diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
index 023dec91..fef0a9e6 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
@@ -663,12 +663,6 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Spec = function(j$) {
     this.expectationFactory = attrs.expectationFactory;
     this.asyncExpectationFactory = attrs.asyncExpectationFactory;
     this.resultCallback = attrs.resultCallback || function() {};
-    /**
-     * The unique ID of this spec.
-     * @name Spec#id
-     * @readonly
-     * @type {string}
-     */
     this.id = attrs.id;
     this.description = attrs.description || '';
     this.queueableFn = attrs.queueableFn;
@@ -898,34 +892,43 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Spec = function(j$) {
    * @interface Spec
    * @see Configuration#specFilter
    */
-  Spec.prototype.buildMetadata = function() {
-    return {
-      /**
-       * The description passed to the {@link it} that created this spec.
-       * @name Spec#description
-       * @readonly
-       * @type {string}
-       */
-      description: this.description,
+  Object.defineProperty(Spec.prototype, 'metadata', {
+    get: function() {
+      if (!this.metadata_) {
+        this.metadata_ = {
+          /**
+           * The unique ID of this spec.
+           * @name Spec#id
+           * @readonly
+           * @type {string}
+           */
+          id: this.id,
 
-      /**
-       * The full description including all ancestors of this spec.
-       * @name Spec#getFullName
-       * @function
-       * @returns {string}
-       */
-      getFullName: this.getFullName.bind(this)
-    };
-  };
+          /**
+           * The description passed to the {@link it} that created this spec.
+           * @name Spec#description
+           * @readonly
+           * @type {string}
+           */
+          description: this.description,
+
+          /**
+           * The full description including all ancestors of this spec.
+           * @name Spec#getFullName
+           * @function
+           * @returns {string}
+           */
+          getFullName: this.getFullName.bind(this)
+        };
+      }
+
+      return this.metadata_;
+    }
+  });
 
   return Spec;
 };
 
-if (typeof window == void 0 && typeof exports == 'object') {
-  /* globals exports */
-  exports.Spec = jasmineRequire.Spec;
-}
-
 /*jshint bitwise: false*/
 
 getJasmineRequireObj().Order = function() {
@@ -1523,7 +1526,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
      * @return {Suite} the root suite
      */
     this.topSuite = function() {
-      return topSuite.buildMetadata(null);
+      return topSuite.metadata;
     };
 
     /**
@@ -1906,7 +1909,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       if (suite.parentSuite && !suite.children.length) {
         throw new Error('describe with no children (describe() or it())');
       }
-      return suite;
+      return suite.metadata;
     };
 
     this.xdescribe = function(description, specDefinitions) {
@@ -1915,7 +1918,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       var suite = suiteFactory(description);
       suite.pend();
       addSpecsToSuite(suite, specDefinitions);
-      return suite;
+      return suite.metadata;
     };
 
     var focusedRunnables = [];
@@ -1930,7 +1933,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       unfocusAncestor();
       addSpecsToSuite(suite, specDefinitions);
 
-      return suite;
+      return suite.metadata;
     };
 
     function addSpecsToSuite(suite, specDefinitions) {
@@ -2020,7 +2023,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       }
     };
 
-    this.it = function(description, fn, timeout) {
+    this.it_ = function(description, fn, timeout) {
       ensureIsNotNested('it');
       // it() sometimes doesn't have a fn argument, so only check the type if
       // it's given.
@@ -2036,6 +2039,11 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       return spec;
     };
 
+    this.it = function(description, fn, timeout) {
+      const spec = this.it_(description, fn, timeout);
+      return spec.metadata;
+    };
+
     this.xit = function(description, fn, timeout) {
       ensureIsNotNested('xit');
       // xit(), like it(), doesn't always have a fn argument, so only check the
@@ -2043,9 +2051,9 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       if (arguments.length > 1 && typeof fn !== 'undefined') {
         ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(fn, 'xit');
       }
-      var spec = this.it.apply(this, arguments);
+      var spec = this.it_.apply(this, arguments);
       spec.pend('Temporarily disabled with xit');
-      return spec;
+      return spec.metadata;
     };
 
     this.fit = function(description, fn, timeout) {
@@ -2055,7 +2063,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       currentDeclarationSuite.addChild(spec);
       focusedRunnables.push(spec.id);
       unfocusAncestor();
-      return spec;
+      return spec.metadata;
     };
 
