diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/AwaitBlock.ts b/src/generators/nodes/AwaitBlock.ts
index fce936ad0d..29a71d429c 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/AwaitBlock.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/AwaitBlock.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ export default class AwaitBlock extends Node {
 
 	init(
 		block: Block,
-		state: State,
 		stripWhitespace: boolean,
 		nextSibling: Node
 	) {
@@ -49,9 +48,7 @@ export default class AwaitBlock extends Node {
 				contexts
 			});
 
-			child._state = state.child();
-
-			child.initChildren(child._block, child._state, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
+			child.initChildren(child._block, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
 			this.generator.blocks.push(child._block);
 
 			if (child._block.dependencies.size > 0) {
@@ -207,8 +204,10 @@ export default class AwaitBlock extends Node {
 		`);
 
 		[this.pending, this.then, this.catch].forEach(status => {
+			const childState = state.child(); // TODO is this necessary?
+
 			status.children.forEach(child => {
-				child.build(status._block, status._state);
+				child.build(status._block, childState);
 			});
 		});
 	}
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/Component.ts b/src/generators/nodes/Component.ts
index a2e8f21de6..63a5066c1f 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/Component.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/Component.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ export default class Component extends Node {
 
 	init(
 		block: Block,
-		state: State,
 		stripWhitespace: boolean,
 		nextSibling: Node
 	) {
@@ -52,15 +51,11 @@ export default class Component extends Node {
 			).toLowerCase()
 		);
 
-		this._state = state.child({
-			parentNode: `${this.var}._slotted.default`
-		});
-
 		if (this.children.length) {
 			this._slots = new Set(['default']);
 
 			this.children.forEach(child => {
-				child.init(block, state, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
+				child.init(block, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
 			});
 		}
 	}
@@ -80,8 +75,12 @@ export default class Component extends Node {
 			const slots = Array.from(this._slots).map(name => `${name}: @createFragment()`);
 			componentInitProperties.push(`slots: { ${slots.join(', ')} }`);
 
+			const childState = state.child({
+				parentNode: `${this.var}._slotted.default`
+			});
+
 			this.children.forEach((child: Node) => {
-				child.build(block, this._state);
+				child.build(block, childState);
 			});
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/EachBlock.ts b/src/generators/nodes/EachBlock.ts
index b8a42c6bb8..c210ac1940 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/EachBlock.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/EachBlock.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ export default class EachBlock extends Node {
 	type: 'EachBlock';
 
 	_block: Block;
-	_state: State;
 	expression: Node;
 
 	iterations: string;
@@ -24,7 +23,6 @@ export default class EachBlock extends Node {
 
 	init(
 		block: Block,
-		state: State,
 		stripWhitespace: boolean,
 		nextSibling: Node
 	) {
@@ -83,10 +81,8 @@ export default class EachBlock extends Node {
 			params: block.params.concat(listName, context, indexName),
 		});
 
-		this._state = state.child();
-
 		this.generator.blocks.push(this._block);
-		this.initChildren(this._block, this._state, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
+		this.initChildren(this._block, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
 		block.addDependencies(this._block.dependencies);
 		this._block.hasUpdateMethod = this._block.dependencies.size > 0;
 
@@ -96,12 +92,9 @@ export default class EachBlock extends Node {
 				name: this.generator.getUniqueName(`${this._block.name}_else`),
 			});
 
-			this.else._state = state.child();
-
 			this.generator.blocks.push(this.else._block);
 			this.else.initChildren(
 				this.else._block,
-				this.else._state,
 				stripWhitespace,
 				nextSibling
 			);
@@ -228,13 +221,15 @@ export default class EachBlock extends Node {
 			`);
 		}
 
+		const childState = state.child(); // TODO is this necessary? reuse state?
 		this.children.forEach((child: Node) => {
-			child.build(this._block, this._state);
+			child.build(this._block, childState);
 		});
 
 		if (this.else) {
+			const childState = state.child(); // TODO is this necessary? reuse state?
 			this.else.children.forEach((child: Node) => {
-				child.build(this.else._block, this.else._state);
+				child.build(this.else._block, childState);
 			});
 		}
 	}
@@ -269,7 +264,7 @@ function keyed(
 
 	if (node.children[0] && node.children[0].type === 'Element' && !generator.components.has(node.children[0].name)) {
 		// TODO or text/tag/raw
-		node._block.first = node.children[0]._state.parentNode; // TODO this is highly confusing
+		node._block.first = node.children[0].var; // TODO this is highly confusing
 	} else {
 		node._block.first = node._block.getUniqueName('first');
 		node._block.addElement(
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/Element.ts b/src/generators/nodes/Element.ts
index db284efc63..9888811001 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/Element.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/Element.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ export default class Element extends Node {
 
 	init(
 		block: Block,
-		state: State,
 		stripWhitespace: boolean,
 		nextSibling: Node
 	) {
@@ -34,8 +33,19 @@ export default class Element extends Node {
 			this.cannotUseInnerHTML();
 		}
 
