diff --git a/lib/couchrest/core/database.rb b/lib/couchrest/core/database.rb
index ed97127..475afc3 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/core/database.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/core/database.rb
@@ -236,6 +236,16 @@ module CouchRest
       copy_doc(doc, dest)
     end
     
+    def extended_document_classes
+      @extended_document_classes ||= []
+    end
+    
+    # store extended document classes so we can clear 
+    # their freshness when we reset the DB
+    def register_extended_document_class(klass)
+      extended_document_classes << klass
+    end
+    
     # Compact the database, removing old document revisions and optimizing space use.
     def compact!
       CouchRest.post "#{@uri}/_compact"
@@ -271,11 +281,16 @@ module CouchRest
     # DELETE the database itself. This is not undoable and could be rather
     # catastrophic. Use with care!
     def delete!
+      clear_extended_doc_fresh_cache
       CouchRest.delete @uri
     end
 
     private
     
+    def clear_extended_doc_fresh_cache
+      extended_document_classes.each{|klass| klass.design_doc_fresh = false if klass.respond_to?(:design_doc_fresh=) }
+    end
+    
     def uri_for_attachment(doc, name)
       if doc.is_a?(String)
         puts "CouchRest::Database#fetch_attachment will eventually require a doc as the first argument, not a doc.id"
diff --git a/lib/couchrest/more/extended_document.rb b/lib/couchrest/more/extended_document.rb
index 4fe8182..3ea7031 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/more/extended_document.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/more/extended_document.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,15 @@ module CouchRest
           subklass.properties = self.properties.dup
         end
       EOS
+      
+      # re opening the use_database method so we can register our class
+      subklass.class_eval <<-EOS, __FILE__, __LINE__
+        def self.use_database(db)
+          super
+          db.register_extended_document_class(self) if db.respond_to?(:register_extended_document_class) && !db.extended_document_classes.include?(self)
+        end
+      EOS
+      
     end
     
     # Accessors
@@ -45,6 +54,8 @@ module CouchRest
       end
     end
     
+
+    
     
     # Automatically set <tt>updated_at</tt> and <tt>created_at</tt> fields
     # on the document whenever saving occurs. CouchRest uses a pretty
diff --git a/spec/couchrest/more/extended_doc_view_spec.rb b/spec/couchrest/more/extended_doc_view_spec.rb
index 5b60aeb..1a5df71 100644
--- a/spec/couchrest/more/extended_doc_view_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/couchrest/more/extended_doc_view_spec.rb
@@ -61,12 +61,12 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
   describe "another model with a simple view" do
     before(:all) do
       reset_test_db!
+      Course.design_doc_fresh = false
       %w{aaa bbb ddd eee}.each do |title|
         Course.new(:title => title).save
       end
     end
     it "should make the design doc upon first query" do
-      Course.design_doc_fresh = false
       Course.by_title 
       doc = Course.design_doc
       doc['views']['all']['map'].should include('Course')
@@ -74,13 +74,11 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
     it "should can query via view" do
       # register methods with method-missing, for local dispatch. method
       # missing lookup table, no heuristics.
-      Course.design_doc_fresh = false
       view = Course.view :by_title
       designed = Course.by_title
       view.should == designed
     end
     it "should get them" do
-      Course.design_doc_fresh = false
       rs = Course.by_title 
       rs.length.should == 4
     end
@@ -104,7 +102,7 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
   describe "a ducktype view" do
     before(:all) do
       reset_test_db!
-      @id = TEST_SERVER.default_database.save_doc({:dept => true})['id']
+      @id = DB.save_doc({:dept => true})['id']
     end
     it "should setup" do
       duck = Course.get(@id) # from a different db
@@ -126,7 +124,7 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
   describe "a model class not tied to a database" do
     before(:all) do
       reset_test_db!
-      @db = TEST_SERVER.default_database
+      @db = DB
       %w{aaa bbb ddd eee}.each do |title|
         u = Unattached.new(:title => title)
         u.database = @db
@@ -191,7 +189,7 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
     end
     it "should be able to cleanup the db/bump the revision number" do
       # if the previous specs were not run, the model_design_doc will be blank
-      Unattached.use_database TEST_SERVER.default_database
+      Unattached.use_database DB
       Unattached.view_by :questions
       Unattached.by_questions(:database => @db)
       original_revision = Unattached.model_design_doc(@db)['_rev']
@@ -204,8 +202,8 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
     before(:all) do
       reset_test_db!
       # setup the class default doc to save the design doc
-      Unattached.use_database TEST_SERVER.default_database
-      @us = Unattached.on(TEST_SERVER.default_database)
+      Unattached.use_database DB
+      @us = Unattached.on(DB)
       %w{aaa bbb ddd eee}.each do |title|
         u = @us.new(:title => title)
         u.save
@@ -213,12 +211,10 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
       end
     end
     it "should query all" do
-      Unattached.design_doc_fresh = false
       rs = @us.all
       rs.length.should == 4
     end
     it "should make the design doc upon first query" do
-      Unattached.design_doc_fresh = false
       @us.by_title
       doc = @us.design_doc
       doc['views']['all']['map'].should include('Unattached')
@@ -265,7 +261,6 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
 