     /**
@@ -9045,12 +9053,6 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().StackTrace = function(j$) {
 getJasmineRequireObj().Suite = function(j$) {
   function Suite(attrs) {
     this.env = attrs.env;
-    /**
-     * The unique ID of this suite.
-     * @name Suite#id
-     * @readonly
-     * @type {string}
-     */
     this.id = attrs.id;
     this.parentSuite = attrs.parentSuite;
     this.description = attrs.description;
@@ -9235,49 +9237,68 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Suite = function(j$) {
     );
   };
 
-  Suite.prototype.buildMetadata = function(parentMetadata) {
+  Object.defineProperty(Suite.prototype, 'metadata', {
+    get: function() {
+      if (!this.metadata_) {
+        this.metadata_ = new SuiteMetadata(this);
+      }
+
+      return this.metadata_;
+    }
+  });
+
+  /**
+   * @interface Suite
+   * @see Env#topSuite
+   */
+  function SuiteMetadata(suite) {
+    this.suite_ = suite;
     /**
-     * @interface Suite
-     * @see Env#topSuite
+     * The unique ID of this suite.
+     * @name Suite#id
+     * @readonly
+     * @type {string}
      */
-    var result = {
-      /**
-       * The parent of this suite, or null if this is the top suite.
-       * @name Suite#parentSuite
-       * @readonly
-       * @type {Suite}
-       */
-      parentSuite: parentMetadata,
-
-      /**
-       * The description passed to the {@link describe} that created this suite.
-       * @name Suite#description
-       * @readonly
-       * @type {string}
-       */
-      description: this.description,
-
-      /**
-       * The full description including all ancestors of this suite.
-       * @name Suite#getFullName
-       * @function
-       * @returns {string}
-       */
-      getFullName: this.getFullName.bind(this)
-    };
+    this.id = suite.id;
 
     /**
-     * The suite's children.
-     * @name Suite#children
-     * @type {Array.<(Spec|Suite)>}
+     * The parent of this suite, or null if this is the top suite.
+     * @name Suite#parentSuite
+     * @readonly
+     * @type {Suite}
      */
-    result.children = this.children.map(function(child) {
-      return child.buildMetadata(result);
-    });
+    this.parentSuite = suite.parentSuite ? suite.parentSuite.metadata : null;
 
-    return result;
+    /**
+     * The description passed to the {@link describe} that created this suite.
+     * @name Suite#description
+     * @readonly
+     * @type {string}
+     */
+    this.description = suite.description;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The full description including all ancestors of this suite.
+   * @name Suite#getFullName
+   * @function
+   * @returns {string}
+   */
+  SuiteMetadata.prototype.getFullName = function() {
+    return this.suite_.getFullName();
   };
 
+  /**
+   * The suite's children.
+   * @name Suite#children
+   * @type {Array.<(Spec|Suite)>}
+   */
+  Object.defineProperty(SuiteMetadata.prototype, 'children', {
+    get: function() {
+      return this.suite_.children.map(child => child.metadata);
+    }
+  });
+
   function isFailure(args) {
     return !args[0];
   }
@@ -9285,11 +9306,6 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Suite = function(j$) {
   return Suite;
 };
 
-if (typeof window == void 0 && typeof exports == 'object') {
-  /* globals exports */
-  exports.Suite = jasmineRequire.Suite;
-}
-
 getJasmineRequireObj().Timer = function() {
   var defaultNow = (function(Date) {
     return function() {
diff --git a/spec/core/EnvSpec.js b/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
index be10480e..ae790a9c 100644
--- a/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ describe('Env', function() {
   it('can configure specs to throw errors on expectation failures', function() {
     env.configure({ oneFailurePerSpec: true });
 
