diff --git a/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js b/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
index 8e27884b..77ebed9b 100644
--- a/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
+++ b/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
@@ -1542,13 +1542,12 @@
       return ((_ref2 = this.operator) === '++' || _ref2 === '--' || _ref2 === 'delete') && unfoldSoak(o, this, 'first');
     };
     Op.prototype.compileNode = function(o) {
-      var code;
+      var code, isChain;
+      isChain = this.isChainable() && this.first.isChainable();
+      if (!isChain) this.first.front = this.front;
       if (this.isUnary()) return this.compileUnary(o);
-      if (this.isChainable() && this.first.isChainable()) {
-        return this.compileChain(o);
-      }
+      if (isChain) return this.compileChain(o);
       if (this.operator === '?') return this.compileExistence(o);
-      this.first.front = this.front;
       code = this.first.compile(o, LEVEL_OP) + ' ' + this.operator + ' ' + this.second.compile(o, LEVEL_OP);
       if (o.level <= LEVEL_OP) {
         return code;
@@ -1708,6 +1707,7 @@
     Existence.prototype.invert = NEGATE;
     Existence.prototype.compileNode = function(o) {
       var cmp, cnj, code, _ref2;
+      this.expression.front = this.front;
       code = this.expression.compile(o, LEVEL_OP);
       if (IDENTIFIER.test(code) && !o.scope.check(code)) {
         _ref2 = this.negated ? ['===', '||'] : ['!==', '&&'], cmp = _ref2[0], cnj = _ref2[1];
diff --git a/src/nodes.coffee b/src/nodes.coffee
index 49a7e8fd..250296b4 100644
--- a/src/nodes.coffee
+++ b/src/nodes.coffee
@@ -1324,11 +1324,14 @@ exports.Op = class Op extends Base
   unfoldSoak: (o) ->
     @operator in ['++', '--', 'delete'] and unfoldSoak o, this, 'first'
 
-  compileNode: (o) ->
+  compileNode: (o) ->    
+    isChain = @isChainable() and @first.isChainable()
+    # In chains, there's no need to wrap bare obj literals in parens, 
+    # as the chained expression is wrapped.
+    @first.front = @front unless isChain
     return @compileUnary     o if @isUnary()
-    return @compileChain     o if @isChainable() and @first.isChainable()
+    return @compileChain     o if isChain
     return @compileExistence o if @operator is '?'
-    @first.front = @front
     code = @first.compile(o, LEVEL_OP) + ' ' + @operator + ' ' +
            @second.compile(o, LEVEL_OP)
     if o.level <= LEVEL_OP then code else "(#{code})"
@@ -1469,6 +1472,7 @@ exports.Existence = class Existence extends Base
   invert: NEGATE
 
   compileNode: (o) ->
+    @expression.front = @front
     code = @expression.compile o, LEVEL_OP
     if IDENTIFIER.test(code) and not o.scope.check code
       [cmp, cnj] = if @negated then ['===', '||'] else ['!==', '&&']