this router's outlet and all descendant outlets
    */
-  deactivate(): Promise<any> { return this._eachOutletAsync((outlet) => outlet.deactivate); }
-
-
-  /**
-   * Recursively activate.
-   * Calls the "activate" hook on descendant components.
-   */
-  activate(instruction: Instruction): Promise<any> {
-    return this._eachOutletAsync((outlet, name) => outlet.activate(instruction.getChild(name)));
+  deactivate(): Promise<any> {
+    if (isPresent(this._outlet)) {
+      return this._outlet.deactivate();
+    }
+    return PromiseWrapper.resolve(true);
   }
 
 
-  _eachOutletAsync(fn): Promise<any> { return mapObjAsync(this._outlets, fn); }
-
-
   /**
    * Given a URL, returns an instruction representing the component graph
    */
-  recognize(url: string): Instruction { return this._registry.recognize(url, this.hostComponent); }
+  recognize(url: string): Promise<Instruction> {
+    return this._registry.recognize(url, this.hostComponent);
+  }
 
 
   /**
@@ -197,8 +182,8 @@ export class Router {
    */
   renavigate(): Promise<any> {
     var destination = isBlank(this.previousUrl) ? this.lastNavigationAttempt : this.previousUrl;
-    if (this.navigating || isBlank(destination)) {
-      return PromiseWrapper.resolve(false);
+    if (isBlank(destination)) {
+      return this._currentNavigation;
     }
     return this.navigate(destination);
   }
@@ -237,13 +222,3 @@ class ChildRouter extends Router {
     this.parent = parent;
   }
 }
-
-function mapObjAsync(obj: Map<any, any>, fn: Function): Promise<any> {
-  return PromiseWrapper.all(mapObj(obj, fn));
-}
-
-function mapObj(obj: Map<any, any>, fn: Function): List<any> {
-  var result = ListWrapper.create();
-  MapWrapper.forEach(obj, (value, key) => ListWrapper.push(result, fn(value, key)));
-  return result;
-}
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/router/router_outlet.ts b/modules/angular2/src/router/router_outlet.ts
index 7406f34034..fb83bf5e30 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/router/router_outlet.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/router/router_outlet.ts
@@ -17,14 +17,6 @@ import {Instruction, RouteParams} from './instruction'
  * ```
  * <router-outlet></router-outlet>
  * ```
- *
- * Route outlets can also optionally have a name:
- *
- * ```
- * <router-outlet name="side"></router-outlet>
- * <router-outlet name="main"></router-outlet>
- * ```
- *
  */
 @Directive({
   selector: 'router-outlet'
@@ -38,28 +30,29 @@ export class RouterOutlet {
   constructor(elementRef: ElementRef, private _loader: DynamicComponentLoader,
               private _parentRouter: routerMod.Router, private _injector: Injector,
               @Attribute('name') nameAttr: string) {
-    if (isBlank(nameAttr)) {
-      nameAttr = 'default';
-    }
+    // TODO: reintroduce with new // sibling routes
+    // if (isBlank(nameAttr)) {
+    //  nameAttr = 'default';
+    //}
 
     this._elementRef = elementRef;
 
     this._childRouter = null;
     this._componentRef = null;
     this._currentInstruction = null;
-    this._parentRouter.registerOutlet(this, nameAttr);
+    this._parentRouter.registerOutlet(this);
   }
 
   /**
-   * Given an instruction, update the contents of this viewport.
+   * Given an instruction, update the contents of this outlet.
    */
   activate(instruction: Instruction): Promise<any> {
     // if we're able to reuse the component, we just have to pass along the instruction to the
     // component's router
     // so it can propagate changes to its children
-    if ((instruction == this._currentInstruction) ||
-        instruction.reuse && isPresent(this._childRouter)) {
-      return this._childRouter.commit(instruction);
+    if ((instruction == this._currentInstruction || instruction.reuse) &&
+        isPresent(this._childRouter)) {
+      return this._childRouter.commit(instruction.child);
     }
 
     this._currentInstruction = instruction;
@@ -70,22 +63,25 @@ export class RouterOutlet {
       bind(routerMod.Router).toValue(this._childRouter)
     ]);
 
-    if (isPresent(this._componentRef)) {
-      this._componentRef.dispose();
-    }
-
-    return this._loader.loadNextToExistingLocation(instruction.component, this._elementRef,
-                                                   outletInjector)
+    return this.deactivate()
+        .then((_) => this._loader.loadNextToExistingLocation(instruction.component,
+                                                             this._elementRef, outletInjector))
         .then((componentRef) => {
           this._componentRef = componentRef;
-          return this._childRouter.commit(instruction);
+          return this._childRouter.commit(instruction.child);
         });
   }
 
