diff --git a/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/inspectedElementContext-test.js.snap b/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/inspectedElementContext-test.js.snap
index 421b1011dc..db663bc853 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/inspectedElementContext-test.js.snap
+++ b/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/inspectedElementContext-test.js.snap
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@ exports[`InspectedElementContext should not tear if hydration is requested after
   "hooks": null,
   "props": {
     "nestedObject": {
+      "value": 1,
       "a": {}
     }
   },
@@ -385,6 +386,7 @@ exports[`InspectedElementContext should not tear if hydration is requested after
   "hooks": null,
   "props": {
     "nestedObject": {
+      "value": 2,
       "a": {
         "value": 2,
         "b": {
diff --git a/src/__tests__/inspectedElementContext-test.js b/src/__tests__/inspectedElementContext-test.js
index 6c0197371f..105a23135f 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/inspectedElementContext-test.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/inspectedElementContext-test.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // @flow
 
 import typeof ReactTestRenderer from 'react-test-renderer';
-import type { GetPath } from 'src/devtools/views/Components/InspectedElementContext';
+import type { GetInspectedElementPath } from 'src/devtools/views/Components/InspectedElementContext';
 import type Bridge from 'src/bridge';
 import type Store from 'src/devtools/store';
 
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
     let didFinish = false;
 
     function Suspender({ target }) {
-      const { read } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
-      const inspectedElement = read(id);
+      const { getInspectedElement } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
+      const inspectedElement = getInspectedElement(id);
       expect(inspectedElement).toMatchSnapshot(`1: Inspected element ${id}`);
       didFinish = true;
       return null;
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
     let inspectedElement = null;
 
     function Suspender({ target }) {
-      const { read } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
-      inspectedElement = read(id);
+      const { getInspectedElement } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
+      inspectedElement = getInspectedElement(id);
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -189,8 +189,8 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
     let inspectedElement = null;
 
     function Suspender({ target }) {
-      const { read } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
-      inspectedElement = read(target);
+      const { getInspectedElement } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
+      inspectedElement = getInspectedElement(target);
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -283,8 +283,8 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
     let inspectedElement = null;
 
     function Suspender({ target }) {
-      const { read } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
-      inspectedElement = read(id);
+      const { getInspectedElement } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
+      inspectedElement = getInspectedElement(id);
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -371,8 +371,8 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
     let didFinish = false;
 
     function Suspender({ target }) {
-      const { read } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
-      const inspectedElement = read(id);
+      const { getInspectedElement } = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
+      const inspectedElement = getInspectedElement(id);
       expect(inspectedElement).toMatchSnapshot(`1: Inspected element ${id}`);
       didFinish = true;
       return null;
@@ -434,13 +434,13 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
 
     const id = ((store.getElementIDAtIndex(0): any): number);
 
-    let getPath: GetPath = ((null: any): GetPath);
+    let getInspectedElementPath: GetInspectedElementPath = ((null: any): GetInspectedElementPath);
     let inspectedElement = null;
 
     function Suspender({ target }) {
       const context = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
-      getPath = context.getPath;
-      inspectedElement = context.read(target);
+      getInspectedElementPath = context.getInspectedElementPath;
+      inspectedElement = context.getInspectedElement(target);
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -458,13 +458,13 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
         ),
       false
     );
-    expect(getPath).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(getInspectedElementPath).not.toBeNull();
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
     expect(inspectedElement).toMatchSnapshot('1: Initially inspect element');
 
     inspectedElement = null;
     TestUtils.act(() => {
-      getPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'a']);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'a']);
       jest.runOnlyPendingTimers();
     });
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
 
     inspectedElement = null;
     TestUtils.act(() => {
-      getPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'a', 'b', 'c']);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'a', 'b', 'c']);
       jest.runOnlyPendingTimers();
     });
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
@@ -482,7 +482,15 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
 
