diff --git a/lib/ClassBuilder.js b/lib/ClassBuilder.js
index 5d29a29..91a072b 100644
--- a/lib/ClassBuilder.js
+++ b/lib/ClassBuilder.js
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ function validateAbstract( ctor, cname, abstract_methods, auto )
 {
     if ( ctor.___$$abstract$$ )
     {
-        if ( abstract_methods.__length === 0 )
+        if ( !auto && ( abstract_methods.__length === 0 ) )
         {
             throw TypeError(
                 "Class " + ( cname || "(anonymous)" ) + " was declared as " +
diff --git a/lib/Trait.js b/lib/Trait.js
index 3aa9e6c..e1c18ff 100644
--- a/lib/Trait.js
+++ b/lib/Trait.js
@@ -90,11 +90,6 @@ Trait.extend = function( dfn )
     // object will be used to define the hidden abstract class)
     var name = dfn.__name || '(Trait)';
 
-    // we need at least one abstract member in order to declare a class as
-    // abstract (in this case, our trait class), so let's create a dummy one
-    // just in case DFN does not contain any abstract members itself
-    dfn[ 'abstract protected ___$$trait$$' ] = [];
-
     // augment the parser to handle our own oddities
     dfn.___$$parser$$ = {
         each:     _parseMember,
@@ -102,6 +97,10 @@ Trait.extend = function( dfn )
         getset:   _parseGetSet,
     };
 
+    // automatically mark ourselves as abstract if an abstract method is
+    // provided
+    dfn.___$$auto$abstract$$ = true;
+
     // give the abstract trait class a distinctive name for debugging
     dfn.__name = '#AbstractTrait#';
 
@@ -289,8 +288,6 @@ function createConcrete( acls )
     // a constructor that accepts the protected member object of the
     // containing class
     var dfn = {
-        'protected ___$$trait$$': function() {},
-
         // protected member object (we define this as protected so that the
         // parent ACLS has access to it (!), which is not prohibited since
         // JS does not provide a strict typing mechanism...this is a kluge)
@@ -506,7 +503,7 @@ function mixMethods( src, dest, vis, iname )
         // TODO: this is a kluge; we'll use proper reflection eventually,
         // but for now, this is how we determine if this is an actual method
         // vs. something that just happens to be on the visibility object
-        if ( !( src[ f ].___$$keywords$$ ) || f === '___$$trait$$' )
+        if ( !( src[ f ].___$$keywords$$ ) )
         {
             continue;
         }