diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/zone/vm_turn_zone.dart b/modules/angular2/src/core/zone/vm_turn_zone.dart
index 7b0d3991b8..a4d4f58695 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/zone/vm_turn_zone.dart
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/zone/vm_turn_zone.dart
@@ -29,12 +29,10 @@ class VmTurnZone {
   // onTurnDone hook at the end of the current VM turn.
   Zone _innerZone;
 
-  // Number of microtasks pending from _outerZone (& descendants)
+  // Number of microtasks pending from _innerZone (& descendants)
   int _pendingMicrotasks = 0;
   // Whether some code has been executed in the _innerZone (& descendants) in the current turn
   bool _hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone = false;
-  // Whether the onTurnStart hook is executing
-  bool _inTurnStart = false;
   // _outerRun() call depth. 0 at the end of a macrotask
   // zone.run(() => {         // top-level call
   //   zone.run(() => {});    // nested call -> in-turn
@@ -44,36 +42,26 @@ class VmTurnZone {
   /**
    * Associates with this
    *
-   * - an "outer" [Zone], which is a child of the one that created this.
+   * - an "outer" [Zone], which is a the one that created this.
    * - an "inner" [Zone], which is a child of the outer [Zone].
    *
    * @param {bool} enableLongStackTrace whether to enable long stack trace. They should only be
    *               enabled in development mode as they significantly impact perf.
    */
   VmTurnZone({bool enableLongStackTrace}) {
-    // The _outerZone captures microtask scheduling so that we can run onTurnDone when the queue
-    // is exhausted and code has been executed in the _innerZone.
+    _outerZone = Zone.current;
+
     if (enableLongStackTrace) {
-      _outerZone = Chain.capture(
-          () => _createOuterZone(Zone.current),
+      _innerZone = Chain.capture(
+          () => _createInnerZone(Zone.current),
           onError: _onErrorWithLongStackTrace);
     } else {
-      _outerZone = _createOuterZone(
+      _innerZone = _createInnerZone(
           Zone.current,
           handleUncaughtError: (Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, error, StackTrace trace) =>
               _onErrorWithoutLongStackTrace(error, trace)
       );
     }
-
-    // Instruments the inner [Zone] to detect when code is executed in this (or a descendant) zone.
-    // Also runs the onTurnStart hook the first time this zone executes some code in each turn.
-    _innerZone = _outerZone.fork(
-      specification: new ZoneSpecification(
-        run: _innerRun,
-        runUnary: _innerRunUnary,
-        runBinary: _innerRunBinary
-      ),
-      zoneValues: {'_name': 'inner'});
   }
 
   /**
@@ -136,47 +124,28 @@ class VmTurnZone {
    * ```
    */
   dynamic runOutsideAngular(fn()) {
-    return _outerZone.runGuarded(fn);
+    return _outerZone.run(fn);
   }
 
-  // Executes code in the [_innerZone] & trigger the onTurnStart hook when code is executed for the
-  // first time in a turn.
-  dynamic _innerRun(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn()) {
-    _maybeStartVmTurn(parent, zone);
-    return parent.run(zone, fn);
-  }
-
-  dynamic _innerRunUnary(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn(arg), arg) {
-    _maybeStartVmTurn(parent, zone);
-    return parent.runUnary(zone, fn, arg);
-  }
-
-  dynamic _innerRunBinary(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn(arg1, arg2), arg1, arg2) {
-    _maybeStartVmTurn(parent, zone);
-    return parent.runBinary(zone, fn, arg1, arg2);
-  }
-
-  void _maybeStartVmTurn(ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone) {
+  void _maybeStartVmTurn(ZoneDelegate parent) {
     if (!_hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone) {
       _hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone = true;
       if (_onTurnStart != null) {
-        _inTurnStart = true;
-        parent.run(zone, _onTurnStart);
+        parent.run(_innerZone, _onTurnStart);
       }
     }
   }
 
