diff --git a/lib/nodes.js b/lib/nodes.js
index 674f2c49..04c87f2a 100644
--- a/lib/nodes.js
+++ b/lib/nodes.js
@@ -26,16 +26,16 @@
   starts = _a.starts;
   ends = _a.ends;
   exports.BaseNode = (function() {
-    BaseNode = function() {};
+    BaseNode = function() {
+      this.tags = {};
+      return this;
+    };
     BaseNode.prototype.compile = function(o) {
       var closure, top;
       this.options = merge(o || {});
       this.tab = o.indent;
-      if (!(this instanceof ValueNode || this instanceof CallNode)) {
-        del(this.options, 'operation');
-        if (!(this instanceof AccessorNode || this instanceof IndexNode)) {
-          del(this.options, 'chainRoot');
-        }
+      if (!(this instanceof AccessorNode || this instanceof IndexNode)) {
+        del(this.options, 'chainRoot');
       }
       top = this.topSensitive() ? this.options.top : del(this.options, 'top');
       closure = this.isStatement(o) && !this.isPureStatement() && !top && !this.options.asStatement && !(this instanceof CommentNode) && !this.containsPureStatement();
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@
   })();
   exports.Expressions = (function() {
     Expressions = function(nodes) {
+      Expressions.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.expressions = compact(flatten(nodes || []));
       return this;
     };
@@ -259,6 +260,7 @@
   exports.LiteralNode = (function() {
     LiteralNode = function(_b) {
       this.value = _b;
+      LiteralNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(LiteralNode, BaseNode);
@@ -284,6 +286,7 @@
   exports.ReturnNode = (function() {
     ReturnNode = function(_b) {
       this.expression = _b;
+      ReturnNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(ReturnNode, BaseNode);
@@ -318,6 +321,7 @@
     ValueNode = function(_b, _c) {
       this.properties = _c;
       this.base = _b;
+      ValueNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.properties || (this.properties = []);
       return this;
     };
@@ -380,7 +384,7 @@
     ValueNode.prototype.compileNode = function(o) {
       var _b, _c, _d, baseline, complete, i, only, op, props;
       only = del(o, 'onlyFirst');
-      op = del(o, 'operation');
+      op = this.tags.operation;
       props = only ? this.properties.slice(0, this.properties.length - 1) : this.properties;
       o.chainRoot || (o.chainRoot = this);
       if (this.parenthetical && !props.length) {
@@ -422,6 +426,7 @@
   exports.CommentNode = (function() {
     CommentNode = function(_b) {
       this.lines = _b;
+      CommentNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(CommentNode, BaseNode);
@@ -442,6 +447,7 @@
   exports.CallNode = (function() {
     CallNode = function(variable, _b) {
       this.args = _b;
+      CallNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.isNew = false;
       this.isSuper = variable === 'super';
       this.variable = this.isSuper ? null : variable;
@@ -527,6 +533,7 @@
     ExtendsNode = function(_b, _c) {
       this.parent = _c;
       this.child = _b;
+      ExtendsNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(ExtendsNode, BaseNode);
@@ -542,6 +549,7 @@
   exports.AccessorNode = (function() {
     AccessorNode = function(_b, tag) {
       this.name = _b;
+      AccessorNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.prototype = tag === 'prototype' ? '.prototype' : '';
       this.soakNode = tag === 'soak';
       return this;
@@ -561,6 +569,7 @@
   exports.IndexNode = (function() {
     IndexNode = function(_b) {
       this.index = _b;
+      IndexNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(IndexNode, BaseNode);
@@ -579,6 +588,7 @@
     RangeNode = function(_b, _c, exclusive) {
       this.to = _c;
       this.from = _b;
+      RangeNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.exclusive = !!exclusive;
       this.equals = this.exclusive ? '' : '=';
       return this;
@@ -675,6 +685,7 @@
   exports.SliceNode = (function() {
     SliceNode = function(_b) {
       this.range = _b;
+      SliceNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(SliceNode, BaseNode);
@@ -691,6 +702,7 @@
   })();
   exports.ObjectNode = (function() {
     ObjectNode = function(props) {
+      ObjectNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.objects = (this.properties = props || []);
       return this;
     };
@@ -745,6 +757,7 @@
   exports.ArrayNode = (function() {
     ArrayNode = function(_b) {
       this.objects = _b;
+      ArrayNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.objects || (this.objects = []);
       this.compileSplatLiteral = function(o) {
         return SplatNode.compileSplattedArray.call(this, this.objects, o);
@@ -782,6 +795,7 @@
       this.properties = _d;