     inspectedElement = null;
     TestUtils.act(() => {
-      getPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'a', 'b', 'c', 0, 'd']);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, [
+        'props',
+        'nestedObject',
+        'a',
+        'b',
+        'c',
+        0,
+        'd',
+      ]);
       jest.runOnlyPendingTimers();
     });
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
@@ -492,7 +500,7 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
 
     inspectedElement = null;
     TestUtils.act(() => {
-      getPath(id, ['hooks', 0, 'value']);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['hooks', 0, 'value']);
       jest.runOnlyPendingTimers();
     });
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
@@ -500,7 +508,7 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
 
     inspectedElement = null;
     TestUtils.act(() => {
-      getPath(id, ['hooks', 0, 'value', 'foo', 'bar']);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['hooks', 0, 'value', 'foo', 'bar']);
       jest.runOnlyPendingTimers();
     });
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
@@ -542,13 +550,13 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
 
     const id = ((store.getElementIDAtIndex(0): any): number);
 
-    let getPath: GetPath = ((null: any): GetPath);
+    let getInspectedElementPath: GetInspectedElementPath = ((null: any): GetInspectedElementPath);
     let inspectedElement = null;
 
     function Suspender({ target }) {
       const context = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
-      getPath = context.getPath;
-      inspectedElement = context.read(id);
+      getInspectedElementPath = context.getInspectedElementPath;
+      inspectedElement = context.getInspectedElement(id);
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -566,13 +574,13 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
         ),
       false
     );
-    expect(getPath).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(getInspectedElementPath).not.toBeNull();
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
     expect(inspectedElement).toMatchSnapshot('1: Initially inspect element');
 
     inspectedElement = null;
     TestUtils.act(() => {
-      getPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'a']);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'a']);
       jest.runOnlyPendingTimers();
     });
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
@@ -580,7 +588,7 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
 
     inspectedElement = null;
     TestUtils.act(() => {
-      getPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'c']);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'c']);
       jest.runOnlyPendingTimers();
     });
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
@@ -629,6 +637,7 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
       ReactDOM.render(
         <Example
           nestedObject={{
+            value: 1,
             a: {
               value: 1,
               b: {
@@ -643,13 +652,13 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
 
     const id = ((store.getElementIDAtIndex(0): any): number);
 
-    let getPath: GetPath = ((null: any): GetPath);
+    let getInspectedElementPath: GetInspectedElementPath = ((null: any): GetInspectedElementPath);
     let inspectedElement = null;
 
     function Suspender({ target }) {
       const context = React.useContext(InspectedElementContext);
-      getPath = context.getPath;
-      inspectedElement = context.read(id);
+      getInspectedElementPath = context.getInspectedElementPath;
+      inspectedElement = context.getInspectedElement(id);
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -667,7 +676,7 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
         ),
       false
     );
-    expect(getPath).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(getInspectedElementPath).not.toBeNull();
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
     expect(inspectedElement).toMatchSnapshot('1: Initially inspect element');
 
@@ -675,6 +684,7 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
       ReactDOM.render(
         <Example
           nestedObject={{
+            value: 2,
             a: {
               value: 2,
               b: {
@@ -689,7 +699,7 @@ describe('InspectedElementContext', () => {
 
     inspectedElement = null;
     TestUtils.act(() => {
-      getPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'a']);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['props', 'nestedObject', 'a']);
       jest.runOnlyPendingTimers();
     });
     expect(inspectedElement).not.toBeNull();
diff --git a/src/backend/legacy/renderer.js b/src/backend/legacy/renderer.js
index 1c389a3f9a..2e22bc7337 100644
--- a/src/backend/legacy/renderer.js
+++ b/src/backend/legacy/renderer.js
@@ -552,6 +552,8 @@ export function attach(
   let currentlyInspectedElementID: number | null = null;
   let currentlyInspectedPaths: Object = {};
 
