diff --git a/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js b/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
index 3ea11357..388cf415 100644
--- a/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
+++ b/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
@@ -302,19 +302,41 @@
     };
 
     Block.prototype.compileRoot = function(o) {
-      var code, hasReturn;
-      o.indent = this.tab = o.bare ? '' : TAB;
+      var code, e, exp, hasReturn, i, prelude, preludeExps, rest;
+      o.indent = "";
       o.scope = new Scope(null, this, null);
       o.level = LEVEL_TOP;
       this.spaced = true;
-      code = this.compileWithDeclarations(o);
+      prelude = "";
       hasReturn = false;
       this.traverseChildren(false, function(e) {
         if (e instanceof Return) hasReturn = true;
         return !hasReturn;
       });
-      if ((o.bare || o.scope.variables.length <= 1) && !hasReturn) return code;
-      return "(function() {\n" + code + "\n}).call(this);\n";
+      if (hasReturn || !o.bare) {
+        preludeExps = (function() {
+          var _len, _ref2, _results;
+          _ref2 = this.expressions;
+          _results = [];
+          for (i = 0, _len = _ref2.length; i < _len; i++) {
+            exp = _ref2[i];
+            e = exp.unwrap();
+            if (!(e instanceof Comment || e instanceof Literal)) break;
+            _results.push(exp);
+          }
+          return _results;
+        }).call(this);
+        rest = this.expressions.slice(preludeExps.length);
+        this.expressions = preludeExps;
+        if (preludeExps.length) prelude = "" + (this.compileNode(o)) + "\n\n";
+        this.expressions = rest;
+        o.indent = TAB;
+      }
+      code = this.compileWithDeclarations(o);
+      if (hasReturn || (!o.bare && o.scope.variables.length > 1)) {
+        return "" + prelude + "(function() {\n" + code + "\n}).call(this);\n";
+      }
+      return prelude + code;
     };
 
     Block.prototype.compileWithDeclarations = function(o) {
diff --git a/src/nodes.coffee b/src/nodes.coffee
index 39cf991c..59ed81b0 100644
--- a/src/nodes.coffee
+++ b/src/nodes.coffee
@@ -243,18 +243,32 @@ exports.Block = class Block extends Base
   # It would be better not to generate them in the first place, but for now,
   # clean up obvious double-parentheses.
   compileRoot: (o) ->
-    o.indent  = @tab = if o.bare then '' else TAB
+    o.indent  = ""
     o.scope   = new Scope null, this, null
     o.level   = LEVEL_TOP
     @spaced   = yes
-    code      = @compileWithDeclarations o
+    prelude   = ""
     hasReturn = no
     @traverseChildren no, (e) ->
       hasReturn = yes if e instanceof Return
       !hasReturn
+    if hasReturn or not o.bare
+      preludeExps = for exp, i in @expressions
+        e = exp.unwrap()
+        break unless e instanceof Comment or e instanceof Literal
+        exp
+      rest = @expressions[preludeExps.length...]
+      @expressions = preludeExps
+      prelude = "#{@compileNode o}\n\n" if preludeExps.length
+      @expressions = rest
+      # We assume that we will need the safety wrapper.
+      # This is our best guess without actually compiling.
+      o.indent = TAB
+    code = @compileWithDeclarations o
     # the `1` below accounts for `arguments`, always "in scope"
-    return code if (o.bare or o.scope.variables.length <= 1) and not hasReturn
-    "(function() {\n#{code}\n}).call(this);\n"
+    if hasReturn or (not o.bare and o.scope.variables.length > 1)
+      return "#{prelude}(function() {\n#{code}\n}).call(this);\n"
+    prelude + code
 
   # Compile the expressions body for the contents of a function, with
   # declarations of all inner variables pushed up to the top.