diff --git a/blaze-react-component/.versions b/blaze-react-component/.versions
index e655a3d..d6399d9 100644
--- a/blaze-react-component/.versions
+++ b/blaze-react-component/.versions
@@ -1,34 +1,34 @@
-babel-compiler@7.5.0
+babel-compiler@7.9.0
 babel-runtime@1.5.0
 base64@1.0.12
 blaze@2.1.5
 blaze-tools@1.0.10
-caching-compiler@1.2.1
+caching-compiler@1.2.2
 caching-html-compiler@1.0.4
 check@1.3.1
 deps@1.0.12
 diff-sequence@1.1.1
-dynamic-import@0.5.1
-ecmascript@0.14.0
-ecmascript-runtime@0.7.0
-ecmascript-runtime-client@0.10.0
-ecmascript-runtime-server@0.9.0
-ejson@1.1.1
+dynamic-import@0.7.2
+ecmascript@0.16.2
+ecmascript-runtime@0.8.0
+ecmascript-runtime-client@0.12.1
+ecmascript-runtime-server@0.11.0
+ejson@1.1.2
 fetch@0.1.1
-gadicc:blaze-react-component@1.4.3
+hexsprite:blaze-react-component@1.4.4
 html-tools@1.0.11
 htmljs@1.0.11
-id-map@1.1.0
-inter-process-messaging@0.1.0
+inter-process-messaging@0.1.1
 jquery@1.11.10
-meteor@1.9.3
-modern-browsers@0.1.4
-modules@0.15.0
-modules-runtime@0.12.0
-mongo-id@1.0.7
+meteor@1.10.0
+modern-browsers@0.1.8
+modules@0.18.0
+modules-runtime@0.13.0
+mongo-id@1.0.8
 observe-sequence@1.0.16
-promise@0.11.2
-random@1.1.0
+promise@0.12.0
+random@1.2.0
+react-fast-refresh@0.2.3
 reactive-var@1.0.11
 spacebars@1.0.9
 spacebars-compiler@1.1.0
diff --git a/blaze-react-component/blaze-react-component-client.js b/blaze-react-component/blaze-react-component-client.js
index d37de0c..c8be061 100644
--- a/blaze-react-component/blaze-react-component-client.js
+++ b/blaze-react-component/blaze-react-component-client.js
@@ -11,14 +11,23 @@ class BlazeReactComponent extends Component {
   }
 
   componentDidUpdate(prevProps) {
-    if (prevProps.template != this.props.template) {
+    if (prevProps.template !== this.props.template) {
       Blaze.remove(this._blazeView);
       this.renderBlazeView();
     }
   }
 
   renderBlazeView() {
-    this._blazeData = new ReactiveVar(_.omit(this.props, 'template'));
+    // allow _template to be passed as template to Blaze
+    let blazeProps;
+    if (this.props._template) {
+      blazeProps =  _.clone(this.props);
+      blazeProps.template = blazeProps._template;
+      delete blazeProps._template;
+    } else {
+      blazeProps = _.omit(this.props, 'template');
+    }
+    this._blazeData = new ReactiveVar(blazeProps);
 
     let template, tArg = this.props.template;
     if (typeof tArg === 'string') {
@@ -46,7 +55,6 @@ class BlazeReactComponent extends Component {
   shouldComponentUpdate(nextProps) {
     // this used to be in (the now deprecated) componentWillReceiveProps
     this._blazeData.set(_.omit(nextProps, 'template'));
-
     // Never call render() for props except template again; Blaze will do what's necessary.
     return nextProps.template !== this.props.template;
   }
@@ -56,7 +64,7 @@ class BlazeReactComponent extends Component {
   }
 
   render() {
-    return ( <span className={this.props.className || ''} ref={(c) => this._blazeRef = c} /> );
+    return ( <span style={{display: 'contents'}} className={this.props.className || ''} ref={(c) => this._blazeRef = c} /> );
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/blaze-react-component/package.js b/blaze-react-component/package.js
index 1de201c..eae933d 100644
--- a/blaze-react-component/package.js
+++ b/blaze-react-component/package.js
@@ -1,26 +1,26 @@
 Package.describe({
-  name: 'gadicc:blaze-react-component',
-  version: '1.4.3',
+  name: 'hexsprite:blaze-react-component',
+  version: '1.4.4',
   summary: '<Blaze template="itemsList" items={items} />',
   git: 'https://github.com/gadicc/meteor-blaze-react-component',
-  documentation: '../README.md'
-});
+  documentation: '../README.md',
+})
 
-Package.onUse(function(api) {
-  api.versionsFrom([ '1.3-rc.0', '1.3-beta.10', '1.3-modules-beta.0' ]);
-  api.use('ecmascript');
-  api.use('blaze');
-  api.use('templating');
-  api.use('underscore');
+Package.onUse(function (api) {
+  api.versionsFrom(['1.3-rc.0', '1.3-beta.10', '1.3-modules-beta.0'])
+  api.use('ecmascript')
+  api.use('blaze')
+  api.use('templating')
+  api.use('underscore')
 
-  api.use('reactive-var', 'client');
-  api.mainModule('blaze-react-component-client.js', 'client');
+  api.use('reactive-var', 'client')
+  api.mainModule('blaze-react-component-client.js', 'client')
 
-  api.mainModule('blaze-react-component-server.js', 'server');
+  api.mainModule('blaze-react-component-server.js', 'server')
 
-  api.export('BlazeReactComponent');
-  api.export('blazeToReact');
-});
+  api.export('BlazeReactComponent')
+  api.export('blazeToReact')
+})
 
 // Note: tests are in test-app, since we can't test-packages with
 // peer dependencies.