+		const parentElement = this.findNearest('Element');
+		this.namespace = this.name === 'svg' ?
+			namespaces.svg :
+			parentElement.namespace;
+
 		this.attributes.forEach(attribute => {
 			if (attribute.type === 'Attribute' && attribute.value !== true) {
+				// special case — xmlns
+				if (attribute.name === 'xmlns') {
+					// TODO this attribute must be static – enforce at compile time
+					this.namespace = attribute.value[0].data;
+				}
+
 				attribute.value.forEach((chunk: Node) => {
 					if (chunk.type !== 'Text') {
 						if (this.parent) this.parent.cannotUseInnerHTML();
@@ -46,14 +56,18 @@ export default class Element extends Node {
 						// special case — <option value='{{foo}}'> — see below
 						if (
 							this.name === 'option' &&
-							attribute.name === 'value' &&
-							state.selectBindingDependencies
+							attribute.name === 'value'
 						) {
-							state.selectBindingDependencies.forEach(prop => {
-								dependencies.forEach((dependency: string) => {
-									this.generator.indirectDependencies.get(prop).add(dependency);
+							let select = this.parent;
+							while (select && select.type !== 'Element' || select.name !== 'select') select = select.parent;
+
+							if (select && select.selectBindingDependencies) {
+								select.selectBindingDependencies.forEach(prop => {
+									dependencies.forEach((dependency: string) => {
+										this.generator.indirectDependencies.get(prop).add(dependency);
+									});
 								});
-							});
+							}
 						}
 					}
 				});
@@ -121,12 +135,12 @@ export default class Element extends Node {
 			if (binding) {
 				// TODO does this also apply to e.g. `<input type='checkbox' bind:group='foo'>`?
 				const dependencies = binding.metadata.dependencies;
-				state.selectBindingDependencies = dependencies;
+				this.selectBindingDependencies = dependencies;
 				dependencies.forEach((prop: string) => {
 					this.generator.indirectDependencies.set(prop, new Set());
 				});
 			} else {
-				state.selectBindingDependencies = null;
+				this.selectBindingDependencies = null;
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -143,21 +157,11 @@ export default class Element extends Node {
 			this.name.replace(/[^a-zA-Z0-9_$]/g, '_')
 		);
 
-		this._state = state.child({
-			parentNode: this.var,
-			parentNodes: block.getUniqueName(`${this.var}_nodes`),
-			parentNodeName: this.name,
-			namespace: this.name === 'svg'
-				? 'http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'
-				: state.namespace,
-			allUsedContexts: [],
-		});
-
 		this.generator.stylesheet.apply(this);
 
 		if (this.children.length) {
 			if (this.name === 'pre' || this.name === 'textarea') stripWhitespace = false;
-			this.initChildren(block, this._state, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
+			this.initChildren(block, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -172,7 +176,16 @@ export default class Element extends Node {
 			this.generator.slots.add(slotName);
 		}
 
-		const childState = this._state;
+		const childState = state.child({
+			parentNode: this.var,
+			parentNodes: block.getUniqueName(`${this.var}_nodes`),
+			parentNodeName: this.name,
+			namespace: this.name === 'svg'
+				? 'http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'
+				: state.namespace,
+			allUsedContexts: [],
+		});
+
 		const name = childState.parentNode;
 
 		const slot = this.attributes.find((attribute: Node) => attribute.name === 'slot');
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/ElseBlock.ts b/src/generators/nodes/ElseBlock.ts
index 85705c5320..63e2578289 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/ElseBlock.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/ElseBlock.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,5 @@ import State from '../dom/State';
 export default class ElseBlock extends Node {
 	type: 'ElseBlock';
 	children: Node[];
-
 	_block: Block;
-	_state: State;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/Fragment.ts b/src/generators/nodes/Fragment.ts
index 0147c1d9bf..cb824825a1 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/Fragment.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/Fragment.ts
@@ -25,14 +25,8 @@ export default class Fragment extends Node {
 			dependencies: new Set(),
 		});
 
-		this.state = new State({
-			namespace: this.generator.namespace,
-			parentNode: null,
-			parentNodes: 'nodes'
-		});
-
 		this.generator.blocks.push(this.block);
-		this.initChildren(this.block, this.state, true, null);
+		this.initChildren(this.block, true, null);
 
 		this.block.hasUpdateMethod = true;
 	}
@@ -40,8 +34,14 @@ export default class Fragment extends Node {
 	build() {
 		this.init();
 
+		const state = new State({
+			namespace: this.generator.namespace,
+			parentNode: null,
+			parentNodes: 'nodes'
+		});
+
 		this.children.forEach(child => {
-			child.build(this.block, this.state);
+			child.build(this.block, state);
 		});
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/IfBlock.ts b/src/generators/nodes/IfBlock.ts
index 7e9b66468b..38e01139ba 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/IfBlock.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/IfBlock.ts
@@ -21,11 +21,9 @@ export default class IfBlock extends Node {
 	else: ElseBlock;
 
 	_block: Block;
-	_state: State;
 
 	init(
 		block: Block,
-		state: State,
 		stripWhitespace: boolean,
 		nextSibling: Node
 	) {
@@ -48,10 +46,8 @@ export default class IfBlock extends Node {
 				name: generator.getUniqueName(`create_if_block`),
 			});
 
