diff --git a/lib/nodes.js b/lib/nodes.js
index f7b4e2db..3e5502c4 100644
--- a/lib/nodes.js
+++ b/lib/nodes.js
@@ -482,6 +482,9 @@
     };
     CallNode.prototype.superReference = function(o) {
       var meth, methname;
+      if (!(o.scope.method)) {
+        throw new Error("cannot call super outside of a function");
+      }
       methname = o.scope.method.name;
       return (meth = (function() {
         if (o.scope.method.proto) {
diff --git a/src/nodes.coffee b/src/nodes.coffee
index d6d05f3c..b7c266a3 100644
--- a/src/nodes.coffee
+++ b/src/nodes.coffee
@@ -439,6 +439,7 @@ exports.CallNode = class CallNode extends BaseNode
 
   # Grab the reference to the superclass' implementation of the current method.
   superReference: (o) ->
+    throw new Error "cannot call super outside of a function" unless o.scope.method
     methname = o.scope.method.name
     meth = if o.scope.method.proto
       "#{o.scope.method.proto}.__super__.#{methname}"