diff --git a/help/api-forms.html b/help/api-forms.html
index 3849719..0fc4497 100644
--- a/help/api-forms.html
+++ b/help/api-forms.html
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ A "form_example" module could add a confirmation step by setting:
 in form_example_views_form_submit().
 Then, views_form would call form_example_confirmation($form, $form_state, $view, $output) to get that step.
 
+<b>Important:</b> You can fetch the Views object in form_alter and validate / submit hooks from the form state:
+<pre>
+  $view = $form_state['build_info']['args'][0];
+</pre>
+
 <h2>Relevant Views functions</h2>
 <ul>
 <li>template_preprocess_views_view()</li>
diff --git a/theme/theme.inc b/theme/theme.inc
index bf772b2..a56169d 100644
--- a/theme/theme.inc
+++ b/theme/theme.inc
@@ -873,20 +873,18 @@ function template_preprocess_views_exposed_form(&$vars) {
  */
 function theme_views_form_views_form($variables) {
   $form = $variables['form'];
-  $view = $form['view']['#value'];
 
   // Placeholders and their substitutions (usually rendered form elements).
   $search = array();
   $replace = array();
 
-  // Prepare substitutions for views form elements.
-  foreach ($view->field as $field_name => $field) {
-    if (property_exists($field, 'views_form_callback') || method_exists($field, 'views_form')) {
-      foreach ($view->result as $row_id => $row) {
-        $search[] = '<!--form-item-' . $field_name . '--' . $row_id . '-->';
-        $replace[] = isset($form[$field_name][$row_id]) ? drupal_render($form[$field_name][$row_id]) : '';
-      }
-    }
+  // Add in substitutions provided by the form.
+  foreach ($form['#substitutions']['#value'] as $substitution) {
+    $field_name = $substitution['field_name'];
+    $row_id = $substitution['row_id'];
+
+    $search[] = $substitution['placeholder'];
+    $replace[] = isset($form[$field_name][$row_id]) ? drupal_render($form[$field_name][$row_id]) : '';
   }
   // Add in substitutions from hook_views_form_substitutions().
   $substitutions = module_invoke_all('views_form_substitutions');
diff --git a/views.module b/views.module
index b77a67d..9c5a864 100644
--- a/views.module
+++ b/views.module
@@ -1486,12 +1486,6 @@ function views_form($form, &$form_state, $view, $output) {
   $form = array();
   $form['#validate'] = array('views_form_validate');
   $form['#submit'] = array('views_form_submit');
-  // The view is stored in $form and not $form_state because
-  // the theme functions only get $form.
-  $form['view'] = array(
-    '#type' => 'value',
-    '#value' => $view,
-  );
   // Tell the preprocessor whether it should hide the header, footer, pager...
   $form['show_view_elements'] = array(
     '#type' => 'value',
@@ -1549,17 +1543,36 @@ function views_form_views_form($form, &$form_state, $view, $output) {
     '#weight' => 50,
   );
 
+  $substitutions = array();
   foreach ($view->field as $field_name => $field) {
     // If the field provides a views form, allow it to modify the $form array.
+    $has_form = FALSE;
     if (property_exists($field, 'views_form_callback')) {
       $callback = $field->views_form_callback;
       $callback($view, $field, $form, $form_state);
+      $has_form = TRUE;
     }
     elseif (method_exists($field, 'views_form')) {
       $field->views_form($form, $form_state);
+      $has_form = TRUE;
+    }
+
+    // Build the substitutions array for use in the theme function.
+    if ($has_form) {
+      foreach ($view->result as $row_id => $row) {
+        $substitutions[] = array(
+          'placeholder' => '<!--form-item-' . $field_name . '--' . $row_id . '-->',
+          'field_name' => $field_name,
+          'row_id' => $row_id,
+        );
+      }
     }
   }
 
+  $form['#substitutions'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'value',
+    '#value' => $substitutions,
+  );
   $form['actions'] = array(
     '#type' => 'container',
     '#attributes' => array('class' => array('form-actions')),
@@ -1580,7 +1593,7 @@ function views_form_views_form($form, &$form_state, $view, $output) {
  * on the views fields.
  */
 function views_form_views_form_validate($form, &$form_state) {
-  $view = $form['view']['#value'];
+  $view = $form_state['build_info']['args'][0];
 
   // Call the validation method on every field handler that has it.
   foreach ($view->field as $field_name => $field) {
@@ -1596,7 +1609,7 @@ function views_form_views_form_validate($form, &$form_state) {
  * on the views fields.
  */
 function views_form_views_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
-  $view = $form['view']['#value'];
+  $view = $form_state['build_info']['args'][0];
 
   // Call the submit method on every field handler that has it.
   foreach ($view->field as $field_name => $field) {