diff --git a/djx/src/main/ts/tsx/DjxWidgetBase.ts b/djx/src/main/ts/tsx/DjxWidgetBase.ts
--- a/djx/src/main/ts/tsx/DjxWidgetBase.ts
+++ b/djx/src/main/ts/tsx/DjxWidgetBase.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { djbase, djclass } from "../declare";
+import { djbase, djclass, prototype } from "../declare";
 import _WidgetBase = require("dijit/_WidgetBase");
 import _AttachMixin = require("dijit/_AttachMixin");
 import { Rendition, isNode } from "./traits";
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@ export interface DjxWidgetBase<Attrs = {
      * and should not be used.
      */
     readonly _eventMap: Events & GlobalEventHandlersEventMap;
+
+    /** The list of pairs of event and method names. When the widget is created all methods from
+     * this list will be connected to corresponding events.
+     *
+     * This property is maintained in the prototype
+     */
+    _eventHandlers: Array<{
+        eventName: string,
+        handlerMethod: keyof any;
+    }>;
 }
 
 type _super = {
@@ -30,14 +40,6 @@ type _super = {
 @djclass
 export abstract class DjxWidgetBase<Attrs = {}, Events = {}> extends djbase<_super, _AttachMixin>(_WidgetBase, _AttachMixin) {
 
-    /** The list of pairs of event and method names. When the widget is created all methods from
-     * this list will be connected to corresponding events.
-     */
-    _eventHandlers: Array<{
-        eventName: string,
-        handlerMethod: keyof any;
-    }> = [];
-
     buildRendering() {
         this.domNode = this.render().getDomNode();
         super.buildRendering();
diff --git a/djx/src/main/ts/tsx/traits.ts b/djx/src/main/ts/tsx/traits.ts
--- a/djx/src/main/ts/tsx/traits.ts
+++ b/djx/src/main/ts/tsx/traits.ts
@@ -223,5 +223,8 @@ export const on = <E extends string>(eve
         key: K,
         _descriptor: TypedPropertyDescriptor<(eventObj: EV) => void> | TypedPropertyDescriptor<() => void>
     ): any => {
-        target._eventHandlers.push({ eventName, handlerMethod: key });
+        if(!target._eventHandlers)
+            target._eventHandlers = [{ eventName, handlerMethod: key }];
+        else
+            target._eventHandlers.push({ eventName, handlerMethod: key });
     };