diff --git a/modules/ve/ce/nodes/ve.ce.AlienBlockNode.js b/modules/ve/ce/nodes/ve.ce.AlienBlockNode.js
index d5ccf8cef2..a3b4389e1a 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ce/nodes/ve.ce.AlienBlockNode.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ce/nodes/ve.ce.AlienBlockNode.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ ve.ce.AlienBlockNode = function VeCeAlienBlockNode( model ) {
 	// Events
 	this.model.addListenerMethod( this, 'update', 'onUpdate' );
 	this.$.on( 'mouseenter', ve.bind( this.onMouseEnter, this ) );
+	this.addListenerMethod( this, 'live', 'onLive' );
 
 	// Initialization
 	this.onUpdate();
@@ -48,21 +49,26 @@ ve.ce.AlienBlockNode.rules = {
 
 /* Methods */
 
-ve.ce.AlienBlockNode.prototype.onUpdate = function () {
-	var $shieldTemplate = this.constructor.static.$shieldTemplate;
-	this.$.html( this.model.getAttribute( 'html' ) );
-	this.$.add( this.$.find( '*' ) ).each( function () {
-		var $this = $( this );
-		if ( this.nodeType === Node.ELEMENT_NODE ) {
-			if (
-				( $this.css( 'float' ) === 'none' || $this.css( 'float' ) === '' ) &&
-				!$this.hasClass( 've-ce-alienBlockNode' )
-			) {
-				return;
+ve.ce.AlienBlockNode.prototype.onLive = function (live) {
+	if( this.live === true ) {
+		var $shieldTemplate = this.constructor.static.$shieldTemplate;
+		this.$.add( this.$.find( '*' ) ).each( function () {
+			var $this = $( this );
+			if ( this.nodeType === Node.ELEMENT_NODE ) {
+				if (
+					( $this.css( 'float' ) === 'none' || $this.css( 'float' ) === '' ) &&
+					!$this.hasClass( 've-ce-alienBlockNode' )
+				) {
+					return;
+				}
+				$this.append( $shieldTemplate.clone() );
 			}
-			$this.append( $shieldTemplate.clone() );
-		}
-	} );
+		} );
+	}
+};
+
+ve.ce.AlienBlockNode.prototype.onUpdate = function () {
+	this.$.html( this.model.getAttribute( 'html' ) );
 };
 
 ve.ce.AlienBlockNode.prototype.onMouseEnter = function () {
diff --git a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.BranchNode.js b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.BranchNode.js
index 25991e9d59..6904396461 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.BranchNode.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.BranchNode.js
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ ve.ce.BranchNode.prototype.onSplice = function ( index ) {
 		removals[i].detach();
 		// Update DOM
 		removals[i].$.detach();
+		removals[i].setLive( false );
 	}
 	if ( args.length >= 3 ) {
 		if ( index ) {
@@ -180,6 +181,9 @@ ve.ce.BranchNode.prototype.onSplice = function ( index ) {
 			} else {
 				this.$.prepend( args[i].$ );
 			}
+			if ( this.live !== args[i].isLive() ) {
+				args[i].setLive( this.live );
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -251,3 +255,14 @@ ve.ce.BranchNode.prototype.clean = function () {
 	}
 	this.setupSlugs();
 };
+
+/**
+ * @method
+ */
+ve.ce.BranchNode.prototype.setLive = function ( live ) {
+	this.live = live;
+	this.emit( 'live' );
+	for ( var i = 0; i < this.children.length; i++ ) {
+		this.children[i].setLive( live );
+	}
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Node.js b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Node.js
index 1ddc78f787..900373549a 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Node.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Node.js
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ ve.ce.Node = function VeCeNode( type, model, $element ) {
 	this.model = model;
 	this.$ = $element || $( '<div>' );
 	this.parent = null;
+	// Holds the information about whether or not the node is attached to the live DOM
+	this.live = false;
 
 	this.$.data( 'node', this );
 
@@ -231,3 +233,19 @@ ve.ce.Node.getSplitableNode = function ( node ) {
 	
 	return splitableNode;
 };
+
+/**
+ * @method
+ * @returns {Boolean} Node is attached to the live DOM
+ */
+ve.ce.Node.prototype.isLive = function () {
+	return this.live;
+};
+
+/**
+ * @method
+ */
+ve.ce.Node.prototype.setLive = function ( live ) {
+	this.live = live;
+	this.emit( 'live' );
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/modules/ve/ve.Surface.js b/modules/ve/ve.Surface.js
index b806b4019d..83e745d03f 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ve.Surface.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ve.Surface.js
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ ve.Surface = function VeSurface( parent, dom, options ) {
 	);
 
 	// Initialization
+	// Propagate to each node information that it is live (attached to the live DOM)
+	this.view.getDocument().getDocumentNode().setLive( true ); 
 	this.setupToolbars();
 	this.setupCommands();
 	ve.instances.push( this );