diff --git a/lib/multi_fetch_fragments.rb b/lib/multi_fetch_fragments.rb
index db36d04..1966263 100644
--- a/lib/multi_fetch_fragments.rb
+++ b/lib/multi_fetch_fragments.rb
@@ -3,92 +3,159 @@ module MultiFetchFragments
 
   included do
     alias_method_chain :render_collection, :multi_fetch_cache
+    alias_method_chain :retrieve_template_keys, :multi_fetch_cache
+    alias_method_chain :collection_with_template, :multi_fetch_cache
+    alias_method_chain :collection_without_template, :multi_fetch_cache
   end
 
   private
-    def render_collection_with_multi_fetch_cache
 
-      return nil if @collection.blank?
+  def cache_safe_variable_counter
+    ('cache_safe_' + @variable_counter.to_s).to_sym
+  end
+
+  def retrieve_template_keys_with_multi_fetch_cache
+    keys = @locals.keys
+    keys << @variable         if @object || @collection
+    keys << @variable_counter if @collection
+    keys << cache_safe_variable_counter if @collection
+    keys
+  end
 
-      if @options.key?(:spacer_template)
-        spacer = find_template(@options[:spacer_template]).render(@view, @locals)
+  def collection_with_template_with_multi_fetch_cache
+    view, locals, template = @view, @locals, @template
+    as, counter = @variable, @variable_counter
+    collection_index_map = @collection_index_map
+
+    if layout = @options[:layout]
+      layout = find_template(layout, @template_keys)
+    end
+
+    index = -1
+    @collection.map do |object|
+      locals[as]      = object
+      locals[counter] = (index += 1)
+
+      if collection_index_map
+        locals[cache_safe_variable_counter] = collection_index_map[object]
       end
 
-      results = []
+      content = template.render(view, locals)
+      content = layout.render(view, locals) { content } if layout
+      content
+    end
+  end
 
-      if cache_collection?
+  def collection_without_template_with_multi_fetch_cache
+    view, locals, collection_data = @view, @locals, @collection_data
+    collection_index_map = @collection_index_map
+    cache = {}
+    keys  = @locals.keys
 
-        additional_cache_options = @options[:cache_options] || @locals[:cache_options] || {}
-        keys_to_collection_map = {}
+    index = -1
+    @collection.map do |object|
+      index += 1
+      path, as, counter = collection_data[index]
 
-        @collection.each do |item|
-          key = @options[:cache].respond_to?(:call) ? @options[:cache].call(item) : item
+      locals[as]      = object
+      locals[counter] ||= index
 
-          key_with_optional_digest = nil
-          if defined?(@view.fragment_name_with_digest)
-            key_with_optional_digest = @view.fragment_name_with_digest(key, @view.view_cache_dependencies)
-          elsif defined?(@view.cache_fragment_name)
-            key_with_optional_digest = @view.cache_fragment_name(key)
-          else
-            key_with_optional_digest = key
-          end
+      if collection_index_map
+        locals[cache_safe_variable_counter] = collection_index_map[object]
+      end
 
+      template = (cache[path] ||= find_template(path, keys + [as, counter]))
+      template.render(view, locals)
+    end
+  end
 
-          expanded_key = fragment_cache_key(key_with_optional_digest)
+  def render_collection_with_multi_fetch_cache
 
-          keys_to_collection_map[expanded_key] = item
-        end
+    return nil if @collection.blank?
 
-        # cache.read_multi & cache.write interfaces may require mutable keys, ie. dalli 2.6.0
-        mutable_keys = keys_to_collection_map.keys.collect { |key| key.dup }
+    if @options.key?(:spacer_template)
+      spacer = find_template(@options[:spacer_template], @locals.keys).render(@view, @locals)
+    end
 
-        result_hash = Rails.cache.read_multi(*mutable_keys)
+    results = []
 
-        # if we had a cached value, we don't need to render that object from the collection.
-        # if it wasn't cached, we need to render those objects as before
-        @collection = (keys_to_collection_map.keys - result_hash.keys).map do |key|
-          keys_to_collection_map[key]
-        end
+    if cache_collection?
 
-        non_cached_results = []
+      additional_cache_options = @options[:cache_options] || @locals[:cache_options] || {}
 
-        # sequentially render any non-cached objects remaining
-        if @collection.any?
-          non_cached_results = @template ? collection_with_template : collection_without_template
-        end
+      keys_to_collection_map = {}
+      @collection_index_map = {}
 
-        # sort the result according to the keys that were fed in, cache the non-cached results
-        mutable_keys.each do |key|
+      @collection.each_with_index do |item, index|
+        key = @options[:cache].respond_to?(:call) ? @options[:cache].call(item, index) : item
 
-          cached_value = result_hash[key]
-          if cached_value
-            results << cached_value
-          else
-            non_cached_result = non_cached_results.shift
-            Rails.cache.write(key, non_cached_result, additional_cache_options)
+        @collection_index_map[item] = index
 
-            results << non_cached_result
-          end
+        key_with_optional_digest = nil
+        if defined?(@view.fragment_name_with_digest)
+          key_with_optional_digest = @view.fragment_name_with_digest(key, @view.view_cache_dependencies)
+        elsif defined?(@view.cache_fragment_name)
+          key_with_optional_digest = @view.cache_fragment_name(key)
+        else
+          key_with_optional_digest = key
         end
 
-      else
-        results = @template ? collection_with_template : collection_without_template
+        expanded_key = fragment_cache_key(key_with_optional_digest)
+
+        keys_to_collection_map[expanded_key] = item
       end
 
