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 ac8b9fca9b..d2261c4d26 100644
--- a/lib/mocha.js
+++ b/lib/mocha.js
@@ -520,7 +520,6 @@ 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 1a7bc35cdb..bafd8e68f5 100644
--- a/lib/runner.js
+++ b/lib/runner.js
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ Runner.prototype.runTest = function (fn) {
   if (!test) {
     return;
   }
-  if (this.forbidOnly && this.hasOnly) {
+  if (this.forbidOnly && hasOnly(this.parents().reverse()[0] || this.suite)) {
     fn(new Error('`.only` forbidden'));
     return;
   }
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@ Runner.prototype.run = function (fn) {
   var rootSuite = this.suite;
 
   // If there is an `only` filter
-  if (this.hasOnly) {
+  if (hasOnly(rootSuite)) {
     filterOnly(rootSuite);
   }