+  // Track the intersection of currently inspected paths,
+  // so that we can send their data along if the element is re-rendered.
   function mergeInspectedPaths(path: Array<string | number>) {
     let current = currentlyInspectedPaths;
     path.forEach(key => {
@@ -563,6 +565,8 @@ export function attach(
   }
 
   function createIsPathWhitelisted(key: string) {
+    // This function helps prevent previously-inspected paths from being dehydrated in updates.
+    // This is important to avoid a bad user experience where expanded toggles collapse on update.
     return function isPathWhitelisted(path: Array<string | number>): boolean {
       let current = currentlyInspectedPaths[key];
       if (!current) {
diff --git a/src/backend/renderer.js b/src/backend/renderer.js
index e75a4548c1..244454c702 100644
--- a/src/backend/renderer.js
+++ b/src/backend/renderer.js
@@ -2137,6 +2137,8 @@ export function attach(
     );
   }
 
+  // Track the intersection of currently inspected paths,
+  // so that we can send their data along if the element is re-rendered.
   function mergeInspectedPaths(path: Array<string | number>) {
     let current = currentlyInspectedPaths;
     path.forEach(key => {
@@ -2148,9 +2150,13 @@ export function attach(
   }
 
   function createIsPathWhitelisted(isHooksPath: boolean, key: string | null) {
+    // This function helps prevent previously-inspected paths from being dehydrated in updates.
+    // This is important to avoid a bad user experience where expanded toggles collapse on update.
     return function isPathWhitelisted(path: Array<string | number>): boolean {
       // Dehydrating the 'subHooks' property makes the HooksTree UI a lot more complicated,
       // so it's easiest for now if we just don't break on this boundary.
+      // We can always dehydrate a level deeper (in the value object).
+      // TODO (hydration) This check depends on a LEVEL_THRESHOLD of 2 to avoid dehydrating a hook incorrectly.
       if (isHooksPath && path[path.length - 1] === 'subHooks') {
         return true;
       }
@@ -2225,8 +2231,10 @@ export function attach(
         mergeInspectedPaths(path);
       }
 
+      // Clone before cleaning so that we preserve the full data.
+      // This will enable us to send patches without re-inspecting if hydrated paths are requested.
+      // (Reducing how often we shallow-render is a better DX for function components that use hooks.)
       const cleanedInspectedElement = { ...mostRecentlyInspectedElement };
-
       cleanedInspectedElement.context = cleanForBridge(
         cleanedInspectedElement.context,
         createIsPathWhitelisted(false, 'context')
@@ -2308,7 +2316,6 @@ export function attach(
     const fiber = findCurrentFiberUsingSlowPathById(id);
     if (fiber !== null) {
       if (typeof overrideHookState === 'function') {
-        console.log('[renderer] overrideHookState()', { path, value, index });
         overrideHookState(fiber, index, path, value);
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/devtools/views/Components/HooksTree.js b/src/devtools/views/Components/HooksTree.js
index a9c8122ff1..d1ab04778f 100644
--- a/src/devtools/views/Components/HooksTree.js
+++ b/src/devtools/views/Components/HooksTree.js
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ type HooksTreeViewProps = {|
 |};
 
 export function HooksTreeView({ canEditHooks, hooks, id }: HooksTreeViewProps) {
-  const { getPath } = useContext(InspectedElementContext);
+  const { getInspectedElementPath } = useContext(InspectedElementContext);
   const inspectPath = useCallback(
     (path: Array<string | number>) => {
-      getPath(id, ['hooks', ...path]);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['hooks', ...path]);
     },
-    [getPath, id]
+    [getInspectedElementPath, id]
   );
   const handleCopy = useCallback(() => copy(serializeHooksForCopy(hooks)), [
     hooks,
@@ -114,7 +114,9 @@ function HookView({
 
   if (hook.hasOwnProperty(meta.inspected)) {
     // This Hook is too deep and hasn't been hydrated.
-    // TODO (hydration) show UI to load its data.
+    if (__DEV__) {
+      console.warn('Unexpected dehydrated hook; this is a DevTools error.');
+    }
     return (
       <div className={styles.Hook}>
         <div className={styles.NameValueRow}>
@@ -124,8 +126,6 @@ function HookView({
     );
   }
 
