@caitp at this point you want to instantiate the controller and need to resolve the injection locals here. Before it is instantiated, it is not in the data-property of the dom-element. This means it cannot be required / injected in this way. I don't see any reason why a controller should require *itself* (keyword: this!). I see valid ways there the controller requries a parent-controller of the same kind like it is by the form directives, but this does not prevent that.