diff --git a/lib/6to5/traverse/index.js b/lib/6to5/traverse/index.js
index 06efb546e6..d8a3e63229 100644
--- a/lib/6to5/traverse/index.js
+++ b/lib/6to5/traverse/index.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ TraversalContext.prototype.visitNode = function (obj, key, opts, scope, parent,
 
   var ourScope = scope;
   // we're entering a new scope so let's construct it!
-  if (t.isScope(node)) {
+  if (!opts.noScope && t.isScope(node)) {
     ourScope = new Scope(node, parent, scope);
   }
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ function traverseNode(node, opts, scope, state) {
 function traverse(parent, opts, scope, state) {
   if (!parent) return;
 
-  if (!scope) {
+  if (!opts.noScope && !scope) {
     if (parent.type !== "Program" && parent.type !== "File") {
       throw new Error("Must pass a scope unless traversing a Program/File got a " + parent.type + " node");
     }
@@ -217,7 +217,10 @@ function clearNode(node) {
   }
 }
 
-var clearVisitor = { enter: clearNode };
+var clearVisitor = {
+  noScope: true,
+  enter: clearNode
+};
 
 function clearComments(comments) {
   for (var i = 0; i < comments.length; i++) {