diff --git a/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js b/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
index 29d4bf80..8e27884b 100644
--- a/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
+++ b/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
@@ -527,8 +527,8 @@
     }
     Call.prototype.children = ['variable', 'args'];
     Call.prototype.newInstance = function() {
-      var base;
-      base = this.variable.base || this.variable;
+      var base, _ref2;
+      base = ((_ref2 = this.variable) != null ? _ref2.base : void 0) || this.variable;
       if (base instanceof Call && !base.isNew) {
         base.newInstance();
       } else {
diff --git a/src/nodes.coffee b/src/nodes.coffee
index 9d56e1fc..49a7e8fd 100644
--- a/src/nodes.coffee
+++ b/src/nodes.coffee
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ exports.Call = class Call extends Base
 
   # Tag this invocation as creating a new instance.
   newInstance: ->
-    base = @variable.base or @variable
+    base = @variable?.base or @variable
     if base instanceof Call and not base.isNew
       base.newInstance()
     else