diff --git a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASCollectionView.mm b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASCollectionView.mm
index 25f7a285f3..d7a4890ecc 100644
--- a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASCollectionView.mm
+++ b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASCollectionView.mm
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ static BOOL _isInterceptedSelector(SEL sel)
     return nil;
   }
   
-  ASDisplayNodeAssert(target, @"target must not be nil");
   ASDisplayNodeAssert(interceptor, @"interceptor must not be nil");
   
   _target = target;
@@ -125,7 +124,10 @@ static BOOL _isInterceptedSelector(SEL sel)
   _dataController = [[ASDataController alloc] init];
   _dataController.delegate = _rangeController;
   _dataController.dataSource = self;
-  
+
+  _proxyDelegate = [[_ASCollectionViewProxy alloc] initWithTarget:nil interceptor:self];
+  super.delegate = (id<UICollectionViewDelegate>)_proxyDelegate;
+
   [self registerClass:[UICollectionViewCell class] forCellWithReuseIdentifier:@"_ASCollectionViewCell"];
   
   return self;
@@ -174,15 +176,9 @@ static BOOL _isInterceptedSelector(SEL sel)
   if (_asyncDelegate == asyncDelegate)
     return;
 
-  if (asyncDelegate == nil) {
-    _asyncDelegate = nil;
-    _proxyDelegate = nil;
-    super.delegate = nil;
-  } else {
-    _asyncDelegate = asyncDelegate;
-    _proxyDelegate = [[_ASCollectionViewProxy alloc] initWithTarget:_asyncDelegate interceptor:self];
-    super.delegate = (id<UICollectionViewDelegate>)_proxyDelegate;
-  }
+  _asyncDelegate = asyncDelegate;
+  _proxyDelegate = [[_ASCollectionViewProxy alloc] initWithTarget:_asyncDelegate interceptor:self];
+  super.delegate = (id<UICollectionViewDelegate>)_proxyDelegate;
 }
 
 - (ASRangeTuningParameters)rangeTuningParameters
diff --git a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASTableView.mm b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASTableView.mm
index 123bc3b3a9..40c0666612 100644
--- a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASTableView.mm
+++ b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASTableView.mm
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ static BOOL _isInterceptedSelector(SEL sel)
     return nil;
   }
 
-  ASDisplayNodeAssert(target, @"target must not be nil");
   ASDisplayNodeAssert(interceptor, @"interceptor must not be nil");
 
   _target = target;
@@ -135,6 +134,9 @@ static BOOL _isInterceptedSelector(SEL sel)
   _dataController.dataSource = self;
   _dataController.delegate = _rangeController;
 
+  _proxyDelegate = [[_ASTableViewProxy alloc] initWithTarget:nil interceptor:self];
+  super.delegate = (id<UITableViewDelegate>)_proxyDelegate;
+
   return self;
 }
 
@@ -173,15 +175,9 @@ static BOOL _isInterceptedSelector(SEL sel)
   if (_asyncDelegate == asyncDelegate)
     return;
 
-  if (asyncDelegate == nil) {
-    _asyncDelegate = nil;
-    _proxyDelegate = nil;
-    super.delegate = nil;
-  } else {
-    _asyncDelegate = asyncDelegate;
-    _proxyDelegate = [[_ASTableViewProxy alloc] initWithTarget:_asyncDelegate interceptor:self];
-    super.delegate = (id<UITableViewDelegate>)_proxyDelegate;
-  }
+  _asyncDelegate = asyncDelegate;
+  _proxyDelegate = [[_ASTableViewProxy alloc] initWithTarget:asyncDelegate interceptor:self];
+  super.delegate = (id<UITableViewDelegate>)_proxyDelegate;
 }
 
 - (void)reloadData