diff --git a/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js b/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
index 5eeaa7c7..9cf1c6a0 100644
--- a/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
+++ b/lib/coffee-script/nodes.js
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@
       }
       if (this.isNew) {
         idt = this.tab + TAB;
-        return "(function(func, args, ctor) {\n" + idt + "ctor.prototype = func.prototype;\n" + idt + "var child = new ctor, result = func.apply(child, args);\n" + idt + "return typeof result === \"object\" && result !== null ? result : child;\n" + this.tab + "})(" + (this.variable.compile(o, LEVEL_LIST)) + ", " + splatArgs + ", function() {})";
+        return "(function(func, args, ctor) {\n" + idt + "ctor.prototype = func.prototype;\n" + idt + "var child = new ctor, result = func.apply(child, args), t = typeof result;\n" + idt + "return t == \"object\" || t == \"function\" ? result || child : child;\n" + this.tab + "})(" + (this.variable.compile(o, LEVEL_LIST)) + ", " + splatArgs + ", function(){})";
       }
       base = new Value(this.variable);
       if ((name = base.properties.pop()) && base.isComplex()) {
diff --git a/src/nodes.coffee b/src/nodes.coffee
index 0037f690..260f379d 100644
--- a/src/nodes.coffee
+++ b/src/nodes.coffee
@@ -586,9 +586,9 @@ exports.Call = class Call extends Base
       return """
         (function(func, args, ctor) {
         #{idt}ctor.prototype = func.prototype;
-        #{idt}var child = new ctor, result = func.apply(child, args);
-        #{idt}return typeof result === "object" && result !== null ? result : child;
-        #{@tab}})(#{ @variable.compile o, LEVEL_LIST }, #{splatArgs}, function() {})
+        #{idt}var child = new ctor, result = func.apply(child, args), t = typeof result;
+        #{idt}return t == "object" || t == "function" ? result || child : child;
+        #{@tab}})(#{ @variable.compile o, LEVEL_LIST }, #{splatArgs}, function(){})
       """
     base = new Value @variable
     if (name = base.properties.pop()) and base.isComplex()
diff --git a/test/function_invocation.coffee b/test/function_invocation.coffee
index 145f6ac1..c12a93e1 100644
--- a/test/function_invocation.coffee
+++ b/test/function_invocation.coffee
@@ -392,11 +392,17 @@ test "#1011: passing a splat to a method of a number", ->
   eq '1011', (131.0).toString [5]...
 
 
-test "splats and the `new` operator: functions that return `null` should produce their instance", ->
+test "splats and the `new` operator: functions that return `null` should construct their instance", ->
   args = []
   child = new (constructor = -> null) args...
   ok child instanceof constructor
 
+test "splats and the `new` operator: functions that return functions should construct their return value", ->
+  args = []
+  fn = ->
+  child = new (constructor = -> fn) args...
+  ok child not instanceof constructor
+  eq fn, child
 
 test "implicit return", ->