diff --git a/app-route-converter-behavior.html b/app-route-converter-behavior.html
index 23cc9dc..9682175 100644
--- a/app-route-converter-behavior.html
+++ b/app-route-converter-behavior.html
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@
         this.route = {
           prefix: '',
           path: this.path,
-          __queryParams: this.queryParams
+          __queryParams: this.queryParams,
+          active: true
         };
       },
 
diff --git a/app-route.html b/app-route.html
index 197dab9..0da565b 100644
--- a/app-route.html
+++ b/app-route.html
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
          */
         tail: {
           type: Object,
-          value: function() {return {path: null, prefix: null, __queryParams: null};},
+          value: function() {return {path: null, prefix: null, __queryParams: null, active: false};},
           notify: true
         },
 
@@ -166,7 +166,8 @@
         '__tailPathChanged(tail.path)',
         '__routeQueryParamsChanged(route.__queryParams)',
         '__tailQueryParamsChanged(tail.__queryParams)',
-        '__queryParamsChanged(queryParams.*)'
+        '__queryParamsChanged(queryParams.*)',
+        '__parentActiveChanged(route.active)'
       ],
 
       created: function() {
@@ -235,11 +236,10 @@
         this.set('route.__' + changes.path, changes.value);
       },
 
-      __resetProperties: function() {
+      __deactivate: function() {
         this._setActive(false);
+        this.set('tail.active', false);
         this._matched = null;
-        //this.tail = { path: null, prefix: null, queryParams: null };
-        //this.data = {};
       },
 
       /**
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@
         }
 
         if (!path) {
-          this.__resetProperties();
+          this.__deactivate();
           return;
         }
 
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@
 
           // We don't match this path.
           if (!pathPiece && pathPiece !== '') {
-            this.__resetProperties();
+            this.__deactivate();
             return;
           }
           matched.push(pathPiece);
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@
           if (patternPiece.charAt(0) == ':') {
             namedMatches[patternPiece.slice(1)] = pathPiece;
           } else if (patternPiece !== pathPiece) {
-            this.__resetProperties();
+            this.__deactivate();
             return;
           }
         }
@@ -306,11 +306,13 @@
         }
         if (!this.tail ||
             this.tail.prefix !== tailPrefix ||
-            this.tail.path !== tailPath) {
+            this.tail.path !== tailPath ||
+            this.tail.active !== this.active) {
           propertyUpdates.tail = {
             prefix: tailPrefix,
             path: tailPath,
-            __queryParams: this.route.__queryParams
+            __queryParams: this.route.__queryParams,
+            active: true
           };
         }
 
@@ -345,13 +347,13 @@
       /**
        * @export
        */
-      __updatePathOnDataChange: function() {
-        if (!this.route || !this.active) {
+      __updatePathOnDataChange: function(data) {
+        if (!this.active) {
           return;
         }
         var newPath = this.__getLink({});
         var oldPath = this.__getLink(this._dataInUrl);
-        if (newPath === oldPath) {
+        if (this._dataInUrl && newPath === oldPath) {
           return;
         }
         this.set('route.path', newPath);
@@ -382,6 +384,14 @@
         return interp.join('/');
       },
 
+      __parentActiveChanged: function(active) {
+        if (!active) {
+          this.__deactivate();
+        } else {
+          this.__tryToMatch();
+        }
+      },
+
       __setMulti: function(setObj) {
         // HACK(rictic): skirting around 1.0's lack of a setMulti by poking at
         //     internal data structures. I would not advise that you copy this
diff --git a/test/app-route-converter.html b/test/app-route-converter.html
index b5b8c55..514a2da 100644
--- a/test/app-route-converter.html
+++ b/test/app-route-converter.html
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@
         expect(converter.route).to.be.deep.equal({
           prefix: '',
           path: '/a/b/c',
-          __queryParams: queryParams
+          __queryParams: queryParams,
+          active: true
         });
 
         converter.set('route.path', '/d/e/f');
diff --git a/test/app-route.html b/test/app-route.html
index da4af2c..4059d46 100644
--- a/test/app-route.html
+++ b/test/app-route.html
@@ -45,8 +45,21 @@
       <app-route
           pattern="/baz/:baz"
           route="{{fooRoute}}"
+          tail="{{bazTail}}"
           data="{{bazData}}">
       </app-route>
+
+      <app-route
+          pattern="/:bay"
+          route="{{bazTail}}"
+          data="{{bayData}}">
+      </app-route>
+
+      <app-route
+          pattern="/:page"
+          route="{{fooRoute}}"
+          data="{{pageData}}">
+      </app-route>
     </template>
   </test-fixture>
 
@@ -64,14 +77,17 @@
       numberOneTopRoute: {
         path: route.path || '',
         prefix: route.prefix || '',
-        __queryParams: route.__queryParams || {}
+        __queryParams: route.__queryParams || {},
+        active: route.active !== undefined ? route.active : true
       }
     });
 
     return {
       foo: routes[0],
       bar: routes[1],
-      baz: routes[2]
+      baz: routes[2],
+      bay: routes[3],
+      page: routes[4]
     };
   }
 