   describe "a model with a compound key view" do
     before(:all) do
-      Article.design_doc_fresh = false
       Article.by_user_id_and_date.each{|a| a.destroy(true)}
       Article.database.bulk_delete
       written_at = Time.now - 24 * 3600 * 7
@@ -309,19 +304,16 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
       end
     end
     it "should be available raw" do
-      Article.design_doc_fresh = false
       view = Article.by_tags :raw => true
       view['rows'].length.should == 5
     end
 
     it "should be default to :reduce => false" do
-      Article.design_doc_fresh = false
       ars = Article.by_tags
       ars.first.tags.first.should == 'cool'
     end
   
     it "should be raw when reduce is true" do
-      Article.design_doc_fresh = false
       view = Article.by_tags :reduce => true, :group => true
       view['rows'].find{|r|r['key'] == 'cool'}['value'].should == 3
     end
@@ -331,7 +323,6 @@ describe "ExtendedDocument views" do
   describe "adding a view" do
     before(:each) do
       reset_test_db!
-      Article.design_doc_fresh = false
       Article.by_date
       @original_doc_rev = Article.model_design_doc['_rev']
       @design_docs = Article.database.documents :startkey => "_design/", :endkey => "_design/\u9999"
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/more/article.rb b/spec/fixtures/more/article.rb
index 02b7944..e0a6393 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/more/article.rb
+++ b/spec/fixtures/more/article.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 class Article < CouchRest::ExtendedDocument
-  use_database TEST_SERVER.default_database
+  use_database DB
   unique_id :slug
   
   view_by :date, :descending => true
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/more/card.rb b/spec/fixtures/more/card.rb
index 46307ad..2562c9d 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/more/card.rb
+++ b/spec/fixtures/more/card.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class Card < CouchRest::ExtendedDocument
   auto_validate!
   
   # Set the default database to use
-  use_database TEST_SERVER.default_database
+  use_database DB
   
   # Official Schema
   property :first_name
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/more/cat.rb b/spec/fixtures/more/cat.rb
index f53a2a2..54abad5 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/more/cat.rb
+++ b/spec/fixtures/more/cat.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ class Cat < CouchRest::ExtendedDocument
   include ::CouchRest::Validation
 
   # Set the default database to use
-  use_database TEST_SERVER.default_database
+  use_database DB
 
   property :name
   property :toys, :cast_as => ['CatToy'], :default => []
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/more/event.rb b/spec/fixtures/more/event.rb
index c36527a..221865e 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/more/event.rb
+++ b/spec/fixtures/more/event.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 class Event < CouchRest::ExtendedDocument
-  use_database TEST_SERVER.default_database
+  use_database DB
   
   property :subject
   property :occurs_at, :cast_as => 'Time', :send => 'parse'
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/more/invoice.rb b/spec/fixtures/more/invoice.rb
index f308f7c..273e6f2 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/more/invoice.rb
+++ b/spec/fixtures/more/invoice.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ class Invoice < CouchRest::ExtendedDocument
   include CouchRest::Validation
   
   # Set the default database to use
-  use_database TEST_SERVER.default_database
+  use_database DB
   
   # Official Schema
   property :client_name
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/more/service.rb b/spec/fixtures/more/service.rb
index ea54a7a..6ecf276 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/more/service.rb
+++ b/spec/fixtures/more/service.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ class Service < CouchRest::ExtendedDocument
   include CouchRest::Validation
   auto_validate!
   # Set the default database to use
-  use_database TEST_SERVER.default_database
+  use_database DB
   
   # Official Schema
   property :name, :length => 4...20
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 7e6800a..cafdcc5 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ unless defined?(FIXTURE_PATH)
   TESTDB    = 'couchrest-test'
   TEST_SERVER    = CouchRest.new
   TEST_SERVER.default_database = TESTDB
+  DB = TEST_SERVER.database(TESTDB)
 end
 
 class Basic < CouchRest::ExtendedDocument
@@ -19,10 +20,8 @@ class Basic < CouchRest::ExtendedDocument
 end
 
 def reset_test_db!
-  cr = TEST_SERVER
-  db = cr.database(TESTDB)
-  db.recreate! rescue nil
-  db
+  DB.recreate! rescue nil
+  DB
 end
 
 Spec::Runner.configure do |config|