diff --git a/spec/helpers/polyfills.ts b/spec/helpers/polyfills.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1d5a5e2df4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/helpers/polyfills.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+if (typeof Symbol !== 'function') {
+  let id = 0;
+  const symbolFn: any = (description: string) =>
+    `Symbol_${id++} ${description} (RxJS Testing Polyfill)`;
+
+  Symbol = symbolFn;
+}
+
+if (!(Symbol as any).observable) {
+  (Symbol as any).observable = Symbol('Symbol.observable polyfill from RxJS Testing');
+}
diff --git a/spec/support/coverage.opts b/spec/support/coverage.opts
index dd16ba8048..2c874036c1 100644
--- a/spec/support/coverage.opts
+++ b/spec/support/coverage.opts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+--require spec/helpers/polyfills.ts
 --require spec/helpers/testScheduler-ui.ts
 --ui spec/helpers/testScheduler-ui.ts
 
@@ -6,4 +7,4 @@
 --globals WebSocket,FormData,XDomainRequest,ActiveXObject
 
 --recursive
---timeout 5000
\ No newline at end of file
+--timeout 5000
diff --git a/spec/support/default.opts b/spec/support/default.opts
index 10a6277758..6445aa55ab 100644
--- a/spec/support/default.opts
+++ b/spec/support/default.opts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+--require .out/spec/helpers/polyfills.ts
 --require .out/spec/helpers/testScheduler-ui.js
 --ui .out/spec/helpers/testScheduler-ui.js
 
diff --git a/spec/support/tests2png.opts b/spec/support/tests2png.opts
index 95fa6aa2ef..bb52156e4c 100644
--- a/spec/support/tests2png.opts
+++ b/spec/support/tests2png.opts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+--require spec-js/helpers/polyfills.ts
 --require source-map-support/register
 --require spec/helpers/tests2png/diagram-test-runner.ts
 --require spec/helpers/testScheduler-ui.ts
@@ -6,4 +7,4 @@
 --reporter dot
 
 --recursive
---timeout 5000
\ No newline at end of file
+--timeout 5000
diff --git a/spec/support/webpack.mocha.config.js b/spec/support/webpack.mocha.config.js
index dc4ac15129..c9e2d6b624 100644
--- a/spec/support/webpack.mocha.config.js
+++ b/spec/support/webpack.mocha.config.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ var path = require('path');
 var glob = require('glob');
 var webpack = require('webpack');
 
-var globPattern = 'spec-js/**/!(mocha.sauce.gruntfile|mocha.sauce.runner|webpack.mocha.config|painter|diagram-test-runner|testScheduler-ui).js';
+var globPattern = 'spec-js/**/!(mocha.sauce.gruntfile|mocha.sauce.runner|webpack.mocha.config|painter|diagram-test-runner|polyfills|testScheduler-ui).js';
 var files = _.map(glob.sync(globPattern), function (x) {
   return path.resolve('./', x);
 });
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ module.exports = {
   },
 
   entry: {
+    'browser.polyfills': './spec-js/helpers/polyfills.js',
     'browser.testscheduler': './spec-js/helpers/testScheduler-ui.js',
     'browser.spec': files
   },
@@ -31,4 +32,4 @@ module.exports = {
     new webpack.optimize.CommonsChunkPlugin('browser.common.js'),
     new webpack.IgnorePlugin(/^mocha$/)
   ]
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};
diff --git a/spec/symbol/observable-polyfilled-spec.ts b/spec/symbol/observable-polyfilled-spec.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 79891d3b5f..0000000000
--- a/spec/symbol/observable-polyfilled-spec.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-import { expect } from 'chai';
-
-import { getSymbolObservable } from '../../src/internal/symbol/observable';
-
-describe('observable symbol', () => {
-  it('should exist in the proper form when Symbol does not exist', () => {
-    let $$observable = getSymbolObservable({Symbol: undefined});
-    expect($$observable).to.equal('@@observable');
-  });
-});
diff --git a/spec/symbol/observable-spec.ts b/spec/symbol/observable-spec.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 62b789be1a..0000000000
--- a/spec/symbol/observable-spec.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-import { expect } from 'chai';
-import $$symbolObservable from 'symbol-observable';
-
-import { root } from '../../src/internal/util/root';
-import { getSymbolObservable } from '../../src/internal/symbol/observable';
-
-describe('observable symbol', () => {
-  it('should exist in the proper form', () => {
-    let $$observable = getSymbolObservable(root);
-    if (root.Symbol && root.Symbol.for) {
-      expect($$observable).to.equal($$symbolObservable);
-    } else {
-      expect($$observable).to.equal('@@observable');
-    }
-  });
-});
diff --git a/src/internal/symbol/observable.ts b/src/internal/symbol/observable.ts
index 4940e85123..e5b8e55ae6 100644
--- a/src/internal/symbol/observable.ts
+++ b/src/internal/symbol/observable.ts
@@ -1,32 +1,13 @@
 import { root } from '../util/root';
 
-export function getSymbolObservable(context: { Symbol: SymbolConstructor; }): symbol {
-  let $$observable: symbol;
-  let Symbol = context.Symbol;
-
-  if (typeof Symbol === 'function') {
-    if (Symbol.observable) {
-      $$observable = Symbol.observable;
-    } else {
-      $$observable = Symbol('observable');
-      Symbol.observable = $$observable;
-    }
-  } else {
-    $$observable = <any>'@@observable';
-  }
-
-  return $$observable;
-}
-
-export const observable = getSymbolObservable(root);
-
-/**
- * @deprecated use observable instead
- */
-export const $$observable = observable;
-
+/** Symbol.observable addition */
+/* Note: This will add Symbol.observable globally for all TypeScript users,
+  however, we are no longer polyfilling Symbol.observable */
 declare global {
   interface SymbolConstructor {
     observable: symbol;
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+/** Symbol.observable or a string "@@observable". Used for interop */
+export const observable = typeof Symbol === 'function' && Symbol.observable || '@@observable';