diff --git a/lib/src/transformer/declaration_parsing.dart b/lib/src/transformer/declaration_parsing.dart
index f1a3f12b3..066afdf95 100644
--- a/lib/src/transformer/declaration_parsing.dart
+++ b/lib/src/transformer/declaration_parsing.dart
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import 'dart:mirrors';
 import 'package:analyzer/analyzer.dart';
 import 'package:barback/barback.dart' show TransformLogger;
 import 'package:over_react/src/component_declaration/annotations.dart' as annotations;
+import 'package:over_react/src/transformer/util.dart' show getMetaField;
 import 'package:source_span/source_span.dart';
 import 'package:transformer_utils/src/transformed_source_file.dart' show getSpan;
 import 'package:transformer_utils/transformer_utils.dart';
@@ -211,15 +212,7 @@ class ParsedDeclarations {
       });
     } else {
       void validateMetaField(ClassDeclaration cd, String expectedType) {
-        bool isPropsOrStateMeta(ClassMember member) {
-          if (member is! FieldDeclaration) return false;
-          final FieldDeclaration fd = member;
-          if (!fd.isStatic) return false;
-          if (fd.fields.variables.length > 1) return false;
-          if (fd.fields.variables.single.name.name != 'meta') return false;
-          return true;
-        }
-        final FieldDeclaration metaField = cd.members.firstWhere(isPropsOrStateMeta, orElse: () => null);
+        final metaField = getMetaField(cd);
         if (metaField == null) return;
 
         if (metaField.fields.type?.toSource() != expectedType) {
@@ -229,15 +222,17 @@ class ParsedDeclarations {
           );
         }
         final isClassPrivate = cd.name.name.startsWith('_');
-        final expectedInitializer = isClassPrivate
-            ? '_\$metaFor${cd.name.name.substring(1)}'
-            : '\$metaFor${cd.name.name}';
+        var expectedInitializers = ['\$metaFor${cd.name.name}', '_\$metaFor${cd.name.name}'];
+        if (isClassPrivate) {
+          expectedInitializers.add('_\$metaFor${cd.name.name.substring(1)}');
+        }
 
         final initializer = metaField.fields.variables.single.initializer?.toSource();
-        if (initializer != expectedInitializer) {
+        if (!expectedInitializers.contains(initializer)) {
           error(
-              'Static $expectedType field in accessor class must be initialized to '
-              '`$expectedInitializer`',
+              'Static $expectedType field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+              // The second in the list of expected initializers is the one it will need to be once on Dart 2
+              '`${expectedInitializers[1]}`',
               getSpan(sourceFile, metaField),
           );
         }
@@ -280,6 +275,36 @@ class ParsedDeclarations {
       }
     }
 
