diff --git a/src/js/media/flash.js b/src/js/media/flash.js
index 7b9dd70536..9740013711 100644
--- a/src/js/media/flash.js
+++ b/src/js/media/flash.js
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ vjs.Flash = vjs.MediaTechController.extend({
 
     // If not using iFrame mode, embed as normal object
     } else {
-      vjs.Flash.embed(options['swf'], placeHolder, flashVars, params, attributes);
+      this.el_ = vjs.Flash.embed(options['swf'], placeHolder, flashVars, params, attributes);
     }
   }
 });
@@ -401,9 +401,6 @@ vjs.Flash['onReady'] = function(currSwf){
   // Reference player on tech element
   el['player'] = player;
 
-  // Update reference to playback technology element
-  tech.el_ = el;
-
   vjs.Flash.checkReady(tech);
 };
 
@@ -411,6 +408,11 @@ vjs.Flash['onReady'] = function(currSwf){
 // If it's not ready, we set a timeout to check again shortly.
 vjs.Flash.checkReady = function(tech){
 
+  // Stop worrying if the tech has been disposed
+  if (!tech.el()) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   // Check if API property exists
   if (tech.el().vjs_getProperty) {
 
diff --git a/test/unit/flash.js b/test/unit/flash.js
index 982ef1b246..a8988f2405 100644
--- a/test/unit/flash.js
+++ b/test/unit/flash.js
@@ -96,3 +96,19 @@ test('currentTime is the seek target during seeking', function() {
   seeking = true;
   strictEqual(7, tech.currentTime(), 'during seeks the target time is returned');
 });
+
+test('dispose removes the object element even before ready fires', function() {
+  var noop = function() {},
+      parentEl = document.createElement('div'),
+      tech = new vjs.Flash({
+        id: noop,
+        on: noop,
+        options_: {}
+      }, {
+        'parentEl': parentEl
+      });
+
+  tech.dispose();
+  strictEqual(tech.el(), null, 'tech el is null');
+  strictEqual(parentEl.children.length, 0, 'parent el is empty');
+});