-      results.join(spacer).html_safe
-    end
 
-    def cache_collection?
-      cache_option = @options[:cache].presence || @locals[:cache].presence
-      ActionController::Base.perform_caching && cache_option
-    end
+      # cache.read_multi & cache.write interfaces may require mutable keys, ie. dalli 2.6.0
+      mutable_keys = keys_to_collection_map.keys.collect { |key| key.dup }
+
+      result_hash = Rails.cache.read_multi(*mutable_keys)
+
+      # if we had a cached value, we don't need to render that object from the collection.
+      # if it wasn't cached, we need to render those objects as before
+      @collection = (keys_to_collection_map.keys - result_hash.keys).map do |key|
+        keys_to_collection_map[key]
+      end
+
+      non_cached_results = []
+
+      # sequentially render any non-cached objects remaining
+      if @collection.any?
+        non_cached_results = @template ? collection_with_template : collection_without_template
+      end
+
+      # sort the result according to the keys that were fed in, cache the non-cached results
+      mutable_keys.each do |key|
+
+        cached_value = result_hash[key]
+        if cached_value
+          results << cached_value
+        else
+          non_cached_result = non_cached_results.shift
+          Rails.cache.write(key, non_cached_result, additional_cache_options)
 
-    # from Rails fragment_cache_key in ActionController::Caching::Fragments. Adding it here since it's tucked inside an instance method on the controller, and 
-    # it's utility could be used in a view without a controller
-    def fragment_cache_key(key)
-      ActiveSupport::Cache.expand_cache_key(key.is_a?(Hash) ? url_for(key).split("://").last : key, :views)
+          results << non_cached_result
+        end
+      end
+
+    else
+      results = @template ? collection_with_template : collection_without_template
     end
 
+    results.join(spacer).html_safe
+  end
+
+  def cache_collection?
+    cache_option = @options[:cache].presence || @locals[:cache].presence
+    ActionController::Base.perform_caching && cache_option
+  end
+
+  # from Rails fragment_cache_key in ActionController::Caching::Fragments. Adding it here since it's tucked inside an instance method on the controller, and 
+  # it's utility could be used in a view without a controller
+  def fragment_cache_key(key)
+    ActiveSupport::Cache.expand_cache_key(key.is_a?(Hash) ? url_for(key).split("://").last : key, :views)
+  end
+
   class Railtie < Rails::Railtie
     initializer "multi_fetch_fragments.initialize" do |app|
       ActionView::PartialRenderer.class_eval do
diff --git a/spec/multi_fetch_fragments_spec.rb b/spec/multi_fetch_fragments_spec.rb
index b10e6aa..194e08d 100644
--- a/spec/multi_fetch_fragments_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/multi_fetch_fragments_spec.rb
@@ -8,9 +8,43 @@
     view.render(:partial => "views/customer", :collection => [ Customer.new("david"), Customer.new("mary") ]).should == "Hello: david\nHello: mary\n"
   end
 
+  context "variant_counter" do
+
+    it "does not break existing functionality" do
+      MultiFetchFragments::Railtie.run_initializers
+
+      view = ActionView::Base.new([File.dirname(__FILE__)], {})
+      view.render(:partial => "views/counter", :collection => [ Customer.new("david"), Customer.new("mary") ], :as => :customer).should == "Count: 0\nCount: 1\n"
+    end
+
+    it "works for the cached version" do
+      cache_mock = double()
+      Rails.cache = cache_mock
+      MultiFetchFragments::Railtie.run_initializers
+
+      controller = ActionController::Base.new
+      view = ActionView::Base.new([File.dirname(__FILE__)], {}, controller)
+
+      david = Customer.new("david")
+      key1 = controller.fragment_cache_key([david, 'key'])
+
+      mary = Customer.new("mary")
+      key2 = controller.fragment_cache_key([mary, 'key'])
+
+      simon = Customer.new("simon")
+      key3 = controller.fragment_cache_key([simon, 'key'])
+
+      cache_mock.should_receive(:read_multi).with(key1, key2, key3).and_return({key1 => "Count: 0, CacheSafeCount: 0\n"})
+      cache_mock.should_receive(:write).twice
+
+      view.render(:partial => "views/cache_safe_counter", :collection => [ david, mary, simon ], :cache => Proc.new{ |item| [item, 'key']}, :as => :customer).should == "Count: 0, CacheSafeCount: 0\nCount: 0, CacheSafeCount: 1\nCount: 1, CacheSafeCount: 2\n"
+    end
+
+  end
+
   it "works for passing in a custom key" do
-    cache_mock = mock()
-    RAILS_CACHE = cache_mock
+    cache_mock = double()
+    Rails.cache = cache_mock
     MultiFetchFragments::Railtie.run_initializers
 
     controller = ActionController::Base.new
@@ -18,9 +52,11 @@
 
     customer = Customer.new("david")
     key = controller.fragment_cache_key([customer, 'key'])
-    
+
     cache_mock.should_receive(:read_multi).with(key).and_return({key => 'Hello'})
 
     view.render(:partial => "views/customer", :collection => [ customer ], :cache => Proc.new{ |item| [item, 'key']}).should == "Hello"
   end
+
+
 end
diff --git a/spec/views/_cache_safe_counter.html.erb b/spec/views/_cache_safe_counter.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3fd9429
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/views/_cache_safe_counter.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Count: <%= customer_counter %>, CacheSafeCount: <%= cache_safe_customer_counter %>
diff --git a/spec/views/_counter.html.erb b/spec/views/_counter.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2727b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/views/_counter.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Count: <%= customer_counter %>