       this.parent = _c;
       this.variable = _b;
+      ClassNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.properties || (this.properties = []);
       this.returns = false;
       return this;
@@ -865,6 +879,7 @@
       this.context = _d;
       this.value = _c;
       this.variable = _b;
+      AssignNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(AssignNode, BaseNode);
@@ -982,6 +997,7 @@
     CodeNode = function(_b, _c, tag) {
       this.body = _c;
       this.params = _b;
+      CodeNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.params || (this.params = []);
       this.body || (this.body = new Expressions());
       this.bound = tag === 'boundfunc';
@@ -1082,6 +1098,7 @@
       this.splat = _d;
       this.attach = _c;
       this.name = _b;
+      ParamNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.value = literal(this.name);
       return this;
     };
@@ -1098,6 +1115,7 @@
   })();
   exports.SplatNode = (function() {
     SplatNode = function(name) {
+      SplatNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       if (!(name.compile)) {
         name = literal(name);
       }
@@ -1168,6 +1186,7 @@
   }).call(this);
   exports.WhileNode = (function() {
     WhileNode = function(condition, opts) {
+      WhileNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       if (opts && opts.invert) {
         if (condition instanceof OpNode) {
           condition = new ParentheticalNode(condition);
@@ -1230,11 +1249,16 @@
       this.second = _d;
       this.first = _c;
       this.operator = _b;
+      OpNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.operator = this.CONVERSIONS[this.operator] || this.operator;
       this.flip = !!flip;
       if (this.first instanceof ValueNode && this.first.base instanceof ObjectNode) {
         this.first = new ParentheticalNode(this.first);
       }
+      this.first.tags.operation = true;
+      if (this.second) {
+        this.second.tags.operation = true;
+      }
       return this;
     };
     __extends(OpNode, BaseNode);
@@ -1271,7 +1295,6 @@
       return OpNode.__superClass__.toString.call(this, idt, this["class"] + ' ' + this.operator);
     };
     OpNode.prototype.compileNode = function(o) {
-      o.operation = true;
       if (this.isChainable() && this.first.unwrap() instanceof OpNode && this.first.unwrap().isChainable()) {
         return this.compileChain(o);
       }
@@ -1348,6 +1371,7 @@
     InNode = function(_b, _c) {
       this.array = _c;
       this.object = _b;
+      InNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(InNode, BaseNode);
@@ -1398,6 +1422,7 @@
       this.recovery = _d;
       this.error = _c;
       this.attempt = _b;
+      TryNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(TryNode, BaseNode);
@@ -1430,6 +1455,7 @@
   exports.ThrowNode = (function() {
     ThrowNode = function(_b) {
       this.expression = _b;
+      ThrowNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(ThrowNode, BaseNode);
@@ -1449,6 +1475,7 @@
   exports.ExistenceNode = (function() {
     ExistenceNode = function(_b) {
       this.expression = _b;
+      ExistenceNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(ExistenceNode, BaseNode);
@@ -1473,6 +1500,7 @@
   exports.ParentheticalNode = (function() {
     ParentheticalNode = function(_b) {
       this.expression = _b;
+      ParentheticalNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       return this;
     };
     __extends(ParentheticalNode, BaseNode);
@@ -1505,6 +1533,7 @@
       this.index = _d;
       this.name = _c;
       this.body = _b;
+      ForNode.__superClass__.constructor.call(this);
       this.index || (this.index = null);
       this.source = source.source;
       this.guard = source.guard;
@@ -1770,11 +1799,15 @@
       return "" + (ifPart) + (elsePart);
     };
     IfNode.prototype.compileTernary = function(o) {
-      var elsePart, ifPart;
-      o.operation = true;
+      var code, elsePart, ifPart;
+      this.bodyNode().tags.operation = (this.condition.tags.operation = true);
+      if (this.elseBody) {
+        this.elseBodyNode().tags.operation = true;
+      }
       ifPart = this.condition.compile(o) + ' ? ' + this.bodyNode().compile(o);
       elsePart = this.elseBody ? this.elseBodyNode().compile(o) : 'null';
-      return "" + (ifPart) + " : " + (elsePart);
+      code = ("" + (ifPart) + " : " + (elsePart));
+      return this.tags.operation ? ("(" + (code) + ")") : code;
     };
     return IfNode;
   })();
diff --git a/src/nodes.coffee b/src/nodes.coffee
index db6913fc..4a9d736e 100644
--- a/src/nodes.coffee
+++ b/src/nodes.coffee
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ else
 # scope, and indentation level.
 exports.BaseNode = class BaseNode
 