+    // validate that the factory is initialized correctly
+    final factory = declarationMap[key_factory].length <= 1 ? singleOrNull(declarationMap[key_factory]) : null;
+    if (factory != null && factory is TopLevelVariableDeclaration) {
+      final String factoryName = factory.variables.variables.first.name.name;
+
+      if (factory.variables.variables.length != 1) {
+        error('Factory declarations must be a single variable.',
+            getSpan(sourceFile, factory.variables));
+      }
+
+      final variable = factory.variables.variables.first;
+      final isPrivate = factoryName.startsWith('_');
+      var expectedInitializers = ['\$$factoryName', '_\$$factoryName'];
+
+      if (isPrivate) {
+        expectedInitializers.add('_\$${factoryName.substring(1)}');
+      }
+
+      if (variable.initializer != null &&
+          !expectedInitializers.contains(variable.initializer.toString())) {
+        error(
+            'Factory variables are stubs for the generated factories, and should not have initializers '
+                'unless initialized with a valid variable name for Dart 2 builder compatibility. '
+                // The second in the list of expected initializers is the one it will need to be once on Dart 2
+                'Should be:\n    ${expectedInitializers[1]}',
+            getSpan(sourceFile, variable.initializer)
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
     if (hasErrors) {
       for (final key in declarationMap.keys) {
         declarationMap[key] = [];
diff --git a/lib/src/transformer/impl_generation.dart b/lib/src/transformer/impl_generation.dart
index 520410dd8..7f1a457ee 100644
--- a/lib/src/transformer/impl_generation.dart
+++ b/lib/src/transformer/impl_generation.dart
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import 'package:analyzer/analyzer.dart';
 import 'package:barback/barback.dart';
 import 'package:over_react/src/component_declaration/annotations.dart' as annotations;
 import 'package:over_react/src/transformer/declaration_parsing.dart';
-import 'package:over_react/src/transformer/text_util.dart';
+import 'package:over_react/src/transformer/util.dart';
 import 'package:source_span/source_span.dart';
 import 'package:transformer_utils/src/text_util.dart' show stringLiteral;
 import 'package:transformer_utils/src/transformed_source_file.dart' show getSpan;
@@ -105,26 +105,6 @@ class ImplGenerator {
       //   Factory implementation
       // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-      if (declarations.factory.node.variables.variables.length != 1) {
-        logger.error('Factory declarations must a single variable.',
-            span: getSpan(sourceFile, declarations.factory.node.variables));
-      }
-
-      declarations.factory.node.variables.variables.forEach((variable) {
-        final isPrivate = factoryName.startsWith(privatePrefix);
-        final validInitializer = isPrivate
-            ? '$generatedPrefix${factoryName.substring(privatePrefix.length)}'
-            : '$publicGeneratedPrefix$factoryName';
-        if (variable.initializer != null && variable.initializer.toString() != validInitializer) {
-          logger.error(
-              'Factory variables are stubs for the generated factories, and should not have initializers '
-              'unless initialized with \$$factoryName for Dart 2 builder compatibility. '
-              'Should be:\n    $validInitializer',
-              span: getSpan(sourceFile, variable.initializer)
-          );
-        }
-      });
-
       transformedFile.replace(
           sourceFile.span(
               declarations.factory.node.variables.variables.first.name.end,
@@ -682,27 +662,30 @@ class ImplGenerator {
           staticGettersCompanionImpl
       );
     }
-    
-    final name = (companionNode ?? typedMap.node).name.name;
-    final isPrivate = name.startsWith(privatePrefix);
-    final publicName = isPrivate ? name.substring(privatePrefix.length) : name;
-    final metaClassName = '$generatedPrefix${name}Meta';
-    final metaInstanceName = isPrivate
-        ? '${generatedPrefix}metaFor$publicName'
-        : '${publicGeneratedPrefix}metaFor$publicName';
-    final metaStructName = type == AccessorType.props
-        ? 'PropsMeta'
-        : 'StateMeta';
+
+    final classDeclaration = (companionNode ?? typedMap.node);
+    final metaField = getMetaField(classDeclaration);
     final output = new StringBuffer();
-    output.writeln('/// A class that allows us to reuse generated code from the accessors class.');
-    output.writeln('/// This is only used by other generated code, and can be simplified if needed.');
-    output.writeln('class $metaClassName {');
-    output.writeln(staticVariablesImpl);
-    output.writeln('}');
-    output.writeln('const $metaStructName $metaInstanceName = const $metaStructName(');
-    output.writeln('  fields: $metaClassName.$constantListName,');
-    output.writeln('  keys: $metaClassName.$keyListName,');
-    output.writeln(');');
+    // if metaField is null, we are on Dart 1 code which has not transitioned
+    // to the transitional Dart 2 compatible boilerplate, and thus the $metaFor
+    // constant is not needed
+    if (metaField != null) {
+      final name = classDeclaration.name.name;
+      final metaClassName = '$generatedPrefix${name}Meta';
+      final metaInstanceName = metaField.fields.variables.single.initializer.toSource();
+      final metaStructName = type == AccessorType.props
+          ? 'PropsMeta'
+          : 'StateMeta';
+      output.writeln('/// A class that allows us to reuse generated code from the accessors class.');
+      output.writeln('/// This is only used by other generated code, and can be simplified if needed.');
+      output.writeln('class $metaClassName {');
+      output.writeln(staticVariablesImpl);
+      output.writeln('}');
+      output.writeln('const $metaStructName $metaInstanceName = const $metaStructName(');
+      output.writeln('  fields: $metaClassName.$constantListName,');
+      output.writeln('  keys: $metaClassName.$keyListName,');
+      output.writeln(');');
+    }
     return new AccessorOutput(output.toString());
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/src/transformer/text_util.dart b/lib/src/transformer/util.dart
similarity index 64%
rename from lib/src/transformer/text_util.dart
rename to lib/src/transformer/util.dart
index 8ac2459d9..512284c7f 100644
--- a/lib/src/transformer/text_util.dart
+++ b/lib/src/transformer/util.dart
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-library over_react.transformer.text_util;
+library over_react.transformer.util;
+
+import 'package:analyzer/analyzer.dart';
 