-  dynamic _outerRun(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn()) {
+  dynamic _run(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn()) {
     try {
       _nestedRun++;
+      _maybeStartVmTurn(parent);
       return parent.run(zone, fn);
     } finally {
       _nestedRun--;
-      // If there are no more pending microtasks, we are at the end of a VM turn (or in onTurnStart)
-      // _nestedRun will be 0 at the end of a macrotasks (it could be > 0 when there are nested calls
-      // to _outerRun()).
+      // If there are no more pending microtasks and we are not in a recursive call, this is the end of a turn
       if (_pendingMicrotasks == 0 && _nestedRun == 0) {
-        if (_onTurnDone != null && !_inTurnStart && _hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone) {
+        if (_onTurnDone != null && _hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone) {
           // Trigger onTurnDone at the end of a turn if _innerZone has executed some code
           try {
             parent.run(_innerZone, _onTurnDone);
@@ -185,15 +154,14 @@ class VmTurnZone {
           }
         }
       }
-      _inTurnStart = false;
     }
   }
 
-  dynamic _outerRunUnary(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn(arg), arg) =>
-    _outerRun(self, parent, zone, () => fn(arg));
+  dynamic _runUnary(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn(arg), arg) =>
+    _run(self, parent, zone, () => fn(arg));
 
-  dynamic _outerRunBinary(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn(arg1, arg2), arg1, arg2) =>
-    _outerRun(self, parent, zone, () => fn(arg1, arg2));
+  dynamic _runBinary(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn(arg1, arg2), arg1, arg2) =>
+    _run(self, parent, zone, () => fn(arg1, arg2));
 
   void _scheduleMicrotask(Zone self, ZoneDelegate parent, Zone zone, fn) {
     _pendingMicrotasks++;
@@ -226,16 +194,16 @@ class VmTurnZone {
     }
   }
 
-  Zone _createOuterZone(Zone zone, {handleUncaughtError}) {
+  Zone _createInnerZone(Zone zone, {handleUncaughtError}) {
     return zone.fork(
       specification: new ZoneSpecification(
         scheduleMicrotask: _scheduleMicrotask,
-        run: _outerRun,
-        runUnary: _outerRunUnary,
-        runBinary: _outerRunBinary,
+        run: _run,
+        runUnary: _runUnary,
+        runBinary: _runBinary,
         handleUncaughtError: handleUncaughtError
       ),
-      zoneValues: {'_name': 'outer'}
+      zoneValues: {'_innerZone': true}
     );
   }
 }
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/zone/vm_turn_zone.es6 b/modules/angular2/src/core/zone/vm_turn_zone.es6
index 72d2e500f5..5f09271870 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/zone/vm_turn_zone.es6
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/zone/vm_turn_zone.es6
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ export class VmTurnZone {
   _pendingMicrotask: number;
   // Whether some code has been executed in the _innerZone (& descendants) in the current turn
   _hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone: boolean;
-  // Whether the onTurnStart hook is executing
-  _inTurnStart: boolean;
   // run() call depth in _outerZone. 0 at the end of a macrotask
   // zone.run(() => {         // top-level call
   //   zone.run(() => {});    // nested call -> in-turn
@@ -51,11 +49,10 @@ export class VmTurnZone {
 
     this._pendingMicrotasks = 0;
     this._hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone = false;
-    this._inTurnStart = false;
     this._nestedRun = 0;
 
-    this._outerZone = this._createOuterZone(global.zone);
-    this._innerZone = this._createInnerZone(this._outerZone, enableLongStackTrace);
+    this._outerZone = global.zone;
+    this._innerZone = this._createInnerZone(this._outerZone, enableLongStackTrace)
   }
 
   /**
@@ -109,50 +106,6 @@ export class VmTurnZone {
     return this._outerZone.run(fn);
   }
 
