diff --git a/src/Container.js b/src/Container.js
index 87eeed7a..a10e4191 100644
--- a/src/Container.js
+++ b/src/Container.js
@@ -1,28 +1,8 @@
 (function() {
-    var SPACE = ' ',
-        TRANSFORM_CHANGE_STR = [
-        'xChange.kinetic',
-        'yChange.kinetic',
-        'scaleXChange.kinetic',
-        'scaleYChange.kinetic',
-        'skewXChange.kinetic',
-        'skewYChange.kinetic',
-        'rotationChange.kinetic',
-        'offsetXChange.kinetic',
-        'offsetYChange.kinetic'
-    ].join(SPACE);
-
     Kinetic.Util.addMethods(Kinetic.Container, {
         __init: function(config) {
             this.children = new Kinetic.Collection();
             Kinetic.Node.call(this, config);
-
-            this.on(TRANSFORM_CHANGE_STR, function() {
-                var stage = this.getStage();
-                if (stage) {
-                    stage._enableNestedTransforms = true;
-                }
-            });
         },
         /**
          * returns a {@link Kinetic.Collection} of direct descendant nodes
diff --git a/src/Context.js b/src/Context.js
index 41b7050a..178e9e3f 100644
--- a/src/Context.js
+++ b/src/Context.js
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
             var stage = shape.getStage(),
                 m;
 
-            if (stage && stage._enableNestedTransforms) {
+            if (stage && stage.isNestedTransformsEnabled()) {
                 m = shape.getAbsoluteTransform().getMatrix();
             }
             else {
diff --git a/src/Layer.js b/src/Layer.js
index 7be32f1f..0420f516 100644
--- a/src/Layer.js
+++ b/src/Layer.js
@@ -314,17 +314,16 @@
     Kinetic.Factory.addGetterSetter(Kinetic.Layer, 'hitGraphEnabled', true);
 
     /**
-     * enable / disable hit graph
+     * enable/disable hit graph
      * @name setHitGraphEnabled
      * @method
      * @memberof Kinetic.Layer.prototype
-     * @param {Boolean} enable
+     * @param {Boolean} enabled
      * @returns {Node}
      */
 
     /**
-     * get flag which determines if the layer is cleared or not
-     *  before drawing
+     * determine if hit graph is enabled
      * @name getHitGraphEnabled
      * @method
      * @memberof Kinetic.Layer.prototype
diff --git a/src/Stage.js b/src/Stage.js
index bedb899f..48417af8 100644
--- a/src/Stage.js
+++ b/src/Stage.js
@@ -642,6 +642,26 @@
                 baseEvent = types[n];
                 this.content.addEventListener(baseEvent, handler, false);
             }
+        },
+        /**
+         * enable nested transforms
+         * @method
+         * @memberof Kinetic.Stage.prototype
+         * @returns {Node}
+         */
+        enableNestedTransforms: function() {
+            this.setNestedTransformsEnabled(true);
+            return this;
+        },
+        /**
+         * disable nested transforms
+         * @method
+         * @memberof Kinetic.Stage.prototype
+         * @returns {Node}
+         */
+        disableNestedTransforms: function() {
+            this.setNestedTransformsEnabled(false);
+            return this;
         }
     });
     Kinetic.Util.extend(Kinetic.Stage, Kinetic.Container);
@@ -655,4 +675,25 @@
      * @method
      * @memberof Kinetic.Stage.prototype
      */
+
+    Kinetic.Factory.addGetterSetter(Kinetic.Stage, 'nestedTransformsEnabled', true);
+
+    /**
+     * enable/disable nested transforms
+     * @name setNestedTransformsEnabled
+     * @method
+     * @memberof Kinetic.Stage.prototype
+     * @param {Boolean} enabled
+     * @returns {Node}
+     */
+
+    /**
+     * determine if nested transforms are enabled
+     * @name getNestedTransformsEnabled
+     * @method
+     * @memberof Kinetic.Stage.prototype
+     * @returns {Boolean}
+     */
+
+     Kinetic.Stage.prototype.isNestedTransformsEnabled = Kinetic.Stage.prototype.getNestedTransformsEnabled;
 })();
diff --git a/test/performance/common/random-squares.js b/test/performance/common/random-squares.js
index 73816e6f..e468a67d 100644
--- a/test/performance/common/random-squares.js
+++ b/test/performance/common/random-squares.js
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@
           stage = new Kinetic.Stage({
             container: "container",
             width: 578,
-            height: 200
+            height: 200,
+            nestedTransformsEnabled: false
           });
           circlesLayer = new Kinetic.Layer({
             hitGraphEnabled: false
diff --git a/test/unit/Container-test.js b/test/unit/Container-test.js
index bdd47642..cec4f474 100644
--- a/test/unit/Container-test.js
+++ b/test/unit/Container-test.js
@@ -1355,42 +1355,4 @@ suite('Container', function() {
         layer.draw();
     });
 
-  // ======================================================
-  test('stage._enableNestedTransforms flag', function(){
-    var stage = addStage();
-
-    var layer = new Kinetic.Layer();
-
-    var rect = new Kinetic.Rect({
-      x: 100,
-      y: 50,
-      width: 100,
-      height: 50,
-      fill: 'green',
-      stroke: 'blue'
-    });
-
-    layer.add(rect);
-    stage.add(layer);
-
-    assert.equal(rect.getX(), 100);
-    assert.equal(rect.getY(), 50);
-
-    var trace = layer.getContext().getTrace();
-    //console.log(trace);
-    assert.equal(trace, 'clearRect(0,0,578,200);save();transform(1,0,0,1,100,50);beginPath();rect(0,0,100,50);closePath();fillStyle=green;fill();lineWidth=2;strokeStyle=blue;stroke();restore();');
-
-    var relaxedTrace = layer.getContext().getTrace(true);
-    //console.log(relaxedTrace);
-    assert.equal(relaxedTrace, 'clearRect();save();transform();beginPath();rect();closePath();fillStyle;fill();lineWidth;strokeStyle;stroke();restore();');
-  
-    assert.equal(stage._enableNestedTransforms, false, 'enableNestedTransforms should be false');
-
-    // changing any container transform property should permanately set the _enableNestedTransforms flag to true
-    layer.setX(1);
-    layer.setX(0);
-
-    assert.equal(stage._enableNestedTransforms, true, 'enableNestedTransforms should be true');
-
-  });
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/unit/Stage-test.js b/test/unit/Stage-test.js
index 16d61cc5..e838f40d 100644
--- a/test/unit/Stage-test.js
+++ b/test/unit/Stage-test.js
@@ -427,4 +427,37 @@ suite('Stage', function() {
 
         //console.log(stage.getStage());
     });
+
+      // ======================================================
+      test('stage.nestedTransformEnabled', function(){
+        var stage = addStage();
+        var layer = new Kinetic.Layer();
+        var group = new Kinetic.Group();
+        var circle = new Kinetic.Circle({
+            x: 100,
+            y: 100,
+            radius: 70,
+            fill: 'green',
+            stroke: 'black',
+            strokeWidth: 4,
+            name: 'myCircle',
+            draggable: true
+        });
+
+        group.add(circle);
+        layer.add(group);
+        stage.add(layer);
+
+        assert.equal(stage.isNestedTransformsEnabled(), true);
+
+        stage.disableNestedTransforms();
+
+        assert.equal(stage.isNestedTransformsEnabled(), false);
+
+        stage.enableNestedTransforms();
+
+        assert.equal(stage.isNestedTransformsEnabled(), true);
+
+
+      });
 });
\ No newline at end of file