 String commentBanner(String bannerText, {
     int bannerWidth: 80, int textIndent: 2, bool topBorder: true, bool bottomBorder: true
@@ -30,3 +32,17 @@ String commentBanner(String bannerText, {
       (bottomBorder ? bannerBorder : '') +
       '\n';
 }
+
+/// Returns a [FieldDeclaration] for the meta field on a [ClassDeclaration] if
+/// it exists, otherwise returns null.
+FieldDeclaration getMetaField(ClassDeclaration cd) {
+  bool isPropsOrStateMeta(ClassMember member) {
+    if (member is! FieldDeclaration) return false;
+    final FieldDeclaration fd = member;
+    if (!fd.isStatic) return false;
+    if (fd.fields.variables.length > 1) return false;
+    if (fd.fields.variables.single.name.name != 'meta') return false;
+    return true;
+  }
+  return cd.members.firstWhere(isPropsOrStateMeta, orElse: () => null);
+}
diff --git a/test/vm_tests/transformer/declaration_parsing_test.dart b/test/vm_tests/transformer/declaration_parsing_test.dart
index 4505bbef6..15ff3fef3 100644
--- a/test/vm_tests/transformer/declaration_parsing_test.dart
+++ b/test/vm_tests/transformer/declaration_parsing_test.dart
@@ -362,6 +362,77 @@ main() {
         });
       });
 
+      const String restOfComponent = '''
+        @Props()
+        class FooProps {}
+
+        @Component()
+        class FooComponent {}
+      ''';
+
+      group('does not log a hard error when', () {
+        group('the factory is', () {
+          group('public and initialized with', () {
+            test('correct \$ prefixed variable name', () {
+              setUpAndParse('''
+                @Factory()
+                UiFactory<FooProps> Foo = \$Foo;
+
+                $restOfComponent
+              ''');
+
+              verifyNever(logger.error(any, span: any));
+            });
+
+            test('correct _\$ prefixed variable name', () {
+              setUpAndParse('''
+                @Factory()
+                UiFactory<FooProps> Foo = _\$Foo;
+
+                $restOfComponent
+              ''');
+
+              verifyNever(logger.error(any, span: any));
+            });
+          });
+
+          group('private and initialized with', () {
+            test('correct \$ prefixed variable name', () {
+              setUpAndParse('''
+                @Factory()
+                UiFactory<FooProps> _Foo = \$_Foo;
+
+                $restOfComponent
+              ''');
+
+              verifyNever(logger.error(any, span: any));
+            });
+
+            test('correct _\$ prefixed variable name', () {
+              setUpAndParse('''
+                @Factory()
+                UiFactory<FooProps> _Foo = _\$_Foo;
+
+                $restOfComponent
+              ''');
+
+              verifyNever(logger.error(any, span: any));
+            });
+
+            test('_\$ prefixed variable name with private prefix stripped', () {
+              setUpAndParse('''
+                @Factory()
+                UiFactory<FooProps> _Foo = _\$Foo;
+
+                $restOfComponent
+              ''');
+
+              verifyNever(logger.error(any, span: any));
+            });
+          });
+        });
+      });
+
       group('and logs a hard error when', () {
         const String factorySrc      = '\n@Factory()\nUiFactory<FooProps> Foo;\n';
         const String propsSrc        = '\n@Props()\nclass FooProps {}\n';
@@ -497,6 +568,47 @@ main() {
           });
         });
 