-  _createOuterZone(zone) {
-    var vmTurnZone = this;
-
-    return zone.fork({
-      _name: 'outer',
-      '$run': function(parentRun) {
-        return function() {
-          try {
-            vmTurnZone._nestedRun++;
-            return parentRun.apply(this, arguments);
-          } finally {
-            vmTurnZone._nestedRun--;
-            // If there are no more pending microtasks, we are at the end of a VM turn (or in onTurnStart)
-            // _nestedRun will be 0 at the end of a macrotasks (it could be > 0 when there are nested calls
-            // to run()).
-            if (vmTurnZone._pendingMicrotasks == 0 && vmTurnZone._nestedRun == 0) {
-              if (vmTurnZone._onTurnDone && !vmTurnZone._inTurnStart && vmTurnZone._hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone) {
-                try {
-                  parentRun.call(vmTurnZone._innerZone, vmTurnZone._onTurnDone);
-                } finally {
-                  vmTurnZone._hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone = false;
-                }
-              }
-            }
-            vmTurnZone._inTurnStart = false;
-          }
-        }
-      },
-      '$scheduleMicrotask': function(parentScheduleMicrotask) {
-        return function(fn) {
-          vmTurnZone._pendingMicrotasks++;
-          var microtask = function() {
-            try {
-              fn();
-            } finally {
-              vmTurnZone._pendingMicrotasks--;
-            }
-          };
-          parentScheduleMicrotask.call(this, microtask);
-        }
-      }
-    });
-  }
-
   _createInnerZone(zone, enableLongStackTrace) {
     var vmTurnZone = this;
     var errorHandling;
@@ -174,28 +127,51 @@ export class VmTurnZone {
     return zone
         .fork(errorHandling)
         .fork({
-          // Executes code in the _innerZone & trigger the onTurnStart hook when code is executed for the
-          // first time in a turn.
-          '$run': function (parentRun) {
-            return function () {
-              vmTurnZone._maybeStartVmTurn()
-              return parentRun.apply(this, arguments)
+          '$run': function(parentRun) {
+            return function() {
+              try {
+                vmTurnZone._nestedRun++;
+                if (!vmTurnZone._hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone) {
+                  vmTurnZone._hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone = true;
+                  if (vmTurnZone._onTurnStart) {
+                    parentRun.call(vmTurnZone._innerZone, vmTurnZone._onTurnStart);
+                  }
+                }
+                return parentRun.apply(this, arguments);
+              } finally {
+                vmTurnZone._nestedRun--;
+                // If there are no more pending microtasks, we are at the end of a VM turn (or in onTurnStart)
+                // _nestedRun will be 0 at the end of a macrotasks (it could be > 0 when there are nested calls
+                // to run()).
+                if (vmTurnZone._pendingMicrotasks == 0 && vmTurnZone._nestedRun == 0) {
+                  if (vmTurnZone._onTurnDone && vmTurnZone._hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone) {
+                    try {
+                      parentRun.call(vmTurnZone._innerZone, vmTurnZone._onTurnDone);
+                    } finally {
+                      vmTurnZone._hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone = false;
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              }
             }
           },
-          _name: 'inner'
+          '$scheduleMicrotask': function(parentScheduleMicrotask) {
+            return function(fn) {
+              vmTurnZone._pendingMicrotasks++;
+              var microtask = function() {
+                try {
+                  fn();
+                } finally {
+                  vmTurnZone._pendingMicrotasks--;
+                }
+              };
+              parentScheduleMicrotask.call(this, microtask);
+            }
+          },
+          _innerZone: true
         });
   }
 
-  _maybeStartVmTurn(): void {
-    if (!this._hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone) {
-      this._hasExecutedCodeInInnerZone = true;
-      if (this._onTurnStart) {
-        this._inTurnStart = true;
-        this._outerZone.run.call(this._innerZone, this._onTurnStart);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   _onError(zone, e): void {
     if (isPresent(this._onErrorHandler)) {
       var trace = [normalizeBlank(e.stack)];
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/test_lib/test_lib.dart b/modules/angular2/src/test_lib/test_lib.dart
index 3d652e142d..c0e2466040 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/test_lib/test_lib.dart
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/test_lib/test_lib.dart
@@ -226,4 +226,4 @@ String elementText(n) {
   return DOM.getText(n);
 }
 
-String getCurrentZoneName() => Zone.current['_name'];
+bool isInInnerZone() => Zone.current['_innerZone'] == true;
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/test_lib/test_lib.es6 b/modules/angular2/src/test_lib/test_lib.es6
index f9b6595a46..553b661b98 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/test_lib/test_lib.es6
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/test_lib/test_lib.es6
@@ -354,6 +354,6 @@ function elementText(n) {
   return DOM.getText(n);
 }
 
