diff --git a/djangorestframework/resources.py b/djangorestframework/resources.py
index 3f2e5a091..e6133d38d 100644
--- a/djangorestframework/resources.py
+++ b/djangorestframework/resources.py
@@ -15,8 +15,17 @@ class BaseResource(Serializer):
 
     def __init__(self, view=None, depth=None, stack=[], **kwargs):
         super(BaseResource, self).__init__(depth, stack, **kwargs)
-        self.view = view
-        self.request = getattr(view, 'request', None)
+        # If a view is passed, use that.  Otherwise traverse up the stack
+        # to find a view we can use
+        if view is not None:
+            self.view = view
+        else:
+            for serializer in stack[::-1]:
+                if hasattr(serializer, 'view') \
+                and getattr(serializer, 'view') != None:
+                    self.view = getattr(serializer, 'view')
+                    break
+        self.request = getattr(self.view, 'request', None)
 
     def validate_request(self, data, files=None):
         """
diff --git a/djangorestframework/serializer.py b/djangorestframework/serializer.py
index 5dea37e81..4886420c9 100644
--- a/djangorestframework/serializer.py
+++ b/djangorestframework/serializer.py
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ class Serializer(object):
     def __init__(self, depth=None, stack=[], **kwargs):
         if depth is not None:
             self.depth = depth
+        stack.append(self)
         self.stack = stack
 
     def get_fields(self, obj):
@@ -173,11 +174,11 @@ class Serializer(object):
         else:
             depth = self.depth - 1
 
+        # detect circular references
         if any([obj is elem for elem in self.stack]):
             return self.serialize_recursion(obj)
         else:
             stack = self.stack[:]
-            stack.append(obj)
 
         return related_serializer(depth=depth, stack=stack).serialize(obj)