diff --git a/solara/toestand.py b/solara/toestand.py
index f2b83430a..af76efc8b 100644
--- a/solara/toestand.py
+++ b/solara/toestand.py
@@ -353,11 +353,12 @@ def get(self, add_watch=None) -> S:
             warnings.warn("add_watch is deprecated, use .peek()", DeprecationWarning)
         if thread_local.reactive_used is not None:
             thread_local.reactive_used.add(self)
-        return self._storage.get()
+        # peek to avoid parents also adding themselves to the reactive_used set
+        return self._storage.peek()
 
     def peek(self) -> S:
         """Return the value without automatically subscribing to listeners."""
-        return self._storage.get()
+        return self._storage.peek()
 
     def subscribe(self, listener: Callable[[S], None], scope: Optional[ContextManager] = None):
         return self._storage.subscribe(listener, scope=scope)
@@ -495,7 +496,7 @@ def wrapper(f: Callable[[], T]):
         return wrapper(f)
 
 
-class ValueSubField(ValueBase[T]):
+class ReactiveField(ValueBase[T]):
     def __init__(self, field: "FieldBase"):
         super().__init__()  # type: ignore
         self._field = field
@@ -509,7 +510,7 @@ def __str__(self):
         return str(self._field)
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return f"<Reactive subfield {self._field}>"
+        return f"<Reactive field {self._field}>"
 
     @property
     def lock(self):
@@ -548,6 +549,7 @@ def get(self, add_watch=None) -> T:
             warnings.warn("add_watch is deprecated, use .peek()", DeprecationWarning)
         if thread_local.reactive_used is not None:
             thread_local.reactive_used.add(self)
+        # peek to avoid parents also adding themselves to the reactive_used set
         return self._field.peek()
 
     def peek(self) -> T:
@@ -559,7 +561,7 @@ def set(self, value: T):
 
 def Ref(field: T) -> Reactive[T]:
     _field = cast(FieldBase, field)
-    return Reactive[T](ValueSubField[T](_field))
+    return cast(Reactive[T], ReactiveField[T](_field))
 
 
 class FieldBase:
@@ -758,6 +760,7 @@ def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
 
 # alias for compatibility
 State = Reactive
+ValueSubField = ReactiveField
 
 auto_subscribe_context_manager = AutoSubscribeContextManagerReacton
 reacton.core._component_context_manager_classes.append(auto_subscribe_context_manager)
diff --git a/tests/unit/toestand_test.py b/tests/unit/toestand_test.py
index 9694f4a56..ef4106a00 100644
--- a/tests/unit/toestand_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/toestand_test.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import solara
 import solara as sol
 import solara.lab
+import solara.toestand as toestand
 from solara.server import kernel, kernel_context
 from solara.toestand import Reactive, Ref, State, use_sync_external_store
 
@@ -842,17 +843,24 @@ def test_reactive_auto_subscribe_sub():
     bears = Reactive(Bears(type="brown", count=1))
     renders = 0
 
+    ref = Ref(bears.fields.count)
+    reactive_used = None
+
     @solara.component
     def Test():
+        nonlocal reactive_used
         nonlocal renders
+        reactive_used = toestand.thread_local.reactive_used
         renders += 1
-        count = Ref(bears.fields.count).value
+        count = ref.value
         return solara.Info(f"{count} bears around here")
 
     box, rc = solara.render(Test(), handle_error=False)
     assert rc.find(v.Alert).widget.children[0] == "1 bears around here"
-    Ref(bears.fields.count).value += 1
+    assert reactive_used == {ref}
+    ref.value += 1
     assert rc.find(v.Alert).widget.children[0] == "2 bears around here"
+    assert reactive_used == {ref}
     # now check that we didn't listen to the while object, just count changes
     renders_before = renders
     Ref(bears.fields.type).value = "pink"
@@ -900,10 +908,13 @@ def Test():
 def test_reactive_auto_subscribe_subfield_limit(kernel_context):
     bears = Reactive(Bears(type="brown", count=1))
     renders = 0
+    reactive_used = None
 
     @solara.component
     def Test():
         nonlocal renders
+        nonlocal reactive_used
+        reactive_used = toestand.thread_local.reactive_used
         renders += 1
         _ = bears.value  # access it to trigger the subscription
         return solara.IntSlider("test", value=Ref(bears.fields.count).value)
@@ -911,8 +922,11 @@ def Test():
     box, rc = solara.render(Test(), handle_error=False)
     assert rc.find(v.Slider).widget.v_model == 1
     assert renders == 1
+    assert reactive_used is not None
+    assert len(reactive_used) == 2  # bears and bears.fields.count
     Ref(bears.fields.count).value = 2
     assert renders == 2
+    assert len(reactive_used) == 2  # bears and bears.fields.count
     rc.close()
     assert not bears._storage.listeners[kernel_context.id]
     assert not bears._storage.listeners2[kernel_context.id]