diff --git a/src/reagent/core.cljs b/src/reagent/core.cljs
index 89ef2a3..79c6e9e 100644
--- a/src/reagent/core.cljs
+++ b/src/reagent/core.cljs
@@ -107,27 +107,34 @@ Everything is optional, except :render.
   []
   comp/*current-component*)
 
-
-(defn state
-  "Returns the state of a component, as set with replace-state or set-state."
+(defn state-atom
+  "Returns an atom containing a components state."
   [this]
   (assert (util/reagent-component? this))
-  ;; TODO: Warn if top-level component
-  (comp/state this))
+  (comp/state-atom this))
+
+(defn state
+  "Returns the state of a component, as set with replace-state or set-state.
+Equivalent to (deref (r/state-atom this))"
+  [this]
+  (assert (util/reagent-component? this))
+  (deref (state-atom this)))
 
 (defn replace-state
-  "Set state of a component."
+  "Set state of a component.
+Equivalent to (reset! (state-atom this) new-state)"
   [this new-state]
   (assert (util/reagent-component? this))
   (assert (or (nil? new-state) (map? new-state)))
-  (comp/replace-state this new-state))
+  (reset! (state-atom this) new-state))
 
 (defn set-state
-  "Merge component state with new-state."
+  "Merge component state with new-state.
+Equivalent to (swap! (state-atom this) merge new-state)"
   [this new-state]
   (assert (util/reagent-component? this))
   (assert (or (nil? new-state) (map? new-state)))
-  (comp/set-state this new-state))
+  (swap! (state-atom this) merge new-state))
 
 
 (defn props
diff --git a/src/reagent/impl/component.cljs b/src/reagent/impl/component.cljs
index 32efe6c..c3297f5 100644
--- a/src/reagent/impl/component.cljs
+++ b/src/reagent/impl/component.cljs
@@ -17,17 +17,6 @@
       sa
       (.! this :cljsState (ratom/atom nil)))))
 
-(defn state [this]
-  (deref (state-atom this)))
-
-(defn replace-state [this new-state]
-  ;; Don't use React's replaceState, since it doesn't play well
-  ;; with clojure maps
-  (reset! (state-atom this) new-state))
-
-(defn set-state [this new-state]
-  (swap! (state-atom this) merge new-state))
-
 ;; ugly circular dependency
 (defn as-element [x]
   (js/reagent.impl.template.as-element x))
@@ -76,7 +65,7 @@
     :getInitialState
     (fn []
       (this-as c
-               (set-state c (f c))))
+               (reset! (state-atom c) (f c))))
 
     :componentWillReceiveProps
     (fn [props]