diff --git a/eval.c b/eval.c
index 0c10daf0be..8ebfbe93bc 100644
--- a/eval.c
+++ b/eval.c
@@ -2877,10 +2877,9 @@ rb_eval(VALUE self, NODE *n)
 
       case NODE_CASE:
 	{
-	    VALUE val = Qundef;
+	    VALUE val;
 
-	    if (node->nd_head)
-		val = rb_eval(self, node->nd_head);
+	    val = rb_eval(self, node->nd_head);
 	    node = node->nd_body;
 	    while (node) {
 		if (nd_type(node) != NODE_WHEN) {
diff --git a/parse.y b/parse.y
index 8768ef9c83..7139ee6b42 100644
--- a/parse.y
+++ b/parse.y
@@ -2605,7 +2605,7 @@ primary		: literal
 		| keyword_case opt_terms case_body keyword_end
 		    {
 		    /*%%%*/
-			$$ = NEW_CASE(NULL, $3);
+			$$ = $3;
 		    /*%
 			$$ = dispatch2(case, Qnil, $3);
 		    %*/