diff --git a/lib/ClassBuilder.js b/lib/ClassBuilder.js
index 59d9a10..bb413d0 100644
--- a/lib/ClassBuilder.js
+++ b/lib/ClassBuilder.js
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ exports.prototype.build = function extend( _, __ )
 
         abstract_methods =
             util.clone( exports.getMeta( base ).abstractMethods )
-            || { __length: 0 }
+            || { __length: 0 },
 
         virtual_members =
             util.clone( exports.getMeta( base ).virtualMembers )
@@ -411,10 +411,12 @@ exports.prototype.build = function extend( _, __ )
     var new_class = this.createCtor( cname, abstract_methods, members );
 
     // closure to hold static initialization to be used later by subtypes
-    initStaticVisibilityObj( new_class );
+    this.initStaticVisibilityObj( new_class );
+
+    var _self = this;
     var staticInit = function( ctor, inheriting )
     {
-        attachStatic( ctor, static_members, base, inheriting );
+        _self.attachStatic( ctor, static_members, base, inheriting );
     }
     staticInit( new_class, false );
 
@@ -578,7 +580,8 @@ exports.prototype.buildMembers = function buildMembers(
         var parser = props.___$$parser$$;
         delete props.___$$parser$$;
 
-        function hjoin( name, orig )
+        // TODO: this is recreated every call!
+        var hjoin = function( name, orig )
         {
             handlers[ name ] = function()
             {
@@ -593,7 +596,7 @@ exports.prototype.buildMembers = function buildMembers(
                 args.push( orig );
                 parser[ name ].apply( context, args );
             };
-        }
+        };
 
         // this avoids a performance penalty unless the above property is
         // set
@@ -1044,7 +1047,7 @@ function keywordStatic( keywords )
  *
  * @return  {undefined}
  */
-function initStaticVisibilityObj( ctor )
+exports.prototype.initStaticVisibilityObj = function( ctor )
 {
     var _self = this;
 
@@ -1096,7 +1099,7 @@ function initStaticVisibilityObj( ctor )
  *
  * @return  {undefined}
  */
-function attachStatic( ctor, members, base, inheriting )
+exports.prototype.attachStatic = function( ctor, members, base, inheriting )
 {
     var methods = members.methods,
         props   = members.props,
@@ -1341,6 +1344,11 @@ function attachInstanceOf( instance )
  */
 exports.getMethodInstance = function( inst, cid )
 {
+    if ( inst === undefined )
+    {
+        return null;
+    }
+
     var iid  = inst.__iid,
         data = inst.___$$vis$$;
 
diff --git a/lib/MethodWrappers.js b/lib/MethodWrappers.js
index 6f7d198..2f88cca 100644
--- a/lib/MethodWrappers.js
+++ b/lib/MethodWrappers.js
@@ -28,7 +28,10 @@ exports.standard = {
     {
         var retf = function()
         {
-            var context = getInst( this, cid ) || this,
+            // we need some sort of context in order to set __super; it may
+            // be undefined per strict mode requirements depending on how
+            // the method was invoked
+            var context = getInst( this, cid ) || this || {},
                 retval  = undefined
             ;
 
diff --git a/lib/Trait.js b/lib/Trait.js
index 3825454..febefb9 100644
--- a/lib/Trait.js
+++ b/lib/Trait.js
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ function _createStaging( name )
 Trait.extend = function( dfn )
 {
     // we may have been passed some additional metadata
-    var meta = this.__$$meta || {};
+    var meta = ( this || {} ).__$$meta || {};
 
     // store any provided name, since we'll be clobbering it (the definition
     // object will be used to define the hidden abstract class)
diff --git a/lib/interface.js b/lib/interface.js
index 28fd3bc..e7a7dff 100644
--- a/lib/interface.js
+++ b/lib/interface.js
@@ -494,13 +494,14 @@ function _isInstanceOf( type, instance )
 {
     // if no metadata are available, then our remaining checks cannot be
     // performed
+    var meta;
     if ( !instance.__cid || !( meta = ClassBuilder.getMeta( instance ) ) )
     {
         return false;
     }
 
