diff --git a/moonscript/transform.lua b/moonscript/transform.lua
index 810bf7b..ec6c49d 100644
--- a/moonscript/transform.lua
+++ b/moonscript/transform.lua
@@ -638,12 +638,69 @@ Statement = Transformer({
       {
         "__init",
         constructor
+      },
+      {
+        "__base",
+        base_name
+      },
+      {
+        "__name",
+        {
+          "string",
+          '"',
+          name
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "__parent",
+        parent_cls_name
+      }
+    })
+    local class_lookup = build["if"]({
+      cond = {
+        "exp",
+        "val",
+        "==",
+        "nil",
+        "and",
+        parent_cls_name
+      },
+      ["then"] = {
+        parent_cls_name:index("name")
+      }
+    })
+    insert(class_lookup, {
+      "else",
+      {
+        "val"
       }
     })
     local cls_mt = build.table({
       {
         "__index",
-        base_name
+        build.fndef({
+          args = {
+            {
+              "cls"
+            },
+            {
+              "name"
+            }
+          },
+          body = {
+            build.assign_one(LocalName("val"), build.chain({
+              base = "rawget",
+              {
+                "call",
+                {
+                  base_name,
+                  "name"
+                }
+              }
+            })),
+            class_lookup
+          }
+        })
       },
       {
         "__call",
@@ -779,16 +836,10 @@ Statement = Transformer({
                 {
                   base_name,
                   _with_0.chain({
-                    base = "getmetatable",
-                    {
-                      "call",
-                      {
-                        parent_cls_name
-                      }
-                    },
+                    base = parent_cls_name,
                     {
                       "dot",
-                      "__index"
+                      "__base"
                     }
                   })
                 }
diff --git a/moonscript/transform.moon b/moonscript/transform.moon
index 4070586..91ba544 100644
--- a/moonscript/transform.moon
+++ b/moonscript/transform.moon
@@ -353,10 +353,30 @@ Statement = Transformer {
 
     cls = build.table {
       {"__init", constructor}
+      {"__base", base_name}
+      {"__name", {"string", '"', name}} -- "quote the string"
+      {"__parent", parent_cls_name}
     }
 
+    -- look up a name in the class object
+    class_lookup = build["if"] {
+      cond: {"exp", "val", "==", "nil", "and", parent_cls_name}
+      then: {
+        parent_cls_name\index"name"
+      }
+    }
+    insert class_lookup, {"else", {"val"}}
+
     cls_mt = build.table {
-      {"__index", base_name}
+      {"__index", build.fndef {
+        args: {{"cls"}, {"name"}}
+        body: {
+          build.assign_one LocalName"val", build.chain {
+            base: "rawget", {"call", {base_name, "name"}}
+          }
+          class_lookup
+        }
+      }}
       {"__call", build.fndef {
         args: {{"cls"}, {"..."}}
         body: {
@@ -421,11 +441,10 @@ Statement = Transformer {
           then: {
             .chain {
               base: "setmetatable"
-              {"call", {base_name, .chain {
-                base: "getmetatable"
-                {"call", {parent_cls_name}}
-                {"dot", "__index"}
-              }}}
+              {"call", {
+                base_name,
+                .chain { base: parent_cls_name,  {"dot", "__base"}}
+              }}
             }
           }
         }
diff --git a/tests/outputs/class.lua b/tests/outputs/class.lua
index b601e4e..a8c9d32 100644
--- a/tests/outputs/class.lua
+++ b/tests/outputs/class.lua
@@ -11,15 +11,25 @@ Hello = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, test, world)
       self.test, self.world = test, world
       return print("creating object..")
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Hello",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -42,16 +52,26 @@ Simple = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, ...)
       if _parent_0 then
         return _parent_0.__init(self, ...)
       end
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Simple",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -67,14 +87,24 @@ Yikes = (function()
   local _base_0 = { }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self)
       return print("created hello")
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Yikes",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -96,14 +126,24 @@ Hi = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, arg)
       return print("init arg", arg)
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Hi",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -122,14 +162,24 @@ Simple = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self)
       return _parent_0.__init(self, "man")
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Simple",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -150,16 +200,26 @@ Okay = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, ...)
       if _parent_0 then
         return _parent_0.__init(self, ...)
       end
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Okay",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -181,16 +241,26 @@ Biggie = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, ...)
       if _parent_0 then
         return _parent_0.__init(self, ...)
       end
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Biggie",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -210,16 +280,26 @@ Yeah = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, ...)
       if _parent_0 then
         return _parent_0.__init(self, ...)
       end
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Yeah",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -239,16 +319,26 @@ What = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, ...)
       if _parent_0 then
         return _parent_0.__init(self, ...)
       end
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "What",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -274,16 +364,26 @@ Hello = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, ...)
       if _parent_0 then
         return _parent_0.__init(self, ...)
       end
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Hello",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
@@ -315,16 +415,26 @@ CoolSuper = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, ...)
       if _parent_0 then
         return _parent_0.__init(self, ...)
       end
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "CoolSuper",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
diff --git a/tests/outputs/export.lua b/tests/outputs/export.lua
index be0be64..a7de1b2 100644
--- a/tests/outputs/export.lua
+++ b/tests/outputs/export.lua
@@ -7,16 +7,26 @@ Something = (function()
   }
   _base_0.__index = _base_0
   if _parent_0 then
-    setmetatable(_base_0, getmetatable(_parent_0).__index)
+    setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
   end
   local _class_0 = setmetatable({
     __init = function(self, ...)
       if _parent_0 then
         return _parent_0.__init(self, ...)
       end
-    end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "Something",
+    __parent = _parent_0
   }, {
-    __index = _base_0,
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil and _parent_0 then
+        return _parent_0[name]
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
     __call = function(cls, ...)
       local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
       cls.__init(_self_0, ...)