diff --git a/lib/compress.js b/lib/compress.js
index 5ea5d00b9c..bffb6f7476 100644
--- a/lib/compress.js
+++ b/lib/compress.js
@@ -3403,6 +3403,12 @@ merge(Compressor.prototype, {
             var inner_scopes = [];
             self.walk(new TreeWalker(function(node, descend) {
                 if (!result) return true;
+                if (node instanceof AST_Catch) {
+                    inner_scopes.push(node.argname.scope);
+                    descend();
+                    inner_scopes.pop();
+                    return true;
+                }
                 if (node instanceof AST_Scope && node !== self) {
                     inner_scopes.push(node);
                     descend();