diff --git a/lib/ClassBuilder.js b/lib/ClassBuilder.js
index d7d1361..2657e8b 100644
--- a/lib/ClassBuilder.js
+++ b/lib/ClassBuilder.js
@@ -233,11 +233,11 @@ exports.getForcedPublicMethods = function()
  *
  * @param  {Function|Object}  cls  class from which to retrieve metadata
  *
- * @return  {__class_meta}
+ * @return  {__class_meta} or null if unavailable
  */
 exports.getMeta = function( cls )
 {
-    return ( cls[ _priv ] || {} ).meta || {};
+    return ( cls[ _priv ] || {} ).meta || null;
 }
 
 
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ exports.prototype.build = function extend( _, __ )
             props:   this._memberBuilder.initMembers(),
         },
 
-        meta = exports.getMeta( base ),
+        meta = exports.getMeta( base ) || {},
 
         abstract_methods =
             util.clone( meta.abstractMethods )
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ exports.prototype.build = function extend( _, __ )
     // properties initialized by the ctor are implicitly public; otherwise,
     // proxying will fail to take place
     // TODO: see Class.isA TODO
-    if ( prototype.___$$vis$$ === undefined )
+    if ( ( prototype[ _priv ] || {} ).vis === undefined )
     {
         this._discoverProtoProps( prototype, prop_init );
     }
@@ -1006,7 +1006,8 @@ exports.prototype._attachPropInit = function(
         inherit = !!inherit;
 
         var iid    = this.__iid,
-            parent = prototype.___$$parent$$;
+            parent = prototype.___$$parent$$,
+            vis    = this[ _priv ].vis;
 
         // first initialize the parent's properties, so that ours will overwrite
         // them
@@ -1022,7 +1023,7 @@ exports.prototype._attachPropInit = function(
         // this will return our property proxy, if supported by our environment,
         // otherwise just a normal object with everything merged in
         var inst_props = _self._visFactory.createPropProxy(
-            this, this.___$$vis$$, properties[ 'public' ]
+            this, vis, properties[ 'public' ]
         );
 
         // Copies all public and protected members into inst_props and stores
@@ -1030,7 +1031,7 @@ exports.prototype._attachPropInit = function(
         // chain and is returned. This is stored in a property referenced by the
         // class id, so that the private members can be swapped on each method
         // request, depending on calling context.
-        var vis = this.___$$vis$$[ cid ] = _self._visFactory.setup(
+        var vis = vis[ cid ] = _self._visFactory.setup(
             inst_props, properties, members
         );
 
@@ -1232,6 +1233,10 @@ exports.prototype.attachStatic = function( ctor, members, base, inheriting )
 }
 
 
+// FIXME: this is *temporary* during refactoring!
+module.exports.___$$privsym$$ = _priv;
+
+
 /**
  * Initializes class metadata for the given class
  *
@@ -1325,8 +1330,12 @@ function initInstance( instance )
     var prot = function() {};
     prot.prototype = instance;
 
+    // initialize our *own* private metadata store; do not use the
+    // prototype's
+    instance[ _priv ] = {};
+
     // add the visibility objects to the data object for this class instance
-    instance.___$$vis$$ = new prot();
+    instance[ _priv ].vis = new prot();
 }
 
 
@@ -1380,9 +1389,10 @@ exports.getMethodInstance = function( inst, cid )
     }
 
     var iid  = inst.__iid,
-        data = inst.___$$vis$$;
+        priv = inst[ _priv ],
+        data;
 
-    return ( iid && data )
+    return ( iid && priv && ( data = priv.vis ) )
         ? data[ cid ]
         : null
     ;
diff --git a/lib/Trait.js b/lib/Trait.js
index febefb9..cec7875 100644
--- a/lib/Trait.js
+++ b/lib/Trait.js
@@ -680,6 +680,9 @@ function addTraitInst( T, dfn, tc, base )
  */
 function tctor( tc, base )
 {
+    // FIXME: this is temporary during refactoring!
+    var cbpriv = ClassBuilder.___$$privsym$$;
+
     // instantiate all traits and assign the object to their
     // respective fields
     for ( var t in tc )
@@ -693,7 +696,7 @@ function tctor( tc, base )
         // (but not private); in return, we will use its own protected
         // visibility object to gain access to its protected members...quite
         // the intimate relationship
-        this[ f ] = C( base, this.___$$vis$$ ).___$$vis$$;
+        this[ f ] = C( base, this[ cbpriv ].vis )[ cbpriv ].vis;
     }
 
     // if we are a subtype, be sure to initialize our parent's traits
diff --git a/lib/class.js b/lib/class.js
index cb80559..d7b3884 100644
--- a/lib/class.js
+++ b/lib/class.js
@@ -169,6 +169,8 @@ var _dummyinst  = { constructor: { prototype: {} } };
 /**
  * Determines whether the provided object is a class created through ease.js
  *
+ * TODO: delegate to ClassBuilder
+ *
  * @param  {Object}  obj  object to test
  *
  * @return  {boolean}  true if class (created through ease.js), otherwise false
@@ -182,10 +184,11 @@ module.exports.isClass = function( obj )
         return false;
     }
 
-    // TODO: this just checks one of many internal fields; we need something
-    // more formal (cannot use a strict ClassBase check because it will fail
-    // when extending prototypes)
-    return ( ( obj.prototype.___$$vis$$ !== undefined )
+    var meta = ClassBuilder.getMeta( obj );
+
+    // TODO: we're checking a random field on the meta object; do something
+    // proper
+    return ( ( ( meta !== null ) && meta.implemented )
         || ( obj.prototype instanceof ClassBuilder.ClassBase ) )
         ? true
         : false
@@ -197,6 +200,8 @@ module.exports.isClass = function( obj )
  * Determines whether the provided object is an instance of a class created
  * through ease.js
  *
+ * TODO: delegate to ClassBuilder
+ *
  * @param  {Object}  obj  object to test
  *
  * @return  {boolean}  true if instance of class (created through ease.js),
@@ -206,16 +211,8 @@ module.exports.isClassInstance = function( obj )
 {
     obj = obj || _dummyinst;
 
-    if ( !obj.constructor || !obj.constructor.prototype )
-    {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    // TODO: see isClass TODO
-    return ( ( obj.constructor.prototype.___$$vis$$ !== undefined )
-        || ( obj instanceof ClassBuilder.ClassBase ) )
-        ? true
-        : false;
+    // if the constructor is a class, then we must be an instance!
+    return module.exports.isClass( obj.constructor );
 };
 
 
diff --git a/lib/interface.js b/lib/interface.js
index e7a7dff..a8225c0 100644
--- a/lib/interface.js
+++ b/lib/interface.js
@@ -492,10 +492,13 @@ function attachInstanceOf( iface )
  */
 function _isInstanceOf( type, instance )
 {
+    // we are interested in the class's metadata, not the instance's
+    var proto = instance.constructor;
+
     // if no metadata are available, then our remaining checks cannot be
     // performed
     var meta;
-    if ( !instance.__cid || !( meta = ClassBuilder.getMeta( instance ) ) )
+    if ( !instance.__cid || !( meta = ClassBuilder.getMeta( proto ) ) )
     {
         return false;
     }