-  // TODO Add click and key handlers for toggling element open/close state.
-
   const isCustomHook = subHooks.length > 0;
 
   const type = typeof value;
@@ -218,8 +218,10 @@ function HookView({
         bridge.send('overrideHookState', {
           id,
           hookID,
-          // Hooks override function expects a relative path for the specified hook (id).
-          // This should not include the fake tree structure DevTools uses for display.
+          // Hooks override function expects a relative path for the specified hook (id),
+          // starting with its id within the (flat) hooks list structure.
+          // This relative path does not include the fake tree structure DevTools uses for display,
+          // so it's important that we remove that part of the path before sending the update.
           path: absolutePath.slice(path.length + 1),
           rendererID,
           value,
diff --git a/src/devtools/views/Components/InspectedElementContext.js b/src/devtools/views/Components/InspectedElementContext.js
index 65d5e6d421..97efcac574 100644
--- a/src/devtools/views/Components/InspectedElementContext.js
+++ b/src/devtools/views/Components/InspectedElementContext.js
@@ -26,12 +26,17 @@ import type {
 } from 'src/devtools/views/Components/types';
 import type { Resource, Thenable } from '../../cache';
 
-export type GetPath = (id: number, path: Array<string | number>) => void;
-export type Read = (id: number) => InspectedElementFrontend | null;
+export type GetInspectedElementPath = (
+  id: number,
+  path: Array<string | number>
+) => void;
+export type GetInspectedElement = (
+  id: number
+) => InspectedElementFrontend | null;
 
 type Context = {|
-  getPath: GetPath,
-  read: Read,
+  getInspectedElementPath: GetInspectedElementPath,
+  getInspectedElement: GetInspectedElement,
 |};
 
 const InspectedElementContext = createContext<Context>(((null: any): Context));
@@ -76,7 +81,8 @@ function InspectedElementContextController({ children }: Props) {
   const bridge = useContext(BridgeContext);
   const store = useContext(StoreContext);
 
-  const getPath = useCallback<GetPath>(
+  // Ask the backend to fill in a "dehydrated" path; this will result in a "inspectedElement".
+  const getInspectedElementPath = useCallback<GetInspectedElementPath>(
     (id: number, path: Array<string | number>) => {
       const rendererID = store.getRendererIDForElement(id);
       bridge.send('inspectElement', { id, path, rendererID });
@@ -84,7 +90,7 @@ function InspectedElementContextController({ children }: Props) {
     [bridge, store]
   );
 
-  const read = useCallback<Read>(
+  const getInspectedElement = useCallback<GetInspectedElement>(
     (id: number) => {
       const element = store.getElementByID(id);
       if (element !== null) {
@@ -266,10 +272,10 @@ function InspectedElementContextController({ children }: Props) {
   }, [bridge, selectedElementID, store]);
 
   const value = useMemo(
-    () => ({ getPath, read }),
+    () => ({ getInspectedElement, getInspectedElementPath }),
     // InspectedElement is used to invalidate the cache and schedule an update with React.
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-    [currentlyInspectedElement, getPath, read]
+    [currentlyInspectedElement, getInspectedElement, getInspectedElementPath]
   );
 
   return (
@@ -289,6 +295,8 @@ function hydrateHelper(
     if (path) {
       const { length } = path;
       if (length > 0) {
+        // Hydration helper requires full paths, but inspection dehydrates with relative paths.
+        // In that event it's important that we adjust the "cleaned" paths to match.
         cleaned = cleaned.map(cleanedPath => cleanedPath.slice(length));
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/devtools/views/Components/KeyValue.js b/src/devtools/views/Components/KeyValue.js
index 4d19c255c0..7fd333a0a8 100644
--- a/src/devtools/views/Components/KeyValue.js
+++ b/src/devtools/views/Components/KeyValue.js
@@ -22,9 +22,6 @@ type KeyValueProps = {|
   value: any,
 |};
 