-    spyOn(jasmineUnderTest, 'Spec');
+    spyOn(jasmineUnderTest, 'Spec').and.callThrough();
     env.it('foo', function() {});
     expect(jasmineUnderTest.Spec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       jasmine.objectContaining({
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ describe('Env', function() {
   });
 
   it('defaults to multiple failures for specs', function() {
-    spyOn(jasmineUnderTest, 'Spec');
+    spyOn(jasmineUnderTest, 'Spec').and.callThrough();
     env.it('bar', function() {});
     expect(jasmineUnderTest.Spec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       jasmine.objectContaining({
@@ -181,7 +181,40 @@ describe('Env', function() {
     );
   });
 
+  function behavesLikeDescribe(methodName) {
+    it('returns a suite metadata object', function() {
+      let innerSuite;
+      let spec;
+      const suite = env.describe('outer suite', function() {
+        innerSuite = env.describe('inner suite', function() {
+          spec = env.it('a spec');
+        });
+      });
+
+      expect(suite.parentSuite).toEqual(
+        jasmine.objectContaining({
+          description: 'Jasmine__TopLevel__Suite'
+        })
+      );
+      expect(suite.parentSuite.pend).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(suite.pend).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(suite.description).toEqual('outer suite');
+      expect(suite.getFullName()).toEqual('outer suite');
+      expect(suite.id).toBeInstanceOf(String);
+      expect(suite.id).not.toEqual('');
+      expect(suite.children.length).toEqual(1);
+      expect(suite.children[0]).toBe(innerSuite);
+      expect(innerSuite.children.length).toEqual(1);
+      expect(innerSuite.children[0]).toBe(spec);
+      expect(innerSuite.getFullName()).toEqual('outer suite inner suite');
+      expect(innerSuite.parentSuite).toBe(suite);
+      expect(spec.getFullName()).toEqual('outer suite inner suite a spec');
+    });
+  }
+
   describe('#describe', function() {
+    behavesLikeDescribe('describe');
+
     it('throws an error when given arguments', function() {
       expect(function() {
         env.describe('done method', function(done) {});
@@ -232,7 +265,41 @@ describe('Env', function() {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('#fdescribe', function() {
+    behavesLikeDescribe('fdescribe');
+  });
+
+  describe('xdescribe', function() {
+    behavesLikeDescribe('xdescribe');
+  });
+
+  function behavesLikeIt(methodName) {
+    it('returns a spec metadata object', function() {
+      let spec;
+
+      env.describe('a suite', function() {
+        spec = env[methodName]('a spec', function() {});
+      });
+
+      expect(spec.description)
+        .withContext('description')
+        .toEqual('a spec');
+      expect(spec.getFullName())
+        .withContext('getFullName')
+        .toEqual('a suite a spec');
+      expect(spec.id)
+        .withContext('id')
+        .toBeInstanceOf(String);
+      expect(spec.id)
+        .withContext('id')
+        .not.toEqual('');
+      expect(spec.pend).toBeFalsy();
+    });
+  }
+
   describe('#it', function() {
+    behavesLikeIt('it');
+
     it('throws an error when it receives a non-fn argument', function() {
       expect(function() {
         env.it('undefined arg', null);
@@ -255,9 +322,11 @@ describe('Env', function() {
   });
 
   describe('#xit', function() {
+    behavesLikeIt('xit');
+
     it('calls spec.pend with "Temporarily disabled with xit"', function() {
       var pendSpy = jasmine.createSpy();
-      spyOn(env, 'it').and.returnValue({
+      spyOn(env, 'it_').and.returnValue({
         pend: pendSpy
       });
       env.xit('foo', function() {});
@@ -286,6 +355,8 @@ describe('Env', function() {
   });
 
   describe('#fit', function() {
+    behavesLikeIt('fit');
+
     it('throws an error when it receives a non-fn argument', function() {
       expect(function() {
         env.fit('undefined arg', undefined);
diff --git a/src/core/Env.js b/src/core/Env.js
index ef26385a..d019fc4b 100644
--- a/src/core/Env.js
+++ b/src/core/Env.js
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
      * @return {Suite} the root suite
      */
     this.topSuite = function() {
-      return topSuite.buildMetadata(null);
+      return topSuite.metadata;
     };
 
