diff --git a/iron-validatable-behavior.html b/iron-validatable-behavior.html
index 8060713..1b9beba 100644
--- a/iron-validatable-behavior.html
+++ b/iron-validatable-behavior.html
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 <link rel="import" href="../iron-meta/iron-meta.html">
 
 <script>
+  /**
+   * Singleton IronMeta instance.
+   */
+  Polymer.IronValidatableBehaviorMeta = null;
 
   /**
    * `Use Polymer.IronValidatableBehavior` to implement an element that validates user input.
@@ -41,14 +45,6 @@
 
     properties: {
 
-      /**
-       * Namespace for this validator.
-       */
-      validatorType: {
-        type: String,
-        value: 'validator'
-      },
-
       /**
        * Name of the validator to use.
        */
@@ -66,22 +62,35 @@
         value: false
       },
 
+      /**
+       * This property is deprecated and should not be used. Use the global
+       * validator meta singleton, `Polymer.IronValidatableBehaviorMeta` instead.
+       */
       _validatorMeta: {
         type: Object
-      }
+      },
 
+      /**
+       * Namespace for this validator. This property is deprecated and should
+       * not be used. For all intents and purposes, please consider it a
+       * read-only, config-time property.
+       */
+      validatorType: {
+        type: String,
+        value: 'validator'
+      },
+
+      _validator: {
+        computed: '__computeValidator(validator)'
+      }
     },
 
     observers: [
       '_invalidChanged(invalid)'
     ],
 
-    get _validator() {
-      return this._validatorMeta && this._validatorMeta.byKey(this.validator);
-    },
-
-    ready: function() {
-      this._validatorMeta = new Polymer.IronMeta({type: this.validatorType});
+    registered: function() {
+      Polymer.IronValidatableBehaviorMeta = new Polymer.IronMeta({type: 'validator'});
     },
 
     _invalidChanged: function() {
@@ -128,6 +137,11 @@
         return this._validator.validate(value);
       }
       return true;
+    },
+
+    __computeValidator: function() {
+      return Polymer.IronValidatableBehaviorMeta &&
+          Polymer.IronValidatableBehaviorMeta.byKey(this.validator);
     }
   };
 
diff --git a/test/cats-only.html b/test/cats-only.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f166993
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cats-only.html
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<!--
+@license
+Copyright (c) 2016 The Polymer Project Authors. All rights reserved.
+This code may only be used under the BSD style license found at http://polymer.github.io/LICENSE.txt
+The complete set of authors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/AUTHORS.txt
+The complete set of contributors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/CONTRIBUTORS.txt
+Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
+subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
+-->
+
+<link rel="import" href="../../polymer/polymer.html">
+<link rel="import" href="../../iron-validator-behavior/iron-validator-behavior.html">
+
+<script>
+
+  Polymer({
+
+    is: 'cats-only',
+
+    behaviors: [
+      Polymer.IronValidatorBehavior
+    ],
+
+    validate: function(value) {
+      return value === 'cats';
+    }
+
+  });
+
+</script>
diff --git a/test/dogs-only.html b/test/dogs-only.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b462a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/dogs-only.html
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<!--
+@license
+Copyright (c) 2016 The Polymer Project Authors. All rights reserved.
+This code may only be used under the BSD style license found at http://polymer.github.io/LICENSE.txt
+The complete set of authors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/AUTHORS.txt
+The complete set of contributors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/CONTRIBUTORS.txt
+Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
+subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
+-->
+
+<link rel="import" href="../../polymer/polymer.html">
+<link rel="import" href="../../iron-validator-behavior/iron-validator-behavior.html">
+
+<script>
+
+  Polymer({
+
+    is: 'dogs-only',
+
+    behaviors: [
+      Polymer.IronValidatorBehavior
+    ],
+
+    validate: function(value) {
+      return value === 'dogs';
+    }
+
+  });
+
+</script>
diff --git a/test/iron-validatable-behavior.html b/test/iron-validatable-behavior.html
index 50e1f14..a8040ef 100644
--- a/test/iron-validatable-behavior.html
+++ b/test/iron-validatable-behavior.html
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 
   <link rel="import" href="../../test-fixture/test-fixture.html">
   <link rel="import" href="test-validatable.html">
+  <link rel="import" href="cats-only.html">
+  <link rel="import" href="dogs-only.html">
 
 </head>
 <body>
@@ -34,6 +36,14 @@
     </template>
   </test-fixture>
 
+  <test-fixture id="validators">
+    <template>
+      <cats-only></cats-only>
+      <dogs-only></dogs-only>
+      <test-validatable></test-validatable>
+    </template>
+  </test-fixture>
+
   <script>
 
     suite('basic', function() {
@@ -52,6 +62,25 @@
         assert.isTrue(valid);
       });
 
+      test('changing the validator works', function() {
+        var node = fixture('validators');
+        var input = node[2];
+
+        // Initially there's no validator, so everything is valid.
+        assert.isTrue(input.validate(''));
+        assert.isTrue(input.validate('cats'));
+
+        // Only valid if the value is 'cats'.
+        input.validator = 'cats-only';
+        assert.isFalse(input.validate('ca'));
+        assert.isTrue(input.validate('cats'));
+
+        // Only valid if the value is 'dogs'.
+        input.validator = 'dogs-only';
+        assert.isFalse(input.validate('cats'));
+        assert.isTrue(input.validate('dogs'));
+      });
+
     });
 
   </script>