+
   deactivate(): Promise<any> {
     return (isPresent(this._childRouter) ? this._childRouter.deactivate() :
                                            PromiseWrapper.resolve(true))
-        .then((_) => this._componentRef.dispose());
+        .then((_) => {
+          if (isPresent(this._componentRef)) {
+            this._componentRef.dispose();
+            this._componentRef = null;
+          }
+        });
   }
 
   canDeactivate(instruction: Instruction): Promise<boolean> {
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/router/outlet_spec.ts b/modules/angular2/test/router/outlet_spec.ts
index ed8896f186..d4e74192e9 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/router/outlet_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/router/outlet_spec.ts
@@ -110,25 +110,6 @@ export function main() {
        }));
 
 
-    it('should work with sibling routers', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
-         compile(
-             'left { <router-outlet name="left"></router-outlet> } | right { <router-outlet name="right"></router-outlet> }')
-             .then((_) => rtr.config({'path': '/ab', 'components': {'left': A, 'right': B}}))
-             .then((_) => rtr.config({'path': '/ba', 'components': {'left': B, 'right': A}}))
-             .then((_) => rtr.navigate('/ab'))
-             .then((_) => {
-               view.detectChanges();
-               expect(view.rootNodes).toHaveText('left { A } | right { B }');
-             })
-             .then((_) => rtr.navigate('/ba'))
-             .then((_) => {
-               view.detectChanges();
-               expect(view.rootNodes).toHaveText('left { B } | right { A }');
-               async.done();
-             });
-       }));
-
-
     it('should work with redirects', inject([AsyncTestCompleter, Location], (async, location) => {
          compile()
              .then((_) => rtr.config({'path': '/original', 'redirectTo': '/redirected'}))
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/router/route_registry_spec.ts b/modules/angular2/test/router/route_registry_spec.ts
index 2813b9a8c0..1441a33d3a 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/router/route_registry_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/router/route_registry_spec.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import {
   SpyObject
 } from 'angular2/test_lib';
 
+import {Promise, PromiseWrapper} from 'angular2/src/facade/async';
+
 import {RouteRegistry} from 'angular2/src/router/route_registry';
 import {RouteConfig} from 'angular2/src/router/route_config_decorator';
 
@@ -19,75 +21,121 @@ export function main() {
 
     beforeEach(() => { registry = new RouteRegistry(); });
 
-    it('should match the full URL', () => {
+    it('should match the full URL', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/', 'component': DummyCompA});
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/test', 'component': DummyCompB});
 
-      var instruction = registry.recognize('/test', rootHostComponent);
+      registry.recognize('/test', rootHostComponent).then((instruction) => {
+        expect(instruction.component).toBe(DummyCompB);
+        async.done();
+      });
+    }));
 
-      expect(instruction.getChild('default').component).toBe(DummyCompB);
-    });
-
-    it('should prefer static segments to dynamic', () => {
+    it('should prefer static segments to dynamic', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/:site', 'component': DummyCompB});
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/home', 'component': DummyCompA});
 
-      var instruction = registry.recognize('/home', rootHostComponent);
+      registry.recognize('/home', rootHostComponent).then((instruction) => {
+        expect(instruction.component).toBe(DummyCompA);
+        async.done();
+      });
+    }));
 
-      expect(instruction.getChild('default').component).toBe(DummyCompA);
-    });
-
-    it('should prefer dynamic segments to star', () => {
+    it('should prefer dynamic segments to star', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/:site', 'component': DummyCompA});
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/*site', 'component': DummyCompB});
 
-      var instruction = registry.recognize('/home', rootHostComponent);
+      registry.recognize('/home', rootHostComponent).then((instruction) => {
+        expect(instruction.component).toBe(DummyCompA);
+        async.done();
+      });
+    }));
 
-      expect(instruction.getChild('default').component).toBe(DummyCompA);
-    });
-
-    it('should prefer routes with more dynamic segments', () => {
+    it('should prefer routes with more dynamic segments', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/:first/*rest', 'component': DummyCompA});
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/*all', 'component': DummyCompB});
 
-      var instruction = registry.recognize('/some/path', rootHostComponent);
+      registry.recognize('/some/path', rootHostComponent).then((instruction) => {
+        expect(instruction.component).toBe(DummyCompA);
+        async.done();
+      });
+    }));
 
-      expect(instruction.getChild('default').component).toBe(DummyCompA);
-    });
-
-    it('should prefer routes with more static segments', () => {
+    it('should prefer routes with more static segments', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/first/:second', 'component': DummyCompA});
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/:first/:second', 'component': DummyCompB});
 
-      var instruction = registry.recognize('/first/second', rootHostComponent);
+      registry.recognize('/first/second', rootHostComponent).then((instruction) => {
+        expect(instruction.component).toBe(DummyCompA);
+        async.done();
+      });
+    }));
 