-function getCurrentZoneName(): string {
-  return global.zone._name;
+export function isInInnerZone(): boolean {
+  return global.zone._innerZone === true;
 }
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/core/zone/vm_turn_zone_spec.js b/modules/angular2/test/core/zone/vm_turn_zone_spec.js
index dd078e20d2..4b34f3a094 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/core/zone/vm_turn_zone_spec.js
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/core/zone/vm_turn_zone_spec.js
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ import {
   it,
   xdescribe,
   xit,
-  Log
+  Log,
+  isInInnerZone
 } from 'angular2/test_lib';
 
 import {PromiseWrapper} from 'angular2/src/facade/async';
@@ -19,10 +20,8 @@ import {BaseException} from 'angular2/src/facade/lang';
 import {VmTurnZone} from 'angular2/src/core/zone/vm_turn_zone';
 
 // Schedules a macrotask (using a timer)
-// The code is executed in the outer zone to properly detect VM turns - in Dart VM turns could not be properly detected
-// in the root zone because scheduleMicrotask() is not overriden.
 function macroTask(fn: Function): void {
-  _zone.runOutsideAngular(() => PromiseWrapper.setTimeout(fn, 0));
+  _zone.runOutsideAngular(() => PromiseWrapper.setTimeout(fn, 1));
 }
 
 // Schedules a microtasks (using a resolved promise .then())
@@ -145,7 +144,16 @@ export function main() {
 }
 
 function commonTests() {
-  describe("run", () => {
+  describe('isInInnerZone', () => {
+    it('should return whether the code executes in the inner zone', () => {
+      expect(isInInnerZone()).toEqual(false);
+      _zone.run(() => {
+        expect(isInInnerZone()).toEqual(true);
+      });
+    })
+  });
+
+  describe('run', () => {
     it('should return the body return value from run', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       macroTask(() => {
         expect(_zone.run(() => {
@@ -175,7 +183,7 @@ function commonTests() {
       macroTask(() => {
         _zone.run(() => {
           _log.add('run start');
-          microTask(() => { _log.add('async'); });
+          microTask(_log.fn('async'));
           _log.add('run end');
         });
       });
@@ -194,7 +202,7 @@ function commonTests() {
           _log.add('start run');
           _zone.run(() => {
             _log.add('nested run');
-            microTask(() => _log.add('nested run microtask'));
+            microTask(_log.fn('nested run microtask'));
           });
           _log.add('end run');
         });
@@ -210,15 +218,14 @@ function commonTests() {
        inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       macroTask(() => {
         _zone.run(_log.fn('run1'));
+      });
+
+      macroTask(() => {
         _zone.run(_log.fn('run2'));
       });
 
       macroTask(() => {
-        _zone.run(_log.fn('run3'));
-      });
-
-      macroTask(() => {
-        expect(_log.result()).toEqual('onTurnStart; run1; run2; onTurnDone; onTurnStart; run3; onTurnDone');
+        expect(_log.result()).toEqual('onTurnStart; run1; onTurnDone; onTurnStart; run2; onTurnDone');
         async.done();
       });
     }));
@@ -229,22 +236,21 @@ function commonTests() {
       var b;
 
       macroTask(() => {
-        a = PromiseWrapper.completer();
-        b = PromiseWrapper.completer();
         _zone.run(() => {
+          a = PromiseWrapper.completer();
+          b = PromiseWrapper.completer();
+
           _log.add('run start');
-          a.promise.then((_) => {
-            return _log.add('a then');
-          });
-          b.promise.then((_) => {
-            return _log.add('b then');
-          });
+          a.promise.then(_log.fn('a then'));
+          b.promise.then(_log.fn('b then'));
         });
       });
 
       macroTask(() => {
-        a.resolve('a');
-        b.resolve('b');
+        _zone.run(() => {
+          a.resolve('a');
+          b.resolve('b');
+        });
       });
 
       macroTask(() => {
@@ -276,9 +282,7 @@ function commonTests() {
 
       macroTask(() => {
         _zone.run(() => {
-          completer.promise.then((_) => {
-            _log.add('executedMicrotask');
-          });
+          completer.promise.then(_log.fn('executedMicrotask'));
         });
       });
 
@@ -302,34 +306,6 @@ function commonTests() {
       });
     }));
 
