diff --git a/colmena/models.py b/colmena/models.py
index fc20702..f5b0345 100644
--- a/colmena/models.py
+++ b/colmena/models.py
@@ -168,23 +168,34 @@ def serialize(self) -> float:
         _inputs = self.inputs
 
         def _serialize_and_proxy(value):
+            """Helper function for serializing and proxying"""
             key = str(id(value))
+            # Serialized object before proxying to compare size of serialized
+            # object to value server threshold
             value = SerializationMethod.serialize(self.serialization_method, value)
+
             if (
                 self.value_server_threshold is not None and
                 sys.getsizeof(value) >= self.value_server_threshold and
                 not isinstance(value, colmena.value_server.ObjectProxy)
             ):
+                # Proxy the value
                 value = colmena.value_server.to_proxy(
                         value, key=key, is_serialized=True,
                         serialization_method=self.serialization_method)
+                # Serialize the proxy. This is efficient since the proxy is
+                # just a reference + metadata about the value
                 value = SerializationMethod.serialize(self.serialization_method, value)
+
             return value
 
         try:
+            # Each value in *args and **kwargs is serialized independently
             args = tuple(map(_serialize_and_proxy, _inputs[0]))
             kwargs = {k: _serialize_and_proxy(v) for k, v in _inputs[1].items()}
             self.inputs = (args, kwargs)
+
+            # The entire result is serialized as one object
             if _value is not None:
                 self.value = _serialize_and_proxy(_value)
 
@@ -215,12 +226,12 @@ def _deserialize(value):
             _inputs = SerializationMethod.deserialize(self.serialization_method, _inputs)
 
         try:
-            try:
-                args = tuple(map(_deserialize, _inputs[0]))
-            except:
-                raise ValueError('deserialize failed on {}'.format(self))
+            # Deserialize each value in *args and **kwargs
+            args = tuple(map(_deserialize, _inputs[0]))
             kwargs = {k: _deserialize(v) for k, v in _inputs[1].items()}
             self.inputs = (args, kwargs)
+
+            # Deserialize result if it exists. If result was proxied, deproxy.
             if _value is not None:
                 _value = _deserialize(_value)
                 if isinstance(_value, colmena.value_server.ObjectProxy):
@@ -231,6 +242,7 @@ def _deserialize(value):
                     _value = _value.deproxy()
                     colmena.value_server.server.evict(key)
                 self.value = _value
+
             return perf_counter() - start_time
         except Exception as e:
             # Put the original values back
diff --git a/colmena/value_server/proxy.py b/colmena/value_server/proxy.py
index e78eb0b..2f03450 100644
--- a/colmena/value_server/proxy.py
+++ b/colmena/value_server/proxy.py
@@ -106,27 +106,20 @@ def __reduce_ex__(self, protocol):
 
     def async_resolve(self) -> None:
         """Asynchronously resolve the proxy"""
-        # TODO(gpauloski): use __resolved__ instead
-        try:
-            object.__getattribute__(self, '__target__')
-        except AttributeError:
-            # TODO(gpauloski): there is an edge case here where is async_resolve()
-            # is called twice, both cases fail to get attribute __target__ and then
-            # call __factory__.async_resolve() twice. If, between the two calls
-            # to async_resolve(), the cache entry for this object is removed, then
-            # there will be a thread created to resolve the object but the result
-            # of the thread is never used. In practice this has no consequences
-            # beyond the performance hit of starting a thread to query the value
-            # server. Generally async_resolve() should not be called twice :)
+        if not self.is_resolved():
             self.__factory__.async_resolve()
 
     def deproxy(self) -> Any:
         """Get underlying object from proxy"""
         return self.__wrapped__
 
+    def is_resolved(self) -> bool:
+        """Return True if proxy is resolved"""
+        return self.__resolved__
+
     def reset_proxy(self) -> None:
         """Reset wrapped object so that the factory is called on next access"""
-        if self.__resolved__:
+        if self.is_resolved():
             object.__delattr__(self, '__target__')
 
 
diff --git a/colmena/value_server/tests/test_proxy.py b/colmena/value_server/tests/test_proxy.py
index aba2e3a..e01f706 100644
--- a/colmena/value_server/tests/test_proxy.py
+++ b/colmena/value_server/tests/test_proxy.py
@@ -33,8 +33,14 @@ def init() -> None:
 def test_proxy() -> None:
     """Test proxy object behaves like wrapped object"""
     x = to_proxy(1)
+    assert not x.is_resolved()
+
     assert isinstance(x, ObjectProxy)
+    assert not x.is_resolved()
+
     assert isinstance(x, int)
+    assert x.is_resolved()
+
     assert x == 1
     x += 1
     assert x == 2
@@ -100,9 +106,11 @@ def test_async_resolve() -> None:
     assert x.__factory__.async_get_future is None
     assert not value_server.server.is_cached(key)
     x.async_resolve()
+    assert not x.is_resolved()
     assert x.__factory__.async_get_future is not None
     assert isinstance(x, list)
     assert x.__factory__.async_get_future is None
+    assert x.is_resolved()
     # x is already resolved so this should be a no-op
     x.async_resolve()
     assert x.__factory__.async_get_future is None
diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index 92adf44..d12b15c 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ dependencies:
       - -e .
       - parsl>=1.*
       - pydantic
-      - lazy-object-proxy>=1.*
+      - lazy-object-proxy>=1.6.*