diff --git a/packages/ember-meta/lib/meta.ts b/packages/ember-meta/lib/meta.ts
index a2e707cc338..7624866b922 100644
--- a/packages/ember-meta/lib/meta.ts
+++ b/packages/ember-meta/lib/meta.ts
@@ -321,12 +321,13 @@ export class Meta {
         : '',
       !this.isMetaDestroyed()
     );
-    let ret = this._chains;
+    let { _chains: ret } = this;
     if (ret === undefined) {
       this._chains = ret = create(this.source);
 
-      if (this.parent !== null) {
-        let parentChains = this.parent.writableChains(create);
+      let { parent } = this;
+      if (parent !== null) {
+        let parentChains = parent.writableChains(create);
         parentChains.copyTo(ret);
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/ember-metal/tests/chains_test.js b/packages/ember-metal/tests/chains_test.js
index 91aa9bfc2ab..95a7963fa74 100644
--- a/packages/ember-metal/tests/chains_test.js
+++ b/packages/ember-metal/tests/chains_test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   addObserver,
   get,
+  set,
   ChainNode,
   finishChains,
   defineProperty,
@@ -156,25 +157,26 @@ moduleFor(
 
     ['@test writable chains is not defined more than once'](assert) {
       assert.expect(0);
-      function didChange() {}
 
-      let obj = {
-        foo: {
-          bar: {
-            baz: {
-              value: 123,
-            },
+      class Base {
+        constructor() {
+          finishChains(meta(this));
+        }
+
+        didChange() {}
+      }
+
+      Base.prototype.foo = {
+        bar: {
+          baz: {
+            value: 123,
           },
         },
       };
 
-      // Setup object like a constructor, which delays initializing values in chains
-      let parentMeta = meta(obj);
-      parentMeta.proto = obj;
-
       // Define a standard computed property, which will eventually setup dependencies
       defineProperty(
-        obj,
+        Base.prototype,
         'bar',
         computed('foo.bar', {
           get() {
@@ -184,24 +186,25 @@ moduleFor(
       );
 
       // Define some aliases, which will proxy chains along
-      defineProperty(obj, 'baz', alias('bar.baz'));
-      defineProperty(obj, 'value', alias('baz.value'));
+      defineProperty(Base.prototype, 'baz', alias('bar.baz'));
+      defineProperty(Base.prototype, 'value', alias('baz.value'));
 
       // Define an observer, which will eagerly attempt to setup chains and watch
       // their values. This follows the aliases eagerly, and forces the first
       // computed to actually set up its values/dependencies for chains. If
       // writableChains was not already defined, this results in multiple root
       // chain nodes being defined on the same object meta.
-      addObserver(obj, 'value', null, didChange);
-
-      let childObj = Object.create(obj);
+      addObserver(Base.prototype, 'value', null, 'didChange');
 
-      let childMeta = meta(childObj);
+      class Child extends Base {}
 
-      finishChains(childMeta);
+      let childObj = new Child();
 
-      // If we can unwatch the root computed, then chains was not overwritten
-      unwatch(childObj, 'foo.bar');
+      set(childObj, 'foo.bar', {
+        baz: {
+          value: 456,
+        },
+      });
     }
   }
 );