diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 3cc360f..b19bb88 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ export default createClass({
   getInitialState() {
     return {
       standing: 'above',
-      exited: true,
-      exiting: false
+      exited: true, // for animation-dependent rendering, should popover close/open?
+      exiting: false, // for tracking in-progress animations
+      toggle: false // for business logic tracking, should popover close/open?
     }
   },
   getDefaultProps() {
@@ -137,7 +138,6 @@ export default createClass({
 
     /* If the popover dose not fit into frameCrossLength then just position it to the `frameCrossStart`.
     `popoverCrossLength` will now be forced to overflow into the `Frame` */
-    console.log(this.p2[axis.cross.end], hangingBufferLength)
     if (pos.crossLength > frameCrossLength) {
       log('popoverCrossLength does not fit frame.')
       pos[axis.cross.start] = 0
@@ -221,7 +221,6 @@ export default createClass({
   },
   measureTargetBounds() {
     let targetBounds = calcBounds(this.targetEl)
-    //log('measured target:', targetBounds)
     if (!this.p1) {
       this.p2 = targetBounds
     } else if (!equalCoords(targetBounds, this.p2)) {
@@ -232,20 +231,51 @@ export default createClass({
   },
   componentDidMount() {
     this.targetEl = findDOMNode(this)
-    this.trackPopover()
+    if (this.props.isOpen) this.enter()
   },
-  componentDidUpdate() {
-    log('Component did update!')
-    this.trackPopover()
+  componentWillReceiveProps(propsNext) {
+    //log('Component received props!', propsNext)
+    let willOpen = !this.props.isOpen && propsNext.isOpen
+    let willClose = this.props.isOpen && !propsNext.isOpen
+
+    if (willOpen) {
+      if (this.state.exiting) this.animateExitStop()
+      this.setState({ toggle: true, exited: false })
+    } else if (willClose) {
+      /* TODO?: we currently do not setup any `entering` state flag because
+      nothing would really need to depend on it. Stopping animations is currently nothing
+      more than clearing some timeouts which are safe to clear even if undefined. The
+      primary reason for `exiting` state is for the `layerRender` logic. */
+      this.animateEnterStop()
+      this.setState({ toggle: false })
+    }
 
-    if (this.props.isOpen && this.state.exiting) {
-      clearTimeout(this.exitingAnimationTimer1)
-      clearTimeout(this.exitingAnimationTimer2)
-      return
-    } else if (this.props.isOpen || this.state.exiting || this.state.exited) return
+  },
+  componentDidUpdate(propsPrev, statePrev) {
+    //log('Component did update!')
+    let didOpen = !statePrev.toggle && this.state.toggle
+    let didClose = statePrev.toggle && !this.state.toggle
 
+    if (didOpen) this.enter()
+    else if (didClose) this.exit()
+  },
+  enter() {
+    log('enter!')
+    this.trackPopover()
+    this.animateEnter()
+  },
+  exit() {
+    log('exit!')
+    this.animateExit()
+    this.untrackPopover()
+  },
+  animateExitStop() {
+    clearTimeout(this.exitingAnimationTimer1)
+    clearTimeout(this.exitingAnimationTimer2)
+    this.setState({ exiting: false })
+  },
+  animateExit() {
     this.setState({ exiting: true })
-
     this.exitingAnimationTimer2 = setTimeout(() => {
       setTimeout(() => {
         this.containerEl.style.transform = `${popoverTranslateFuncDict[this.zone.flow]}(${this.zone.order * 50}px)`
@@ -257,17 +287,32 @@ export default createClass({
       this.setState({ exited: true, exiting: false })
     }, this.props.enterExitTransitionDurationMs)
   },
+  animateEnterStop() {
+    clearTimeout(this.enteringAnimationTimer1)
+    clearTimeout(this.enteringAnimationTimer2)
+  },
+  animateEnter() {
+    /* Prepare `entering` style so that we can then animate it toward `entered`. */
+
+    this.containerEl.style.transform = `${popoverTranslateFuncDict[this.zone.flow]}(${this.zone.order * 50}px)`
+    this.containerEl.style.opacity = '0'
+
+    /* After initial layout apply transition animations. */
+
+    this.enteringAnimationTimer1 = setTimeout(() => {
+      this.tipEl.style.transition = 'transform 150ms ease-in'
+      this.containerEl.style.transitionProperty = 'top, left, opacity, transform'
+      this.containerEl.style.transitionDuration = '500ms'
+      this.containerEl.style.transitionTimingFunction = 'cubic-bezier(0.230, 1.000, 0.320, 1.000)'
+      this.enteringAnimationTimer2 = setTimeout(() => {
+        this.containerEl.style.opacity = '1'
+        this.containerEl.style.transform = 'translateY(0)'
+      }, 0)
+    }, 0)
+  },
   trackPopover() {
     let refreshIntervalMs = 200
 
-    if (!this.layerReactComponent) {
-      if (this.tracking) this.untrackPopover()
-      return
-    }
-    if (this.tracking) return
-    this.tracking = true
-    this.setState({ exited: false })
-
     /* Get references to DOM elements. */
 
     this.containerEl = findDOMNode(this.layerReactComponent)
@@ -298,28 +343,8 @@ export default createClass({
     this.measureFrameBounds()
     this.measureTargetBounds()
     this.resolvePopoverLayout()
-
-    /* Prepare `entering` style so that we can then animate it toward `entered`. */
-
-    this.containerEl.style.transform = `${popoverTranslateFuncDict[this.zone.flow]}(${this.zone.order * 50}px)`
-    this.containerEl.style.opacity = '0'
-
-    /* After initial layout apply transition animations. */
-
-    setTimeout(() => {
-      this.tipEl.style.transition = 'transform 150ms ease-in'
-      this.containerEl.style.transitionProperty = 'top, left, opacity, transform'
-      this.containerEl.style.transitionDuration = '500ms'
-      this.containerEl.style.transitionTimingFunction = 'cubic-bezier(0.230, 1.000, 0.320, 1.000)'
-      setTimeout(() => {
-        this.containerEl.style.opacity = '1'
-        this.containerEl.style.transform = 'translateY(0)'
-      }, 0)
-    }, 0)
- },
+  },
   untrackPopover() {
-    if (!this.tracking) return
-    this.tracking = false
     clearInterval(this.checkLayoutInterval)
     this.frameEl.removeEventListener('scroll', this.onFrameScroll)
     resizeEvent.off(this.frameEl, this.onFrameBoundsChange)
@@ -353,7 +378,7 @@ export default createClass({
     clearInterval(this.checkLayoutInterval)
   },
   renderLayer() {
-    if (!this.props.isOpen && this.state.exited) return null
+    if (this.state.exited) return null
 
     let { className = '', style = {} } = this.props