+        group('a factory is', () {
+          test('declared using multiple variables', () {
+            setUpAndParse('''
+              @Factory()
+              UiFactory<FooProps> Foo, Bar;
+
+              $restOfComponent
+            ''');
+
+            verify(logger.error('Factory declarations must be a single variable.', span: any));
+          });
+
+          test('public and declared with an invalid initializer', () {
+            setUpAndParse('''
+              @Factory()
+              UiFactory<FooProps> Foo = null;
+
+              $restOfComponent
+            ''');
+
+            verify(logger.error(
+                'Factory variables are stubs for the generated factories, and should not have initializers'
+                    ' unless initialized with a valid variable name for Dart 2 builder compatibility. Should be:\n'
+                    '    _\$Foo', span: any));
+          });
+
+          test('private and declared with an invalid initializer', () {
+            setUpAndParse('''
+              @Factory()
+              UiFactory<FooProps> _Foo = null;
+
+              $restOfComponent
+            ''');
+
+            verify(logger.error(
+                'Factory variables are stubs for the generated factories, and should not have initializers'
+                    ' unless initialized with a valid variable name for Dart 2 builder compatibility. Should be:\n'
+                    '    _\$_Foo', span: any));
+          });
+        });
+
         group('a static meta field', () {
           group('for a props class', () {
             test('has the wrong type', () {
@@ -514,7 +626,18 @@ main() {
                   static const PropsMeta meta = \$metaForBarProps;
                 }
               ''');
-              verify(logger.error('Static PropsMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to `\$metaForFooProps`', span: any));
+              verify(logger.error('Static PropsMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaForFooProps`', span: any));
+            });
+
+            test('is private and initialized incorrectly', () {
+              setUpAndParse(factorySrc + privatePropsSrc + componentSrc + '''
+                class _FooProps {
+                  static const PropsMeta meta = \$metaForBarProps;
+                }
+              ''');
+              verify(logger.error('Static PropsMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaFor_FooProps`', span: any));
             });
           });
 
@@ -534,7 +657,18 @@ main() {
                   static const StateMeta meta = \$metaForBarState;
                 }
               ''');
-              verify(logger.error('Static StateMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to `\$metaForFooState`', span: any));
+              verify(logger.error('Static StateMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaForFooState`', span: any));
+            });
+
+            test('is private and initialized incorrectly', () {
+              setUpAndParse(factorySrc + propsSrc + privateStateSrc + componentSrc + '''
+                class _FooState {
+                  static const StateMeta meta = \$metaForBarState;
+                }
+              ''');
+              verify(logger.error('Static StateMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaFor_FooState`', span: any));
             });
           });
 
@@ -556,7 +690,19 @@ main() {
                   static const PropsMeta meta = \$metaForAbstractBarProps;
                 }
               ''');
-              verify(logger.error('Static PropsMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to `\$metaForAbstractFooProps`', span: any));
+              verify(logger.error('Static PropsMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                    '`_\$metaForAbstractFooProps`', span: any));
+            });
+
+            test('is private and initialized incorrectly', () {
+              setUpAndParse('''
+                @AbstractProps() abstract class _\$AbstractFooProps {}
+                abstract class _AbstractFooProps {
+                  static const PropsMeta meta = \$metaForAbstractBarProps;
+                }
+              ''');
+              verify(logger.error('Static PropsMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                    '`_\$metaFor_AbstractFooProps`', span: any));
             });
           });
 
@@ -578,7 +724,19 @@ main() {
                   static const StateMeta meta = \$metaForAbstractBarState;
                 }
               ''');
-              verify(logger.error('Static StateMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to `\$metaForAbstractFooState`', span: any));
+              verify(logger.error('Static StateMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaForAbstractFooState`', span: any));
+            });
+
+            test('is private and initialized incorrectly', () {
+              setUpAndParse('''
+                @AbstractState() abstract class _\$AbstractFooState {}
+                abstract class _AbstractFooState {
+                  static const StateMeta meta = \$metaForAbstractBarState;
+                }
+              ''');
+              verify(logger.error('Static StateMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaFor_AbstractFooState`', span: any));
             });
           });
 
