diff --git a/Changelog.md b/Changelog.md
index 51800fd82f..e8dd1eccfa 100644
--- a/Changelog.md
+++ b/Changelog.md
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ Expect active development and potentially significant breaking changes in the `0
 
 ### vNext
 
+### v0.5.4
+
+- Bug: Created better reference to updateQuery when bound early. It will also throw if called before it should be.
+
 ### v0.5.3
 
 - Bug: Fixed issue with updateQuery not being present during componentWillMount [#203](https://github.com/apollostack/react-apollo/pull/203)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2ebafd2d55..4bafc971d0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "react-apollo",
-  "version": "0.5.3",
+  "version": "0.5.4",
   "description": "React data container for Apollo Client",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/src/graphql.tsx b/src/graphql.tsx
index 0dec2c96c0..5f3ca1bf4c 100644
--- a/src/graphql.tsx
+++ b/src/graphql.tsx
@@ -253,7 +253,6 @@ export default function graphql(
       // request / action storage
       private queryObservable: ObservableQuery | Object;
       private querySubscription: Subscription | Object;
-      private updateQueryMethod: any;
 
       // calculated switches to control rerenders
       private haveOwnPropsChanged: boolean;
@@ -352,7 +351,14 @@ export default function graphql(
         };
 
         // XXX type this better
-        queryData.updateQuery = (mapFn: any) => this.updateQueryMethod = mapFn;
+        // this is a stub for early binding of updateQuery before data
+        queryData.updateQuery = (mapFn: any) => {
+          invariant(!!(this.queryObservable as ObservableQuery).updateQuery, `
+            Update query has been called before query has been created
+          `);
+
+          (this.queryObservable as ObservableQuery).updateQuery(mapFn);
+        };
 
         if (!forceFetch) {
           try {
@@ -421,9 +427,6 @@ export default function graphql(
         const observableQuery = watchQuery(queryOptions);
         const { queryId } = observableQuery;
 
-        // bind any eariler set updateQuery method
-        if (this.updateQueryMethod) observableQuery.updateQuery(this.updateQueryMethod);
-
         // the shape of the query has changed
         if (previousQuery.queryId && previousQuery.queryId !== queryId) {
           this.data = assign(this.data, { loading: true });
diff --git a/test/react-web/client/graphql/queries.tsx b/test/react-web/client/graphql/queries.tsx
index 9097134288..5b5c0f5e73 100644
--- a/test/react-web/client/graphql/queries.tsx
+++ b/test/react-web/client/graphql/queries.tsx
@@ -1184,7 +1184,6 @@ describe('queries', () => {
       componentWillMount() { // tslint:disable-line
         expect(this.props.data.updateQuery).to.be.exist;
         expect(this.props.data.updateQuery).to.be.instanceof(Function);
-        expect(this.props.data.updateQuery).to.not.throw;
         done();
       }
       render() {
@@ -1195,6 +1194,70 @@ describe('queries', () => {
     mount(<ProviderMock client={client}><Container /></ProviderMock>);
   });
 
+  it('updateQuery throws if called before data has returned', (done) => {
+    const query = gql`query people { allPeople(first: 1) { people { name } } }`;
+    const data = { allPeople: { people: [ { name: 'Luke Skywalker' } ] } };
+    const networkInterface = mockNetworkInterface({ request: { query }, result: { data } });
+    const client = new ApolloClient({ networkInterface });
+
+    @graphql(query)
+    class Container extends React.Component<any, any> {
+      componentWillMount() { // tslint:disable-line
+        expect(this.props.data.updateQuery).to.be.exist;
+        expect(this.props.data.updateQuery).to.be.instanceof(Function);
+        try {
+          this.props.data.updateQuery();
+          done(new Error('should have thrown'))
+        } catch (e) {
+          expect(e).to.match(/Invariant Violation:/);
+          done();
+        }
+      }
+      render() {
+        return null;
+      }
+    };
+
+    mount(<ProviderMock client={client}><Container /></ProviderMock>);
+  });
+
+  it('allows updating query results after query has finished (early binding)', (done) => {
+    const query = gql`query people { allPeople(first: 1) { people { name } } }`;
+    const data = { allPeople: { people: [ { name: 'Luke Skywalker' } ] } };
+    const data2 = { allPeople: { people: [ { name: 'Leia Skywalker' } ] } };
+    const networkInterface = mockNetworkInterface(
+      { request: { query }, result: { data } },
+      { request: { query }, result: { data: data2 } }
+    );
+    const client = new ApolloClient({ networkInterface });
+
+    let isUpdated;
+    @graphql(query)
+    class Container extends React.Component<any, any> {
+      public updateQuery: any;
+      componentWillMount() {
+        this.updateQuery = this.props.data.updateQuery;
+      }
+      componentWillReceiveProps(props) {
+        if (isUpdated) {
+          expect(props.data.allPeople).to.deep.equal(data2.allPeople);
+          done();
+          return;
+        } else {
+          isUpdated = true;
+          this.updateQuery((prev) => {
+            return data2;
+          });
+        }
+      }
+      render() {
+        return null;
+      }
+    };
+
+    mount(<ProviderMock client={client}><Container /></ProviderMock>);
+  });
+
   it('allows updating query results after query has finished', (done) => {
     const query = gql`query people { allPeople(first: 1) { people { name } } }`;
     const data = { allPeople: { people: [ { name: 'Luke Skywalker' } ] } };