     /**
@@ -932,7 +932,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       if (suite.parentSuite && !suite.children.length) {
         throw new Error('describe with no children (describe() or it())');
       }
-      return suite;
+      return suite.metadata;
     };
 
     this.xdescribe = function(description, specDefinitions) {
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       var suite = suiteFactory(description);
       suite.pend();
       addSpecsToSuite(suite, specDefinitions);
-      return suite;
+      return suite.metadata;
     };
 
     var focusedRunnables = [];
@@ -956,7 +956,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       unfocusAncestor();
       addSpecsToSuite(suite, specDefinitions);
 
-      return suite;
+      return suite.metadata;
     };
 
     function addSpecsToSuite(suite, specDefinitions) {
@@ -1046,7 +1046,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       }
     };
 
-    this.it = function(description, fn, timeout) {
+    this.it_ = function(description, fn, timeout) {
       ensureIsNotNested('it');
       // it() sometimes doesn't have a fn argument, so only check the type if
       // it's given.
@@ -1062,6 +1062,11 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       return spec;
     };
 
+    this.it = function(description, fn, timeout) {
+      const spec = this.it_(description, fn, timeout);
+      return spec.metadata;
+    };
+
     this.xit = function(description, fn, timeout) {
       ensureIsNotNested('xit');
       // xit(), like it(), doesn't always have a fn argument, so only check the
@@ -1069,9 +1074,9 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       if (arguments.length > 1 && typeof fn !== 'undefined') {
         ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(fn, 'xit');
       }
-      var spec = this.it.apply(this, arguments);
+      var spec = this.it_.apply(this, arguments);
       spec.pend('Temporarily disabled with xit');
-      return spec;
+      return spec.metadata;
     };
 
     this.fit = function(description, fn, timeout) {
@@ -1081,7 +1086,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       currentDeclarationSuite.addChild(spec);
       focusedRunnables.push(spec.id);
       unfocusAncestor();
-      return spec;
+      return spec.metadata;
     };
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/core/Spec.js b/src/core/Spec.js
index 20ee9041..82d7e235 100644
--- a/src/core/Spec.js
+++ b/src/core/Spec.js
@@ -3,12 +3,6 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Spec = function(j$) {
     this.expectationFactory = attrs.expectationFactory;
     this.asyncExpectationFactory = attrs.asyncExpectationFactory;
     this.resultCallback = attrs.resultCallback || function() {};
-    /**
-     * The unique ID of this spec.
-     * @name Spec#id
-     * @readonly
-     * @type {string}
-     */
     this.id = attrs.id;
     this.description = attrs.description || '';
     this.queueableFn = attrs.queueableFn;
@@ -238,30 +232,39 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Spec = function(j$) {
    * @interface Spec
    * @see Configuration#specFilter
    */
-  Spec.prototype.buildMetadata = function() {
-    return {
-      /**
-       * The description passed to the {@link it} that created this spec.
-       * @name Spec#description
-       * @readonly
-       * @type {string}
-       */
-      description: this.description,
+  Object.defineProperty(Spec.prototype, 'metadata', {
+    get: function() {
+      if (!this.metadata_) {
+        this.metadata_ = {
+          /**
+           * The unique ID of this spec.
+           * @name Spec#id
+           * @readonly
+           * @type {string}
+           */
+          id: this.id,
 