@@ -598,7 +756,18 @@ main() {
                   static const PropsMeta meta = \$metaForBarPropsMixin;
                 }
               ''');
-              verify(logger.error('Static PropsMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to `\$metaForFooPropsMixin`', span: any));
+              verify(logger.error('Static PropsMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaForFooPropsMixin`', span: any));
+            });
+
+            test('is private and initialized incorrectly', () {
+              setUpAndParse('''
+                @PropsMixin() abstract class _FooPropsMixin {
+                  static const PropsMeta meta = \$metaForBarPropsMixin;
+                }
+              ''');
+              verify(logger.error('Static PropsMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaFor_FooPropsMixin`', span: any));
             });
           });
 
@@ -618,7 +787,18 @@ main() {
                   static const StateMeta meta = \$metaForBarStateMixin;
                 }
               ''');
-              verify(logger.error('Static StateMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to `\$metaForFooStateMixin`', span: any));
+              verify(logger.error('Static StateMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaForFooStateMixin`', span: any));
+            });
+
+            test('is private and initialized incorrectly', () {
+              setUpAndParse('''
+                @StateMixin() abstract class _FooStateMixin {
+                  static const StateMeta meta = \$metaForBarStateMixin;
+                }
+              ''');
+              verify(logger.error('Static StateMeta field in accessor class must be initialized to:'
+                  '`_\$metaFor_FooStateMixin`', span: any));
             });
           });
         });
diff --git a/test/vm_tests/transformer/impl_generation_test.dart b/test/vm_tests/transformer/impl_generation_test.dart
index 0d14479df..3b66a5f19 100644
--- a/test/vm_tests/transformer/impl_generation_test.dart
+++ b/test/vm_tests/transformer/impl_generation_test.dart
@@ -765,51 +765,7 @@ main() {
     });
 
     group('logs an error when', () {
-      group('a factory is', () {
-        const String restOfComponent = '''
-          @Props()
-          class FooProps {}
-
-          @Component()
-          class FooComponent {}
-        ''';
-
-        test('declared using multiple variables', () {
-          setUpAndGenerate('''
-            @Factory()
-            UiFactory<FooProps> Foo, Bar;
 
-            $restOfComponent
-          ''');
-
-          verify(logger.error('Factory declarations must a single variable.', span: any));
-        });
-
-        test('declared with an initializer', () {
-          setUpAndGenerate('''
-            @Factory()
-            UiFactory<FooProps> Foo = null;
-
-            $restOfComponent
-          ''');
-
-          verify(logger.error('Factory variables are stubs for the generated factories, and should not have initializers'
-              ' unless initialized with \$Foo for Dart 2 builder compatibility. Should be:\n'
-              '    \$Foo', span: any));
-        });
-
-        test('declared with an \$ prefixed initializer matching the factory name', () {
-          setUpAndGenerate('''
-            @Factory()
-            UiFactory<FooProps> Foo = \$Foo;
-
-            $restOfComponent
-          ''');
-
-          verifyNever(logger.error('Factory variables are stubs for the generated factories, and should not have initializers'
-              ' unless initialized with \$Foo for Dart 2 builder compatibility.', span: any));
-        });
-      });
 
       group('a component class', () {
         test('subtypes itself', () {
diff --git a/test/vm_tests/transformer/text_util_test.dart b/test/vm_tests/transformer/util_test.dart
similarity index 98%
rename from test/vm_tests/transformer/text_util_test.dart
rename to test/vm_tests/transformer/util_test.dart
index f8e0583f6..14167209f 100644
--- a/test/vm_tests/transformer/text_util_test.dart
+++ b/test/vm_tests/transformer/util_test.dart
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 @TestOn('vm')
 library text_util_test;
 
-import 'package:over_react/src/transformer/text_util.dart';
+import 'package:over_react/src/transformer/util.dart';
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
 
 main() {