+  constructor: ->
+    @tags = {}
+
   # Common logic for determining whether to wrap this node in a closure before
   # compiling it, or to compile directly. We need to wrap if this node is a
   # *statement*, and it's not a *pureStatement*, and we're not at
@@ -42,9 +45,7 @@ exports.BaseNode = class BaseNode
   compile: (o) ->
     @options = merge o or {}
     @tab     = o.indent
-    unless this instanceof ValueNode or this instanceof CallNode
-      del @options, 'operation'
-      del @options, 'chainRoot' unless this instanceof AccessorNode or this instanceof IndexNode
+    del @options, 'chainRoot' unless this instanceof AccessorNode or this instanceof IndexNode
     top     = if @topSensitive() then @options.top else del @options, 'top'
     closure = @isStatement(o) and not @isPureStatement() and not top and
               not @options.asStatement and not (this instanceof CommentNode) and
@@ -157,6 +158,7 @@ exports.Expressions = class Expressions extends BaseNode
   isStatement:  -> yes
 
   constructor: (nodes) ->
+    super()
     @expressions = compact flatten nodes or []
 
   # Tack an expression on to the end of this expression list.
@@ -239,6 +241,7 @@ exports.LiteralNode = class LiteralNode extends BaseNode
   class: 'LiteralNode'
 
   constructor: (@value) ->
+    super()
 
   makeReturn: ->
     if @isStatement() then this else super()
@@ -269,6 +272,7 @@ exports.ReturnNode = class ReturnNode extends BaseNode
   children:         ['expression']
 
   constructor: (@expression) ->
+    super()
 
   makeReturn: ->
     this
@@ -293,6 +297,7 @@ exports.ValueNode = class ValueNode extends BaseNode
 
   # A **ValueNode** has a base and a list of property accesses.
   constructor: (@base, @properties) ->
+    super()
     @properties or= []
 
   # Add a property access to the list.
@@ -351,7 +356,7 @@ exports.ValueNode = class ValueNode extends BaseNode
   # evaluate a anything twice when building the soak chain.
   compileNode: (o) ->
     only        = del o, 'onlyFirst'
-    op          = del o, 'operation'
+    op          = @tags.operation
     props       = if only then @properties[0...@properties.length - 1] else @properties
     o.chainRoot or= this
     @base.parenthetical = yes if @parenthetical and not props.length
@@ -388,6 +393,7 @@ exports.CommentNode = class CommentNode extends BaseNode
   isStatement: -> yes
 
   constructor: (@lines) ->
+    super()
 
   makeReturn: ->
     this
@@ -406,6 +412,7 @@ exports.CallNode = class CallNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['variable', 'args']
 
   constructor: (variable, @args) ->
+    super()
     @isNew    = false
     @isSuper  = variable is 'super'
     @variable = if @isSuper then null else variable
@@ -484,6 +491,7 @@ exports.ExtendsNode = class ExtendsNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['child', 'parent']
 
   constructor: (@child, @parent) ->
+    super()
 
   # Hooks one constructor into another's prototype chain.
   compileNode: (o) ->
@@ -500,6 +508,7 @@ exports.AccessorNode = class AccessorNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['name']
 
   constructor: (@name, tag) ->
+    super()
     @prototype = if tag is 'prototype' then '.prototype' else ''
     @soakNode = tag is 'soak'
 
@@ -518,6 +527,7 @@ exports.IndexNode = class IndexNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['index']
 
   constructor: (@index) ->
+    super()
 
   compileNode: (o) ->
     o.chainRoot.wrapped or= @soakNode
@@ -536,6 +546,7 @@ exports.RangeNode = class RangeNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['from', 'to']
 
   constructor: (@from, @to, exclusive) ->
+    super()
     @exclusive = !!exclusive
     @equals = if @exclusive then '' else '='
 
@@ -607,6 +618,7 @@ exports.SliceNode = class SliceNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['range']
 
   constructor: (@range) ->
+    super()
 
   compileNode: (o) ->
     from     = @range.from.compile(o)
@@ -625,6 +637,7 @@ exports.ObjectNode = class ObjectNode extends BaseNode
   topSensitive: -> true
 
   constructor: (props) ->
+    super()
     @objects = @properties = props or []
 
   compileNode: (o) ->
@@ -652,6 +665,7 @@ exports.ArrayNode = class ArrayNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['objects']
 
   constructor: (@objects) ->
+    super()
     @objects or= []
     @compileSplatLiteral = (o) ->
       SplatNode.compileSplattedArray.call(this, @objects, o)
@@ -687,6 +701,7 @@ exports.ClassNode = class ClassNode extends BaseNode
   # Initialize a **ClassNode** with its name, an optional superclass, and a
   # list of prototype property assignments.
   constructor: (@variable, @parent, @properties) ->
+    super()
     @properties or= []
     @returns    = false
 
