diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index bd985080..a06f0f90 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ function makeHot(id, code, hotOptions) {
 	const options = JSON.stringify(hotOptions);
 	const replacement = `
 
-let proxyComponent = $2;
-
 if (module.hot) {
 
 	const { configure, register, reload } = require('svelte-loader/lib/hot-api');
@@ -19,14 +17,15 @@ if (module.hot) {
 	if (!module.hot.data) {
 		// initial load
 		configure(${options});
-		proxyComponent = register(${id}, $2);
+		$2 = register(${id}, $2);
 	} else {
 		// hot update
-		reload(${id}, proxyComponent);
+		$2 = reload(${id}, $2);
 	}
 }
 
-export default proxyComponent;
+
+export default $2;
 `;
 
 	return code.replace(/(export default ([^;]*));/, replacement);
diff --git a/lib/hot-api.js b/lib/hot-api.js
index 86d7247a..73567782 100644
--- a/lib/hot-api.js
+++ b/lib/hot-api.js
@@ -18,7 +18,15 @@ export function register(id, component) {
 		instances: []
 	});
 
-	return createProxy(id);
+	//create the proxy itself
+	const proxy = createProxy(id);
+
+	//patch the registry record with proxy constructor
+	const record = Registry.get(id);
+	record.proxy = proxy;
+	Registry.set(id, record);
+
+	return proxy;
 }
 
 export function reload(id, component) {
@@ -33,8 +41,11 @@ export function reload(id, component) {
 
 	Registry.set(id, record);
 
-	//re-render the proxies
+	//re-render the proxy instances
 	record.instances.slice().forEach(function(instance) {
 		instance && instance._rerender();
 	});
+
+	//return the original proxy constructor that was `register()`-ed
+	return record.proxy;
 }
\ No newline at end of file