diff --git a/lib/reporters/html.js b/lib/reporters/html.js
index 2171579f52..00a7556204 100644
--- a/lib/reporters/html.js
+++ b/lib/reporters/html.js
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ function HTML(runner) {
   }
 
   // propagates the test state up its parent suites
-  function propageTestState(suite, state) {
+  function propagateTestState(suite, state) {
 
     while(suite) {
       
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ function HTML(runner) {
   });
 
   runner.on('suite end', function(suite){
-    if(suite.parent.root) {
+    if(suite.parent && suite.parent.root) {
       // insert space between top-level suites
       dots.appendChild(document.createTextNode(' '));
     }
@@ -239,15 +239,14 @@ function HTML(runner) {
       el.appendChild(fragment('<pre class="error">%e</pre>', str));
     }
 
-    if(test.type==='hook') {
-      // update hook's suite and parents
-      propageTestState(test.suite, state);      
-    } else {
+    if(test.type!=='hook') {
       addFocusLink(el, test);
-      // update test's parent suites
-      propageTestState(test.parent, state);      
     }
 
+    // update parent suites
+    propagateTestState(test.parent, state);
+    
+    // update our totals
     tests[state] += 1;
 
     dots.appendChild(fragment('<span class="%s">•</span>', state));