@@ -93,7 +109,8 @@
       route.route = {
         prefix: '',
         path: '/user/papyrus/details',
-        __queryParams: {}
+        __queryParams: {},
+        active: true
       }
       expect(route.tail.prefix).to.be.equal('/user/papyrus');
       expect(route.tail.path).to.be.equal('/details');
@@ -104,7 +121,8 @@
       route.route = {
         prefix: '',
         path: '/user/papyrus/details',
-        __queryParams: {}
+        __queryParams: {},
+        active: true
       };
 
       route.set('tail.path', '/messages');
@@ -113,14 +131,16 @@
       expect(route.tail).to.be.deep.equal({
         prefix: '/user/toriel',
         path: '',
-        __queryParams: {}
+        __queryParams: {},
+        active: true
       });
     });
 
     test('it creates data as described by pattern', function() {
       route.route = {
         prefix: '',
-        path: '/user/sans'
+        path: '/user/sans',
+        active: true
       };
 
       expect(route.data).to.be.deep.equal({username: 'sans'});
@@ -145,7 +165,8 @@
     test('changing data changes the path', function() {
       route.route = {
         prefix: '',
-        path: '/user/asgore'
+        path: '/user/asgore',
+        active: true
       };
 
       expect(route.data).to.be.deep.equal({username: 'asgore'});
@@ -153,6 +174,22 @@
       expect(route.route.path).to.be.equal('/user/toriel');
     });
 
+    test('it becomes inactive if parent became inactive', function() {
+      var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '/foo/123/baz/abc/bay' });
+
+      expect(routes.bay.active).to.be.eql(true);
+      routes.foo.set('route.path', '/foo/123/bar/abc');
+      expect(routes.bay.active).to.be.eql(false);
+    });
+
+    test('it becomes active again after parent got active', function() {
+      var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '/foo/123/baz/abc/bay' });
+
+      routes.foo.set('route.path', '/foo/123/bar/abc');
+      routes.foo.set('route.path', '/foo/123/baz/abc/bay');
+      expect(routes.bay.active).to.be.eql(true);
+    });
+
     suite('propagating data', function() {
       test('data is empty if no routes in the tree have matched', function() {
         var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '' });
@@ -200,27 +237,49 @@
         test('ignores changes when the route is inactive', function() {
           var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '/foo/123/bar/abc' });
 
-          expect(routes.baz.active).to.be.eql(false);
-          routes.baz.set('data.baz', 'cba');
+          expect(routes.bay.active).to.be.eql(false);
+          routes.bay.set('data.bay', 'cba');
           expect(routes.foo.route.path).to.be.eql('/foo/123/bar/abc');
         });
 
-        test('ignores changes after a route deactives', function() {
-          var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '/foo/123/bar/abc' });
-
-          routes.foo.set('route.path', '/foo/123/baz/zyx');
-
-          expect(routes.bar.active).to.be.eql(false);
-          expect(routes.baz.active).to.be.eql(true);
-          routes.bar.set('data.bar', 'cba');
-          expect(routes.foo.route.path).to.be.eql('/foo/123/baz/zyx');
+        suite('updates when path could be matched', function() {
+          test('with literal part', function() {
+            var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '/foo/123/bar/' });
+            expect(routes.bar.active).to.be.eql(true);
+            routes.bar.set('data.bar', 'zyx');
+            expect(routes.foo.route.path).to.be.eql('/foo/123/bar/zyx');
+          });
+
+          test('correctly sets tail', function() {
+            var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '/foo/' });
+            routes.foo.set('data.foo', '123');
+            expect(routes.page.route).to.be.eql({
+              prefix: '/foo/123',
+              path: '',
+              __queryParams: {},
+              active: true
+            });
+          });
+
+          test('with only match and trailing slash', function() {
+            var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '/foo/123/' });
+            expect(routes.page.active).to.be.eql(true);
+            routes.page.set('data.page', 'page1');
+            expect(routes.foo.route.path).to.be.eql('/foo/123/page1');
+          });
+
+          test('nested does not become active when empty path', function() {
+            var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '/foo/' });
+            expect(routes.page.active).to.be.eql(false);
+            expect(routes.foo.data.foo).to.be.eql('');
+          });
         });
       });
     });
 
     suite('propagating query params', function() {
       test('query params are empty if no routes match', function() {
-        var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '', __queryParams: {
+        var routes = fixtureChainedRoutes({ path: '', active: false, __queryParams: {
           qux: 'zot'
         }});
         expect(routes.foo.queryParams).to.be.eql({});
diff --git a/test/test-app-example-1.html b/test/test-app-example-1.html
index 29b8104..fcfc5c4 100644
--- a/test/test-app-example-1.html
+++ b/test/test-app-example-1.html
@@ -57,12 +57,14 @@
       expect(exampleApp.route).to.be.deep.eq({
         prefix: '',
         path: '/lol',
-        __queryParams: {}
+        __queryParams: {},
+        active: true
       });
       expect(exampleApp.userRoute).to.be.deep.eq({
         prefix: null,
         path: null,
-        __queryParams: {}
+        __queryParams: {},
+        active: false
       });
       expect(window.location.pathname).to.be.equal('/lol');
 
@@ -77,12 +79,14 @@
       expect(exampleApp.route).to.be.deep.eq({
         prefix: '',
         path: '/user/view',
-        __queryParams: {}
+        __queryParams: {},
+        active: true
       });
       expect(exampleApp.userRoute).to.be.deep.eq({
         prefix: '/user',
         path: '/view',
-        __queryParams: {}
+        __queryParams: {},
+        active: true
       });
       expect(window.location.pathname).to.be.equal('/user/view');
 
@@ -97,12 +101,14 @@
       expect(exampleApp.route).to.be.deep.eq({
         prefix: '',
         path: '/user/details',
-        __queryParams: {}
+        __queryParams: {},
+        active: true
       });
       expect(exampleApp.userRoute).to.be.deep.eq({
         prefix: '/user',
         path: '/details',
-        __queryParams: {}
+        __queryParams: {},
+        active: true
       });
       expect(window.location.pathname).to.be.equal('/user/details');