diff --git a/lib/interfaces/common.js b/lib/interfaces/common.js
index 01f1a8936d..6505e05a76 100644
--- a/lib/interfaces/common.js
+++ b/lib/interfaces/common.js
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ module.exports = function (suites, context, mocha) {
        * @returns {Suite}
        */
       only: function only (opts) {
-        mocha.options.hasOnly = true;
         opts.isOnly = true;
         return this.create(opts);
       },
@@ -108,7 +107,6 @@ module.exports = function (suites, context, mocha) {
         suites.unshift(suite);
         if (opts.isOnly) {
           suite.parent._onlySuites = suite.parent._onlySuites.concat(suite);
-          mocha.options.hasOnly = true;
         }
         if (typeof opts.fn === 'function') {
           opts.fn.call(suite);
@@ -132,7 +130,6 @@ module.exports = function (suites, context, mocha) {
        */
       only: function (mocha, test) {
         test.parent._onlyTests = test.parent._onlyTests.concat(test);
-        mocha.options.hasOnly = true;
         return test;
       },
 
diff --git a/lib/mocha.js b/lib/mocha.js
index bfc0238d46..7c77d6f90d 100644
--- a/lib/mocha.js
+++ b/lib/mocha.js
@@ -519,7 +519,6 @@ Mocha.prototype.run = function (fn) {
   var reporter = new this._reporter(runner, options);
   runner.ignoreLeaks = options.ignoreLeaks !== false;
   runner.fullStackTrace = options.fullStackTrace;
-  runner.hasOnly = options.hasOnly;
   runner.asyncOnly = options.asyncOnly;
   runner.allowUncaught = options.allowUncaught;
   runner.forbidOnly = options.forbidOnly;
diff --git a/lib/runner.js b/lib/runner.js
index b6e6e1f24a..0eeb4b0bd3 100644
--- a/lib/runner.js
+++ b/lib/runner.js
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ Runner.prototype.run = function (fn) {
 
   // callback
   this.on('end', function () {
-    if (self.forbidOnly && self.hasOnly) {
+    if (self.forbidOnly && hasOnly(rootSuite)) {
       self.failures += self.stats.tests;
     }
     if (self.forbidPending) {