diff --git a/math/testing/matrix_test.js b/math/testing/matrix_test.js
index 3b59a2280..741432caa 100644
--- a/math/testing/matrix_test.js
+++ b/math/testing/matrix_test.js
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ function testXmatrixMultiplyByVector() {
 
   // multiplying the matrix by the vector should result in the vector since the
   // matrix is the identity
-  vector = X.matrix.multiplyByVector(matrix, vector.x, vector.y, vector.z);
+  vector = X.matrix.multiplyByVector(matrix, vector.xx, vector.yy, vector.zz);
 
-  assertEquals(baseline.x, vector.x);
-  assertEquals(baseline.y, vector.y);
-  assertEquals(baseline.z, vector.z);
+  assertEquals(baseline.xx, vector.xx);
+  assertEquals(baseline.yy, vector.yy);
+  assertEquals(baseline.zz, vector.zz);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/math/testing/vector_test.js b/math/testing/vector_test.js
index 863d78af1..9bc263916 100644
--- a/math/testing/vector_test.js
+++ b/math/testing/vector_test.js
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ function testXvectorNormalize() {
   // scaling with (1/magnitude = 0.2672612419124244)
   // should result in
   // x=0.2672612419124244, y=0.5345224838248488, z=0.8017837257372732
-  assertEquals(0.2672612419124244, vector.x);
-  assertEquals(0.5345224838248488, vector.y);
-  assertEquals(0.8017837257372732, vector.z);
+  assertEquals(0.2672612419124244, vector.xx);
+  assertEquals(0.5345224838248488, vector.yy);
+  assertEquals(0.8017837257372732, vector.zz);
 
 }
 
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ function testXvectorNormalizeWithZeroMagnitude() {
   // normalize the vector
   vector.normalize();
 
-  assertEquals(0, vector.x);
-  assertEquals(0, vector.y);
-  assertEquals(0, vector.z);
+  assertEquals(0, vector.xx);
+  assertEquals(0, vector.yy);
+  assertEquals(0, vector.zz);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/math/vector.js b/math/vector.js
index eb85e8869..b13bacf45 100644
--- a/math/vector.js
+++ b/math/vector.js
@@ -67,6 +67,48 @@ X.vector.cross = goog.math.Vec3.cross;
 X.vector.distance = goog.math.Vec3.distance;
 X.vector.lerp = goog.math.Vec3.lerp;
 
+// now we need to make sure we can access the x,y,z
+// components of a goog.math.Vec3 which might be renamed
+// during the compilation. we don't want to modify the goog.math.Vec3
+// class so this is the easiest workaround.
+/**
+ * Get the x component of this vector.
+ *
+ * @return {number} The x component of this vector.
+ * @public
+ */
+X.vector.prototype.__defineGetter__('xx', function() {
+
+  return this.x;
+
+});
+
+
+/**
+ * Get the y component of this vector.
+ *
+ * @return {number} The y component of this vector.
+ * @public
+ */
+X.vector.prototype.__defineGetter__('yy', function() {
+
+  return this.y;
+
+});
+
+
+/**
+ * Get the z component of this vector.
+ *
+ * @return {number} The z component of this vector.
+ * @public
+ */
+X.vector.prototype.__defineGetter__('zz', function() {
+
+  return this.z;
+
+});
+
 
 goog.exportSymbol('X.vector', X.vector);
 goog.exportSymbol('X.vector.prototype.clone', X.vector.prototype.clone);