diff --git a/crates/compute_graph/src/lib.rs b/crates/compute_graph/src/lib.rs
index 81d9f1e..3e0d946 100644
--- a/crates/compute_graph/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/compute_graph/src/lib.rs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ use node::{ErasedNode, NodeValue};
 use petgraph::visit::{IntoEdgeReferences, NodeIndexable};
 use petgraph::{stable_graph::StableDiGraph, visit::EdgeRef};
 use rule::{AsyncRule, Input, InputVisitor, Rule};
-use std::cell::{Cell, Ref, RefCell};
+use std::cell::{Cell, RefCell};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::collections::VecDeque;
 use std::ops::{Deref, DerefMut};
diff --git a/crates/compute_graph/src/node.rs b/crates/compute_graph/src/node.rs
index 140692f..20401a5 100644
--- a/crates/compute_graph/src/node.rs
+++ b/crates/compute_graph/src/node.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ pub(crate) struct ErasedNode<Synch: Synchronicity> {
     is_valid: Box<dyn Fn(&Box<dyn Any>) -> bool>,
     invalidate: Box<dyn Fn(&mut Box<dyn Any>) -> ()>,
     visit_inputs: Box<dyn Fn(&Box<dyn Any>, &mut dyn FnMut(NodeId) -> ()) -> ()>,
-    update: Synch::UpdateFn,
+    update: Box<dyn for<'a> Fn(&'a mut Box<dyn Any>) -> Synch::UpdateResult<'a>>,
 }
 
 impl<S: Synchronicity> ErasedNode<S> {
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ impl<S: Synchronicity> ErasedNode<S> {
                 let x = any.downcast_ref::<Box<dyn Node<V, S>>>().unwrap();
                 x.visit_inputs(visitor);
             }),
-            update: S::make_update_fn::<V>(),
+            update: Box::new(|any| {
+                let x = any.downcast_mut::<Box<dyn Node<V, S>>>().unwrap();
+                x.update()
+            }),
         }
     }
 
@@ -164,7 +167,7 @@ impl<V: NodeValue, S: Synchronicity> Node<V, S> for InvalidatableConstNode<V, S>
         self.valid = true;
         // This node is only invalidate when node_value_eq between the old/new value is false,
         // so it is always the case that the update method has changed the value.
-        S::make_update_result(true)
+        S::make_update_result(true, crate::synchronicity::private::Token)
     }
 
     fn value_rc(&self) -> &Rc<RefCell<Option<V>>> {
@@ -222,7 +225,7 @@ impl<R: Rule, S: Synchronicity> Node<R::Output, S> for RuleNode<R, R::Output, S>
             *value = Some(new_value);
         }
 
-        S::make_update_result(value_changed)
+        S::make_update_result(value_changed, crate::synchronicity::private::Token)
     }
 
     fn value_rc(&self) -> &Rc<RefCell<Option<R::Output>>> {
diff --git a/crates/compute_graph/src/synchronicity.rs b/crates/compute_graph/src/synchronicity.rs
index 4cb6317..90ab33c 100644
--- a/crates/compute_graph/src/synchronicity.rs
+++ b/crates/compute_graph/src/synchronicity.rs
@@ -4,41 +4,31 @@
 //! The [`Synchronicity`] trait is sealed to outside implementors, and you generally do not need to refer
 //! directly to the [`Synchronous`] or [`Asynchronous`] types.
 
-use crate::node::{Node, NodeValue};
-use std::any::Any;
 use std::future::Future;
 use std::pin::Pin;
 
-mod private {
+pub(crate) mod private {
     pub trait Sealed {}
     impl Sealed for super::Synchronous {}
     impl Sealed for super::Asynchronous {}
+    impl Sealed for bool {}
+    impl<'a> Sealed for <super::Asynchronous as super::Synchronicity>::UpdateResult<'a> {}
+    pub struct Token;
 }
 
 pub trait Synchronicity: private::Sealed + 'static {
-    // TODO: do we need the associated type? can this just be a method update_node(Box<dyn Node<V>>)?
-    type UpdateFn;
-    fn make_update_fn<V: NodeValue>() -> Self::UpdateFn;
-
-    type UpdateResult<'a>;
-    fn make_update_result<'a>(result: bool) -> Self::UpdateResult<'a>;
+    type UpdateResult<'a>: private::Sealed;
+    // Necessary for synchronous nodes that can be part of an async graph to return the
+    // appropriate result based on the type of graph they're in.
+    fn make_update_result<'a>(result: bool, _: private::Token) -> Self::UpdateResult<'a>;
 }
 
 pub struct Synchronous;
 
 impl Synchronicity for Synchronous {
-    type UpdateFn = Box<dyn Fn(&mut Box<dyn Any>) -> bool>;
-
-    fn make_update_fn<V: NodeValue>() -> Self::UpdateFn {
-        Box::new(|any| {
-            let x = any.downcast_mut::<Box<dyn Node<V, Self>>>().unwrap();
-            x.update()
-        })
-    }
-
     type UpdateResult<'a> = bool;
 
-    fn make_update_result<'a>(result: bool) -> Self::UpdateResult<'a> {
+    fn make_update_result<'a>(result: bool, _: private::Token) -> Self::UpdateResult<'a> {
         result
     }
 }
@@ -46,21 +36,9 @@ impl Synchronicity for Synchronous {
 pub struct Asynchronous;
 
 impl Synchronicity for Asynchronous {
-    type UpdateFn =
-        Box<dyn for<'a> Fn(&'a mut Box<dyn Any>) -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = bool> + 'a>>>;
-
-    fn make_update_fn<V: NodeValue>() -> Self::UpdateFn {
-        Box::new(|any| {
-            Box::pin({
-                let x = any.downcast_mut::<Box<dyn Node<V, Self>>>().unwrap();
-                x.update()
-            })
-        })
-    }
-
     type UpdateResult<'a> = Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = bool> + 'a>>;
 
-    fn make_update_result<'a>(result: bool) -> Self::UpdateResult<'a> {
+    fn make_update_result<'a>(result: bool, _: private::Token) -> Self::UpdateResult<'a> {
         Box::pin(std::future::ready(result))
     }
 }