-      expect(instruction.getChild('default').component).toBe(DummyCompA);
-    });
-
-    it('should prefer routes with static segments before dynamic segments', () => {
+    it('should prefer routes with static segments before dynamic segments', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/first/second/:third', 'component': DummyCompB});
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/first/:second/third', 'component': DummyCompA});
 
-      var instruction = registry.recognize('/first/second/third', rootHostComponent);
+      registry.recognize('/first/second/third', rootHostComponent).then((instruction) => {
+        expect(instruction.component).toBe(DummyCompB);
+        async.done();
+      });
+    }));
 
-      expect(instruction.getChild('default').component).toBe(DummyCompB);
-    });
-
-    it('should match the full URL recursively', () => {
+    it('should match the full URL using child components', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/first', 'component': DummyParentComp});
 
-      var instruction = registry.recognize('/first/second', rootHostComponent);
+      registry.recognize('/first/second', rootHostComponent).then((instruction) => {
+        expect(instruction.component).toBe(DummyParentComp);
+        expect(instruction.child.component).toBe(DummyCompB);
+        async.done();
+      });
+    }));
 
-      var parentInstruction = instruction.getChild('default');
-      var childInstruction = parentInstruction.getChild('default');
+    it('should match the URL using async child components', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
+      registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/first', 'component': DummyAsyncComp});
 
-      expect(parentInstruction.component).toBe(DummyParentComp);
-      expect(childInstruction.component).toBe(DummyCompB);
+      registry.recognize('/first/second', rootHostComponent).then((instruction) => {
+        expect(instruction.component).toBe(DummyAsyncComp);
+        expect(instruction.child.component).toBe(DummyCompB);
+        async.done();
+      });
+    }));
+
+    it('should match the URL using an async parent component', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
+      registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/first', 'component': {'loader': AsyncParentLoader, 'type': 'loader'} });
+
+      registry.recognize('/first/second', rootHostComponent).then((instruction) => {
+        expect(instruction.component).toBe(DummyParentComp);
+        expect(instruction.child.component).toBe(DummyCompB);
+        async.done();
+      });
+    }));
+
+    it('should throw when a config does not have a component or redirectTo property', () => {
+      expect(() => registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/some/path' }))
+        .toThrowError('Route config should contain exactly one \'component\', or \'redirectTo\' property');
     });
 
+    it('should throw when a config has an invalid component type', () => {
+      expect(() => registry.config(rootHostComponent, {'path': '/some/path', 'component': { 'type': 'intentionallyWrongComponentType' } }))
+        .toThrowError('Invalid component type \'intentionallyWrongComponentType\'');
+    });
   });
 }
 
+function AsyncParentLoader() {
+  return PromiseWrapper.resolve(DummyParentComp);
+}
+
+function AsyncChildLoader() {
+  return PromiseWrapper.resolve(DummyCompB);
+}
+
+@RouteConfig([
+  { 'path': '/second', 'component': { 'loader': AsyncChildLoader, 'type': 'loader' } }
+])
+class DummyAsyncComp {}
+
 class DummyCompA {}
 class DummyCompB {}
 
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/router/router_spec.ts b/modules/angular2/test/router/router_spec.ts
index 7e6fddf2e6..1d4c5816d4 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/router/router_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/router/router_spec.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export function main() {
     it('should navigate based on the initial URL state', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
          var outlet = makeDummyOutlet();
 
-         router.config({'path': '/', 'component': 'Index'})
+         router.config({'path': '/', 'component': DummyComponent})
              .then((_) => router.registerOutlet(outlet))
              .then((_) => {
                expect(outlet.spy('activate')).toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export function main() {
          var outlet = makeDummyOutlet();
 
          router.registerOutlet(outlet)
-             .then((_) => { return router.config({'path': '/a', 'component': 'A'}); })
+             .then((_) => router.config({'path': '/a', 'component': DummyComponent}))
              .then((_) => router.navigate('/a'))
              .then((_) => {
                expect(outlet.spy('activate')).toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export function main() {
              .then((_) => router.navigate('/a'))
              .then((_) => {
                expect(outlet.spy('activate')).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-               return router.config({'path': '/a', 'component': 'A'});
+               return router.config({'path': '/a', 'component': DummyComponent});
              })
              .then((_) => {
                expect(outlet.spy('activate')).toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ class DummyOutlet extends SpyObject {
   noSuchMethod(m) { return super.noSuchMethod(m) }
 }
 
+class DummyComponent {}
+
 function makeDummyOutlet() {
   var ref = new DummyOutlet();
   ref.spy('activate').andCallFake((_) => PromiseWrapper.resolve(true));