-      /**
-       * The full description including all ancestors of this spec.
-       * @name Spec#getFullName
-       * @function
-       * @returns {string}
-       */
-      getFullName: this.getFullName.bind(this)
-    };
-  };
+          /**
+           * The description passed to the {@link it} that created this spec.
+           * @name Spec#description
+           * @readonly
+           * @type {string}
+           */
+          description: this.description,
+
+          /**
+           * The full description including all ancestors of this spec.
+           * @name Spec#getFullName
+           * @function
+           * @returns {string}
+           */
+          getFullName: this.getFullName.bind(this)
+        };
+      }
+
+      return this.metadata_;
+    }
+  });
 
   return Spec;
 };
-
-if (typeof window == void 0 && typeof exports == 'object') {
-  /* globals exports */
-  exports.Spec = jasmineRequire.Spec;
-}
diff --git a/src/core/Suite.js b/src/core/Suite.js
index 0403dc02..a15be857 100644
--- a/src/core/Suite.js
+++ b/src/core/Suite.js
@@ -1,12 +1,6 @@
 getJasmineRequireObj().Suite = function(j$) {
   function Suite(attrs) {
     this.env = attrs.env;
-    /**
-     * The unique ID of this suite.
-     * @name Suite#id
-     * @readonly
-     * @type {string}
-     */
     this.id = attrs.id;
     this.parentSuite = attrs.parentSuite;
     this.description = attrs.description;
@@ -191,57 +185,71 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Suite = function(j$) {
     );
   };
 
-  Suite.prototype.buildMetadata = function(parentMetadata) {
+  Object.defineProperty(Suite.prototype, 'metadata', {
+    get: function() {
+      if (!this.metadata_) {
+        this.metadata_ = new SuiteMetadata(this);
+      }
+
+      return this.metadata_;
+    }
+  });
+
+  /**
+   * @interface Suite
+   * @see Env#topSuite
+   */
+  function SuiteMetadata(suite) {
+    this.suite_ = suite;
     /**
-     * @interface Suite
-     * @see Env#topSuite
+     * The unique ID of this suite.
+     * @name Suite#id
+     * @readonly
+     * @type {string}
      */
-    var result = {
-      /**
-       * The parent of this suite, or null if this is the top suite.
-       * @name Suite#parentSuite
-       * @readonly
-       * @type {Suite}
-       */
-      parentSuite: parentMetadata,
-
-      /**
-       * The description passed to the {@link describe} that created this suite.
-       * @name Suite#description
-       * @readonly
-       * @type {string}
-       */
-      description: this.description,
-
-      /**
-       * The full description including all ancestors of this suite.
-       * @name Suite#getFullName
-       * @function
-       * @returns {string}
-       */
-      getFullName: this.getFullName.bind(this)
-    };
+    this.id = suite.id;
 
     /**
-     * The suite's children.
-     * @name Suite#children
-     * @type {Array.<(Spec|Suite)>}
+     * The parent of this suite, or null if this is the top suite.
+     * @name Suite#parentSuite
+     * @readonly
+     * @type {Suite}
      */
-    result.children = this.children.map(function(child) {
-      return child.buildMetadata(result);
-    });
+    this.parentSuite = suite.parentSuite ? suite.parentSuite.metadata : null;
 
-    return result;
+    /**
+     * The description passed to the {@link describe} that created this suite.
+     * @name Suite#description
+     * @readonly
+     * @type {string}
+     */
+    this.description = suite.description;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The full description including all ancestors of this suite.
+   * @name Suite#getFullName
+   * @function
+   * @returns {string}
+   */
+  SuiteMetadata.prototype.getFullName = function() {
+    return this.suite_.getFullName();
   };
 
+  /**
+   * The suite's children.
+   * @name Suite#children
+   * @type {Array.<(Spec|Suite)>}
+   */
+  Object.defineProperty(SuiteMetadata.prototype, 'children', {
+    get: function() {
+      return this.suite_.children.map(child => child.metadata);
+    }
+  });
+
   function isFailure(args) {
     return !args[0];
   }
 
   return Suite;
 };
-
-if (typeof window == void 0 && typeof exports == 'object') {
-  /* globals exports */
-  exports.Suite = jasmineRequire.Suite;
-}