-    it('should not call onTurnStart and onTurnDone when an outer microtask is scheduled from inside angular',
-          inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
-      var completer;
-
-      macroTask(() => {
-        _zone.runOutsideAngular(() => {
-         completer = PromiseWrapper.completer();
-         completer.promise.then((_) => {
-           _log.add('executedMicrotask');
-         });
-        });
-      });
-
-      macroTask(() => {
-        _zone.run(() => {
-          _log.add('scheduling a microtask');
-          completer.resolve(null);
-        });
-      });
-
-      macroTask(() => {
-        expect(_log.result()).toEqual(
-            'onTurnStart; scheduling a microtask; executedMicrotask; onTurnDone'
-        );
-        async.done();
-      });
-    }));
-
     it('should call onTurnStart before executing a microtask scheduled in onTurnDone as well as ' +
         'onTurnDone after executing the task', inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       var ran = false;
@@ -347,9 +323,7 @@ function commonTests() {
         }});
 
       macroTask(() => {
-        _zone.run(() => {
-          _log.add('run');
-        });
+        _zone.run(_log.fn('run'));
       });
 
       macroTask(() => {
@@ -383,7 +357,7 @@ function commonTests() {
       macroTask(() => {
         _zone.run(() => {
           _log.add('scheduleMicrotask');
-          microTask(() => { _log.add('run(executeMicrotask)'); });
+          microTask(_log.fn('run(executeMicrotask)'));
         });
       });
 
@@ -409,7 +383,7 @@ function commonTests() {
           _log.add('onTurnStart(begin)');
           if (!startPromiseRan) {
             _log.add('onTurnStart(schedulePromise)');
-            microTask(() => { _log.add('onTurnStart(executePromise)'); });
+            microTask(_log.fn('onTurnStart(executePromise)'));
             startPromiseRan = true;
           }
           _log.add('onTurnStart(end)');
@@ -418,7 +392,7 @@ function commonTests() {
           _log.add('onTurnDone(begin)');
           if (!donePromiseRan) {
             _log.add('onTurnDone(schedulePromise)');
-            microTask(() => { _log.add('onTurnDone(executePromise)'); });
+            microTask(_log.fn('onTurnDone(executePromise)'));
             donePromiseRan = true;
           }
           _log.add('onTurnDone(end)');
@@ -430,12 +404,10 @@ function commonTests() {
           PromiseWrapper.resolve(null)
             .then((_) => {
               _log.add('promise then');
-              PromiseWrapper.resolve(null).then((_) => { _log.add('promise foo'); });
+              PromiseWrapper.resolve(null).then(_log.fn('promise foo'));
               return PromiseWrapper.resolve(null);
             })
-            .then((_) => {
-              _log.add('promise bar');
-            });
+            .then(_log.fn('promise bar'));
           _log.add('run end');
         });
       });
@@ -465,8 +437,8 @@ function commonTests() {
         _zone.run(() => {
           completerA = PromiseWrapper.completer();
           completerB = PromiseWrapper.completer();
-          completerA.promise.then((_) => _log.add('a then'));
-          completerB.promise.then((_) => _log.add('b then'));
+          completerA.promise.then(_log.fn('a then'));
+          completerB.promise.then(_log.fn('b then'));
           _log.add('run start');
         });
       });
@@ -503,9 +475,7 @@ function commonTests() {
           _log.add('run start');
           microTask(() => {
             _log.add('async1');
-            microTask(() => {
-              _log.add('async2');
-            });
+            microTask(_log.fn('async2'));
           });
           _log.add('run end');
         });
@@ -521,26 +491,19 @@ function commonTests() {
        inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async) => {
       var promise;
 
-      _zone.initCallbacks({
-        onTurnStart: _log.fn('onTurnStart'),
-        onTurnDone: _log.fn('onTurnDone')
-      });
-
       macroTask(() => {
         _zone.runOutsideAngular(() => {
           promise = PromiseWrapper.resolve(4).then((x) => PromiseWrapper.resolve(x));
         });
 
         _zone.run(() => {
-          promise.then((_) => {
-            _log.add('promise then');
-          });
+          promise.then(_log.fn('promise then'));
           _log.add('zone run');
         });
       });
 
       macroTask(() => {
-        expect(_log.result()).toEqual('onTurnStart; zone run; promise then; onTurnDone');
+        expect(_log.result()).toEqual('onTurnStart; zone run; onTurnDone; onTurnStart; promise then; onTurnDone');
         async.done();
       });
     }));