-// TODO (hydration) Don't display meta objects.
-// Add event listener to request a "read" instead.
-
 export default function KeyValue({
   depth,
   inspectPath,
diff --git a/src/devtools/views/Components/SelectedElement.js b/src/devtools/views/Components/SelectedElement.js
index 97cd2d20db..5802d204b9 100644
--- a/src/devtools/views/Components/SelectedElement.js
+++ b/src/devtools/views/Components/SelectedElement.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import {
 
 import styles from './SelectedElement.css';
 
-import type { GetPath } from './InspectedElementContext';
+import type { GetInspectedElementPath } from './InspectedElementContext';
 import type { Element, InspectedElement } from './types';
 import type { ElementType } from 'src/types';
 
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@ export default function SelectedElement(_: Props) {
   const store = useContext(StoreContext);
   const { dispatch: modalDialogDispatch } = useContext(ModalDialogContext);
 
-  const { getPath, read } = useContext(InspectedElementContext);
+  const { getInspectedElementPath, getInspectedElement } = useContext(
+    InspectedElementContext
+  );
 
   const element =
     inspectedElementID !== null
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ export default function SelectedElement(_: Props) {
       : null;
 
   const inspectedElement =
-    inspectedElementID != null ? read(inspectedElementID) : null;
+    inspectedElementID != null ? getInspectedElement(inspectedElementID) : null;
 
   const highlightElement = useCallback(() => {
     if (element !== null && inspectedElementID !== null) {
@@ -202,10 +204,10 @@ export default function SelectedElement(_: Props) {
       {inspectedElement !== null && (
         <InspectedElementView
           key={
-            inspectedElementID /* Ensure state resets between seleted Elements */
+            inspectedElementID /* Force reset when seleted Element changes */
           }
           element={element}
-          getPath={getPath}
+          getInspectedElementPath={getInspectedElementPath}
           inspectedElement={inspectedElement}
         />
       )}
@@ -217,7 +219,7 @@ export type InspectPath = (path: Array<string | number>) => void;
 
 type InspectedElementViewProps = {|
   element: Element,
-  getPath: GetPath,
+  getInspectedElementPath: GetInspectedElementPath,
   inspectedElement: InspectedElement,
 |};
 
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ const IS_SUSPENDED = 'Suspended';
 
 function InspectedElementView({
   element,
-  getPath,
+  getInspectedElementPath,
   inspectedElement,
 }: InspectedElementViewProps) {
   const { id, type } = element;
@@ -247,21 +249,21 @@ function InspectedElementView({
 
   const inspectContextPath = useCallback(
     (path: Array<string | number>) => {
-      getPath(id, ['context', ...path]);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['context', ...path]);
     },
-    [getPath, id]
+    [getInspectedElementPath, id]
   );
   const inspectPropsPath = useCallback(
     (path: Array<string | number>) => {
-      getPath(id, ['props', ...path]);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['props', ...path]);
     },
-    [getPath, id]
+    [getInspectedElementPath, id]
   );
   const inspectStatePath = useCallback(
     (path: Array<string | number>) => {
-      getPath(id, ['state', ...path]);
+      getInspectedElementPath(id, ['state', ...path]);
     },
-    [getPath, id]
+    [getInspectedElementPath, id]
   );
 
   let overrideContextFn = null;
diff --git a/src/hydration.js b/src/hydration.js
index 6bd9750f25..438165c765 100644
--- a/src/hydration.js
+++ b/src/hydration.js
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ type Dehydrated = {|
 // Reducing this threshold will improve the speed of initial component inspection,
 // but may decrease the responsiveness of expanding objects/arrays to inspect further.
 //
-// Note that reducing the threshold to below two effectively breaks the inspected hooks interface.
+// Note that reducing the threshold to below 2 effectively breaks the inspected hooks interface.
+// It is only safe to dehydrate hooks within the "value" key, never within the "subHooks" array directly.
 const LEVEL_THRESHOLD = 2;
 
 /**