@@ -758,6 +773,7 @@ exports.AssignNode = class AssignNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['variable', 'value']
 
   constructor: (@variable, @value, @context) ->
+    super()
 
   topSensitive: ->
     true
@@ -857,6 +873,7 @@ exports.CodeNode = class CodeNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['params', 'body']
 
   constructor: (@params, @body, tag) ->
+    super()
     @params or= []
     @body   or= new Expressions
     @bound  = tag is 'boundfunc'
@@ -927,6 +944,7 @@ exports.ParamNode = class ParamNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['name']
 
   constructor: (@name, @attach, @splat) ->
+    super()
     @value = literal @name
 
   compileNode: (o) ->
@@ -945,6 +963,7 @@ exports.SplatNode = class SplatNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['name']
 
   constructor: (name) ->
+    super()
     name = literal(name) unless name.compile
     @name = name
 
@@ -1009,6 +1028,7 @@ exports.WhileNode = class WhileNode extends BaseNode
   isStatement: -> yes
 
   constructor: (condition, opts) ->
+    super()
     if opts and opts.invert
       condition = new ParentheticalNode condition if condition instanceof OpNode
       condition = new OpNode('!', condition)
@@ -1078,10 +1098,13 @@ exports.OpNode = class OpNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['first', 'second']
 
   constructor: (@operator, @first, @second, flip) ->
+    super()
     @operator = @CONVERSIONS[@operator] or @operator
     @flip     = !!flip
     if @first instanceof ValueNode and @first.base instanceof ObjectNode
       @first = new ParentheticalNode @first
+    @first.tags.operation = yes
+    @second.tags.operation = yes if @second
 
   isUnary: ->
     not @second
@@ -1102,7 +1125,6 @@ exports.OpNode = class OpNode extends BaseNode
     super(idt, @class + ' ' + @operator)
 
   compileNode: (o) ->
-    o.operation = true
     return @compileChain(o)      if @isChainable() and @first.unwrap() instanceof OpNode and @first.unwrap().isChainable()
     return @compileAssignment(o) if indexOf(@ASSIGNMENT, @operator) >= 0
     return @compileUnary(o)      if @isUnary()
@@ -1153,6 +1175,7 @@ exports.InNode = class InNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['object', 'array']
 
   constructor: (@object, @array) ->
+    super()
 
   isArray: ->
     @array instanceof ValueNode and @array.isArray()
@@ -1182,6 +1205,7 @@ exports.TryNode = class TryNode extends BaseNode
   isStatement:  -> yes
 
   constructor: (@attempt, @error, @recovery, @ensure) ->
+    super()
 
   makeReturn: ->
     @attempt  = @attempt.makeReturn() if @attempt
@@ -1209,6 +1233,7 @@ exports.ThrowNode = class ThrowNode extends BaseNode
   isStatement: -> yes
 
   constructor: (@expression) ->
+    super()
 
   # A **ThrowNode** is already a return, of sorts...
   makeReturn: ->
@@ -1228,6 +1253,7 @@ exports.ExistenceNode = class ExistenceNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['expression']
 
   constructor: (@expression) ->
+    super()
 
   compileNode: (o) ->
     test = ExistenceNode.compileTest(o, @expression)[0]
@@ -1253,6 +1279,7 @@ exports.ParentheticalNode = class ParentheticalNode extends BaseNode
   children: ['expression']
 
   constructor: (@expression) ->
+    super()
 
   isStatement: (o) ->
     @expression.isStatement(o)
@@ -1287,6 +1314,7 @@ exports.ForNode = class ForNode extends BaseNode
   isStatement: -> yes
 
   constructor: (@body, source, @name, @index) ->
+    super()
     @index  or= null
     @source = source.source
     @guard  = source.guard
@@ -1379,7 +1407,7 @@ exports.IfNode = class IfNode extends BaseNode
   topSensitive: -> true
 
   constructor: (@condition, @body, @tags) ->
-    @tags      or= {}
+    @tags or= {}
     if @tags.invert
       if @condition instanceof OpNode and @condition.isInvertable()
         @condition.invert()
@@ -1472,10 +1500,12 @@ exports.IfNode = class IfNode extends BaseNode
 
   # Compile the IfNode as a ternary operator.
   compileTernary: (o) ->
-    o.operation = true
+    @bodyNode().tags.operation = @condition.tags.operation = yes
+    @elseBodyNode().tags.operation = yes if @elseBody
     ifPart      = @condition.compile(o) + ' ? ' + @bodyNode().compile(o)
     elsePart    = if @elseBody then @elseBodyNode().compile(o) else 'null'
-    "#{ifPart} : #{elsePart}"
+    code        = "#{ifPart} : #{elsePart}"
+    if @tags.operation then "(#{code})" else code
 
 # Faux-Nodes
 # ----------
diff --git a/test/test_if.coffee b/test/test_if.coffee
index 7e478958..a79c073c 100644
--- a/test/test_if.coffee
+++ b/test/test_if.coffee
@@ -90,3 +90,9 @@ try
   ok yes
 catch e
   ok no
+
+
+# If-to-ternary as part of a larger operation requires parens.
+x = 1
+result = x + if false then 10 else 1
+ok result is 2