diff --git a/lib/nodes.js b/lib/nodes.js
index 2f2fc7a8..ee1a2a6c 100644
--- a/lib/nodes.js
+++ b/lib/nodes.js
@@ -230,14 +230,13 @@
     // Compile the expressions body, with declarations of all inner variables
     // pushed up to the top.
     compile_with_declarations: function compile_with_declarations(o) {
-      var args, argv, code;
+      var args, code;
       code = this.compile_node(o);
       args = this.contains(function(node) {
         return node instanceof ValueNode && node.is_arguments();
       });
-      argv = args && o.scope.check('arguments') ? '' : 'var ';
       if (args) {
-        code = this.idt() + argv + "arguments = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 0);\n" + code;
+        code = this.idt() + "arguments = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 0);\n" + code;
       }
       if (o.scope.has_assignments(this)) {
         code = this.idt() + 'var ' + o.scope.compiled_assignments() + ";\n" + code;
diff --git a/src/nodes.coffee b/src/nodes.coffee
index a7d5a026..8bcc5f54 100644
--- a/src/nodes.coffee
+++ b/src/nodes.coffee
@@ -156,8 +156,7 @@ Expressions: exports.Expressions: inherit Node, {
   compile_with_declarations: (o) ->
     code: @compile_node(o)
     args: @contains (node) -> node instanceof ValueNode and node.is_arguments()
-    argv: if args and o.scope.check('arguments') then '' else 'var '
-    code: @idt() + argv + "arguments = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 0);\n" + code if args
+    code: @idt() + "arguments = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 0);\n" + code if args
     code: @idt() + 'var ' + o.scope.compiled_assignments() + ";\n" + code  if o.scope.has_assignments(this)
     code: @idt() + 'var ' + o.scope.compiled_declarations() + ";\n" + code if o.scope.has_declarations(this)
     code