-			node._state = state.child();
-
 			blocks.push(node._block);
-			node.initChildren(node._block, node._state, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
+			node.initChildren(node._block, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
 
 			if (node._block.dependencies.size > 0) {
 				dynamic = true;
@@ -69,12 +65,9 @@ export default class IfBlock extends Node {
 					name: generator.getUniqueName(`create_if_block`),
 				});
 
-				node.else._state = state.child();
-
 				blocks.push(node.else._block);
 				node.else.initChildren(
 					node.else._block,
-					node.else._state,
 					stripWhitespace,
 					nextSibling
 				);
@@ -207,8 +200,9 @@ function visitChildren(
 	state: State,
 	node: Node
 ) {
+	const childState = state.child(); // TODO necessary?
 	node.children.forEach((child: Node) => {
-		child.build(node._block, node._state);
+		child.build(node._block, childState);
 	});
 }
 
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/PendingBlock.ts b/src/generators/nodes/PendingBlock.ts
index 4a8a401417..08638ad842 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/PendingBlock.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/PendingBlock.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,5 @@ import State from '../dom/State';
 
 export default class PendingBlock extends Node {
 	_block: Block;
-	_state: State;
 	children: Node[];
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/Slot.ts b/src/generators/nodes/Slot.ts
index 62f44f6fc1..9209533761 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/Slot.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/Slot.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ export default class Slot extends Element {
 
 	init(
 		block: Block,
-		state: State,
 		stripWhitespace: boolean,
 		nextSibling: Node
 	) {
@@ -21,18 +20,8 @@ export default class Slot extends Element {
 
 		this.var = block.getUniqueName('slot');
 
-		this._state = state.child({
-			parentNode: this.var,
-			parentNodes: block.getUniqueName(`${this.var}_nodes`),
-			parentNodeName: this.name,
-			namespace: this.name === 'svg'
-				? 'http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'
-				: state.namespace,
-			allUsedContexts: [],
-		});
-
 		if (this.children.length) {
-			this.initChildren(block, this._state, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
+			this.initChildren(block, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -68,6 +57,16 @@ export default class Slot extends Element {
 		block.builders.unmount.pushCondition(`!${content_name}`);
 		block.builders.destroy.pushCondition(`!${content_name}`);
 
+		// const childState = state.child({
+		// 	parentNode: this.var,
+		// 	parentNodes: block.getUniqueName(`${this.var}_nodes`),
+		// 	parentNodeName: this.name,
+		// 	namespace: this.name === 'svg'
+		// 		? 'http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'
+		// 		: state.namespace,
+		// 	allUsedContexts: [],
+		// });
+
 		this.children.forEach((child: Node) => {
 			child.build(block, state);
 		});
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/Text.ts b/src/generators/nodes/Text.ts
index d848435820..de8976f7e8 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/Text.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/Text.ts
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ export default class Text extends Node {
 	data: string;
 	shouldSkip: boolean;
 
-	init(block: Block, state: State) {
-		if (!/\S/.test(this.data) && (state.namespace || elementsWithoutText.has(state.parentNodeName))) {
+	init(block: Block) {
+		const parentElement = this.findNearest('Element');
+
+		if (!/\S/.test(this.data) && parentElement && (parentElement.namespace || elementsWithoutText.has(parentElement.name))) {
 			this.shouldSkip = true;
 			return;
 		}
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/Window.ts b/src/generators/nodes/Window.ts
index 2e7e4eb1e5..b189fa3df9 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/Window.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/Window.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ export default class Window extends Node {
 
 	init(
 		block: Block,
-		state: State,
 		stripWhitespace: boolean,
 		nextSibling: Node
 	) {
diff --git a/src/generators/nodes/shared/Node.ts b/src/generators/nodes/shared/Node.ts
index 8e2b82e129..370b72421f 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodes/shared/Node.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodes/shared/Node.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ export default class Node {
 
 	init(
 		block: Block,
-		state: State,
 		stripWhitespace: boolean,
 		nextSibling: Node
 	) {
@@ -47,7 +46,6 @@ export default class Node {
 
 	initChildren(
 		block: Block,
-		state: State,
 		stripWhitespace: boolean,
 		nextSibling: Node
 	) {
@@ -87,7 +85,7 @@ export default class Node {
 		cleaned.forEach((child: Node, i: number) => {
 			child.canUseInnerHTML = !this.generator.hydratable;
 
-			child.init(block, state, stripWhitespace, cleaned[i + 1] || nextSibling);
+			child.init(block, stripWhitespace, cleaned[i + 1] || nextSibling);
 
 			if (child.shouldSkip) return;
 
@@ -140,7 +138,13 @@ export default class Node {
 			false;
 	}
 
-	nearestComponent() {
-		if (this.parent) return this.parent.nearestComponent();
+	nearestComponent() { // TODO remove this method
+		return this.findNearest('Component');
+		// if (this.parent) return this.parent.nearestComponent();
+	}
+
+	findNearest(type: string) {
+		if (this.type === type) return this;
+		if (this.parent) return this.parent.findNearest(type);
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file