diff --git a/lib/class.js b/lib/class.js
index a746417..36778f3 100644
--- a/lib/class.js
+++ b/lib/class.js
@@ -776,8 +776,6 @@ function attachPropInit( prototype, properties, members )
 {
     util.defineSecureProp( prototype, '__initProps', function()
     {
-        var inst_props = class_instance[ this.__iid ];
-
         // first initialize the parent's properties, so that ours will overwrite
         // them
         var parent_init = prototype.parent.__initProps;
@@ -786,6 +784,10 @@ function attachPropInit( prototype, properties, members )
             parent_init.call( this );
         }
 
+        var inst_props = propobj.createPropProxy(
+            this, class_instance[ this.__iid ], properties[ 'public' ]
+        );
+
         propobj.setup( this, inst_props, properties, members );
     });
 }
diff --git a/lib/propobj.js b/lib/propobj.js
index 5f9d59b..a36ff01 100644
--- a/lib/propobj.js
+++ b/lib/propobj.js
@@ -38,25 +38,6 @@ exports.setup = function( base, dest, properties, members )
         // initialize the value with a clone to ensure that they do
         // not share references (and therefore, data)
         base[ prop ] = util.clone( prop_pub[ prop ] );
-
-        ( function( prop )
-        {
-            var inst = this;
-
-            // public properties, when set internally, must forward to the
-            // actual variable
-            dest.__defineSetter__( prop, function( val )
-            {
-                inst[ prop ] = val;
-            } );
-
-            // since we're defining a setter, we'll need to define a getter
-            // to return the value, or we'll simply return undefined
-            dest.__defineGetter__( prop, function()
-            {
-                return inst[ prop ];
-            } );
-        } ).call( base, prop );
     }
 
     var methods_protected = members[ 'protected' ],
@@ -77,5 +58,54 @@ exports.setup = function( base, dest, properties, members )
     {
         dest[ prop ] = util.clone( prop_prot[ prop ] );
     }
-}
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * Creates a proxy for all given properties to the given base
+ *
+ * The proxy uses getters/setters to forward all calls to the base. The
+ * destination object will be used as the proxy. All properties within props
+ * will be used proxied.
+ *
+ * To summarize: for each property in props, all gets and sets will be forwarded
+ * to base.
+ *
+ * @param  {Object}  base   object to proxy to
+ * @param  {Object}  dest   object to treat as proxy (set getters/setters on)
+ * @param  {Object}  props  properties to proxy
+ *
+ * @return  {Object}  returns dest
+ */
+exports.createPropProxy = function( base, dest, props )
+{
+    var hasOwn = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;
+
+    for ( prop in props )
+    {
+        if ( !( hasOwn.call( props, prop ) ) )
+        {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        ( function( prop )
+        {
+            // public properties, when set internally, must forward to the
+            // actual variable
+            dest.__defineSetter__( prop, function( val )
+            {
+                base[ prop ] = val;
+            } );
+
+            // since we're defining a setter, we'll need to define a getter
+            // to return the value, or we'll simply return undefined
+            dest.__defineGetter__( prop, function()
+            {
+                return base[ prop ];
+            } );
+        } ).call( null, prop );
+    }
+
+    return dest;
+};