diff --git a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/fixed/foundation.ts b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/fixed/foundation.ts
index 19a34ebcae5..41e2f053267 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/fixed/foundation.ts
+++ b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/fixed/foundation.ts
@@ -39,12 +39,10 @@ class MDCFixedTopAppBarFoundation extends MDCTopAppBarFoundation {
 
   init() {
     super.init();
-    this.adapter_.registerScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
   }
 
   destroy() {
     super.destroy();
-    this.adapter_.deregisterScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/foundation.ts b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/foundation.ts
index 94cc0741aac..ad372afa2c4 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/foundation.ts
+++ b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/foundation.ts
@@ -62,31 +62,35 @@ class MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation extends MDCFoundation<MDCTopAppBarAdapter> {
     // tslint:enable:object-literal-sort-keys
   }
 
-  protected navClickHandler_: EventListener;
-  protected scrollHandler_: EventListener;
+  protected scrollHandler_?: EventListener;
+  protected resizeHandler_?: EventListener;
+  private readonly navClickHandler_: EventListener;
 
   constructor(adapter: Partial<MDCTopAppBarAdapter> = {}) {
     super({...MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation.defaultAdapter, ...adapter});
 
     this.navClickHandler_ = () => this.adapter_.notifyNavigationIconClicked();
-    this.scrollHandler_ = () => undefined;
   }
 
   init() {
+    if (this.scrollHandler_) {
+      this.adapter_.registerScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
+    }
+    if (this.resizeHandler_) {
+      this.adapter_.registerResizeHandler(this.resizeHandler_);
+    }
     this.adapter_.registerNavigationIconInteractionHandler('click', this.navClickHandler_);
   }
 
   destroy() {
+    if (this.scrollHandler_) {
+      this.adapter_.deregisterScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
+    }
+    if (this.resizeHandler_) {
+      this.adapter_.deregisterResizeHandler(this.resizeHandler_);
+    }
     this.adapter_.deregisterNavigationIconInteractionHandler('click', this.navClickHandler_);
   }
-
-  initScrollHandler() {
-    this.adapter_.registerScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
-  }
-
-  destroyScrollHandler() {
-    this.adapter_.deregisterScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
-  }
 }
 
 export {MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation as default, MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation};
diff --git a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/index.ts b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/index.ts
index edc8e0f25d4..02bfc91a327 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/index.ts
+++ b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/index.ts
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@ class MDCTopAppBar extends MDCComponent<MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation> {
   }
 
   setScrollTarget(target: EventTarget) {
-    this.foundation_.destroyScrollHandler();
     this.scrollTarget_ = target;
-    this.foundation_.initScrollHandler();
   }
 
   getDefaultFoundation(): MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation {
diff --git a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/short/foundation.ts b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/short/foundation.ts
index b9c77a29798..9da159c618c 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/short/foundation.ts
+++ b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/short/foundation.ts
@@ -33,19 +33,17 @@ class MDCShortTopAppBarFoundation extends MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation {
 
   constructor(adapter: Partial<MDCTopAppBarAdapter> = {}) {
     super(adapter);
-
-    this.scrollHandler_ = () => this.shortAppBarScrollHandler_();
   }
 
   init() {
     super.init();
-    const isAlwaysCollapsed = this.adapter_.hasClass(cssClasses.SHORT_COLLAPSED_CLASS);
 
     if (this.adapter_.getTotalActionItems() > 0) {
       this.adapter_.addClass(cssClasses.SHORT_HAS_ACTION_ITEM_CLASS);
     }
 
-    if (!isAlwaysCollapsed) {
+    if (!this.isAlwaysCollapsed_) {
+      this.scrollHandler_ = () => this.shortAppBarScrollHandler_();
       this.adapter_.registerScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
       this.shortAppBarScrollHandler_();
     }
@@ -53,7 +51,10 @@ class MDCShortTopAppBarFoundation extends MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation {
 
   destroy() {
     super.destroy();
-    this.adapter_.deregisterScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
+  }
+
+  private get isAlwaysCollapsed_() {
+    return this.adapter_.hasClass(cssClasses.SHORT_COLLAPSED_CLASS);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/standard/foundation.ts b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/standard/foundation.ts
index b734960e1d0..0d83d855dfc 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/standard/foundation.ts
+++ b/packages/mdc-top-app-bar/standard/foundation.ts
@@ -68,8 +68,6 @@ class MDCTopAppBarFoundation extends MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation {
    */
   private resizeDebounceId_ = INITIAL_VALUE;
 
-  private readonly resizeHandler_: EventListener;
-
   constructor(adapter: Partial<MDCTopAppBarAdapter> = {}) {
     super(adapter);
 
@@ -82,14 +80,10 @@ class MDCTopAppBarFoundation extends MDCTopAppBarBaseFoundation {
 
   init() {
     super.init();
-    this.adapter_.registerScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
-    this.adapter_.registerResizeHandler(this.resizeHandler_);
   }
 
   destroy() {
     super.destroy();
-    this.adapter_.deregisterScrollHandler(this.scrollHandler_);
-    this.adapter_.deregisterResizeHandler(this.resizeHandler_);
     this.adapter_.setStyle('top', '');
   }
 
diff --git a/test/unit/mdc-top-app-bar/foundation.test.js b/test/unit/mdc-top-app-bar/foundation.test.js
index fdeee603786..e4f42bc4e7f 100644
--- a/test/unit/mdc-top-app-bar/foundation.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/mdc-top-app-bar/foundation.test.js
@@ -72,17 +72,3 @@ test('click handler removed from navigation icon during destroy', () => {
   foundation.destroy();
   td.verify(mockAdapter.deregisterNavigationIconInteractionHandler('click', td.matchers.isA(Function)));
 });
-
-test('#initScrollHandler calls registerScrollHandler', () => {
-  const {foundation, mockAdapter} = setupTest();
-  foundation.scrollHandler_ = td.func();
-  foundation.initScrollHandler();
-  td.verify(mockAdapter.registerScrollHandler(foundation.scrollHandler_), {times: 1});
-});
-
-test('#destroyScrollHandler calls deregisterScrollHandler', () => {
-  const {foundation, mockAdapter} = setupTest();
-  foundation.scrollHandler_ = td.func();
-  foundation.destroyScrollHandler();
-  td.verify(mockAdapter.deregisterScrollHandler(foundation.scrollHandler_), {times: 1});
-});
diff --git a/test/unit/mdc-top-app-bar/mdc-top-app-bar.test.js b/test/unit/mdc-top-app-bar/mdc-top-app-bar.test.js
index 4fa9627bc45..85c835a63c0 100644
--- a/test/unit/mdc-top-app-bar/mdc-top-app-bar.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/mdc-top-app-bar/mdc-top-app-bar.test.js
@@ -121,17 +121,6 @@ test('destroy destroys icon ripples', () => {
   });
 });
 
-test('#setScrollTarget deregisters and registers scroll handler on provided target', () => {
-  const {component} = setupTest();
-  const fakeTarget = {};
-  component.foundation_.destroyScrollHandler = td.func();
-  component.foundation_.initScrollHandler = td.func();
-  component.setScrollTarget(fakeTarget);
-  td.verify(component.foundation_.destroyScrollHandler(), {times: 1});
-  td.verify(component.foundation_.initScrollHandler(), {times: 1});
-  assert.equal(component.scrollTarget_, fakeTarget);
-});
-
 test('getDefaultFoundation returns the appropriate foundation for default', () => {
   const fixture = getFixture();
   const root = fixture.querySelector(strings.ROOT_SELECTOR);