-    implemented = meta.implemented;
-    i           = implemented.length;
+    var implemented = meta.implemented,
+        i           = implemented.length;
 
     // check implemented interfaces et. al. (other systems may make use of
     // this meta-attribute to provide references to types)
diff --git a/test/ClassBuilder/InstanceTest.js b/test/ClassBuilder/InstanceTest.js
index fd2ac78..ad3b8f2 100644
--- a/test/ClassBuilder/InstanceTest.js
+++ b/test/ClassBuilder/InstanceTest.js
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ require( 'common' ).testCase(
         var _self = this;
 
         // object to assert against
-        var obj = {};
+        var obj    = {},
+            called = false;
 
         // mock type
         var type = { __isInstanceOf: function( givent, giveno )
diff --git a/test/MethodWrappersTest.js b/test/MethodWrappersTest.js
index 00fa6e3..b3d740f 100644
--- a/test/MethodWrappersTest.js
+++ b/test/MethodWrappersTest.js
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ require( 'common' ).testCase(
                 };
             },
 
-            keywords = { 'static': true };
+            keywords = { 'static': true },
 
             val = [ 'value' ],
             s   = {
diff --git a/test/Trait/DefinitionTest.js b/test/Trait/DefinitionTest.js
index 5849e52..5f14802 100644
--- a/test/Trait/DefinitionTest.js
+++ b/test/Trait/DefinitionTest.js
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ require( 'common' ).testCase(
     '@each(ctor) Supertype definition is applied when using traits':
     function( T )
     {
-        var expected  = 'bar';
-            expected2 = 'baz';
+        var expected  = 'bar',
+            expected2 = 'baz',
             Foo       = this.Class( { foo: expected } ),
             SubFoo    = this.Class.use( T( {} ) )
                 .extend( Foo, { bar: expected2  } );
@@ -210,7 +210,9 @@ require( 'common' ).testCase(
             return;
         }
 
-        this.fail( "Traits should not be able to define __construct" );
+        this.fail( false, true,
+            "Traits should not be able to define __construct"
+        );
     },
 
 
diff --git a/test/Util/CopyTest.js b/test/Util/CopyTest.js
index 2cb0eb7..76dd9fb 100644
--- a/test/Util/CopyTest.js
+++ b/test/Util/CopyTest.js
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ require( 'common' ).testCase(
                 c: true,
                 d: false,
                 e: undefined,
-                d: null,
-                f: function() {},
+                f: null,
+                g: function() {},
             },
             dest = {}
         ;
diff --git a/test/Util/PropParseTest.js b/test/Util/PropParseTest.js
index e4049e9..aa3a471 100644
--- a/test/Util/PropParseTest.js
+++ b/test/Util/PropParseTest.js
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ require( 'common' ).testCase(
      */
     'Supports dynamic context to handlers': function()
     {
-        var _self   = this;
+        var _self   = this,
             context = {};
 
         // should trigger all of the handlers
@@ -228,6 +228,8 @@ require( 'common' ).testCase(
             method: function() {},
         };
 
+        var get, set;
+
         // run test on getters/setters only if supported by the environment
         if ( this.hasGetSet )
         {
diff --git a/test/WarnHandlersTest.js b/test/WarnHandlersTest.js
index abc243b..ea0b09a 100644
--- a/test/WarnHandlersTest.js
+++ b/test/WarnHandlersTest.js
@@ -85,10 +85,11 @@ require( 'common' ).testCase(
         Sut.setConsole( undefined );
 
         // attempt to log
+        var _self = this;
         this.assertDoesNotThrow( function()
         {
-            Sut.handlers.log( this.warnstub );
-        }, Error );
+            Sut.handlers.log( _self.warnstub );
+        } );
 
         // restore console
         Sut.setConsole( console );
@@ -163,10 +164,11 @@ require( 'common' ).testCase(
         Sut.setConsole( undefined );
 
         // no errors should occur because it should not do anything.
+        var _self = this;
         this.assertDoesNotThrow( function()
         {
-            Sut.handlers.dismiss( this.warnstub );
-        }, Error );
+            Sut.handlers.dismiss( _self.warnstub );
+        } );
 
         // restore console
         Sut.setConsole( console );