diff --git a/packages/ember-meta/lib/meta.ts b/packages/ember-meta/lib/meta.ts
index aad90b85a62..a2e707cc338 100644
--- a/packages/ember-meta/lib/meta.ts
+++ b/packages/ember-meta/lib/meta.ts
@@ -323,12 +323,12 @@ export class Meta {
     );
     let ret = this._chains;
     if (ret === undefined) {
-      if (this.parent === null) {
-        ret = create(this.source);
-      } else {
-        ret = this.parent.writableChains(create).copy(this.source);
+      this._chains = ret = create(this.source);
+
+      if (this.parent !== null) {
+        let parentChains = this.parent.writableChains(create);
+        parentChains.copyTo(ret);
       }
-      this._chains = ret;
     }
     return ret;
   }
diff --git a/packages/ember-metal/lib/chains.ts b/packages/ember-metal/lib/chains.ts
index d76e2065f5e..55a279f576d 100644
--- a/packages/ember-metal/lib/chains.ts
+++ b/packages/ember-metal/lib/chains.ts
@@ -208,18 +208,16 @@ class ChainNode {
   }
 
   // copies a top level object only
-  copy(obj: any) {
-    let ret = makeChainNode(obj);
+  copyTo(target: ChainNode) {
     let paths = this.paths;
     if (paths !== undefined) {
       let path;
       for (path in paths) {
         if (paths[path] > 0) {
-          ret.add(path);
+          target.add(path);
         }
       }
     }
-    return ret;
   }
 
   // called on the root node of a chain to setup watchers on the specified
diff --git a/packages/ember-metal/tests/chains_test.js b/packages/ember-metal/tests/chains_test.js
index 90bc2f3d040..91aa9bfc2ab 100644
--- a/packages/ember-metal/tests/chains_test.js
+++ b/packages/ember-metal/tests/chains_test.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   finishChains,
   defineProperty,
   computed,
+  alias,
   notifyPropertyChange,
   watch,
   unwatch,
@@ -152,5 +153,55 @@ moduleFor(
       assert.equal(watcherCount(obj.a, 'b.c'), 0);
       assert.equal(watcherCount(obj.a.b, 'c'), 0);
     }
+
+    ['@test writable chains is not defined more than once'](assert) {
+      assert.expect(0);
+      function didChange() {}
+
+      let obj = {
+        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,
+        'bar',
+        computed('foo.bar', {
+          get() {
+            return this.foo.bar;
+          },
+        })
+      );
+
+      // Define some aliases, which will proxy chains along
+      defineProperty(obj, 'baz', alias('bar.baz'));
+      defineProperty(obj, '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);
+
+      let childMeta = meta(childObj);
+
+      finishChains(childMeta);
+
+      // If we can unwatch the root computed, then chains was not overwritten
+      unwatch(childObj, 'foo.bar');
+    }
   }
 );