diff --git a/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/misc/regression-4855/expected.js b/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/misc/regression-4855/expected.js
index b1457077f2..01617b80fe 100644
--- a/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/misc/regression-4855/expected.js
+++ b/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/misc/regression-4855/expected.js
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@
 var _values = values;
 value = _values[fieldName];
 rest = babelHelpers.objectWithoutProperties(_values, [fieldName]);
-var error = void 0;
\ No newline at end of file
+_values;
+var error = void 0;
diff --git a/packages/babel-plugin-transform-object-rest-spread/test/fixtures/object-rest/assignment-expression/expected.js b/packages/babel-plugin-transform-object-rest-spread/test/fixtures/object-rest/assignment-expression/expected.js
index 214508c2b8..4547757a20 100644
--- a/packages/babel-plugin-transform-object-rest-spread/test/fixtures/object-rest/assignment-expression/expected.js
+++ b/packages/babel-plugin-transform-object-rest-spread/test/fixtures/object-rest/assignment-expression/expected.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ var _c = c2;
   a2
 } = _c);
 b2 = babelHelpers.objectWithoutProperties(_c, ["a2"]);
+_c;
 console.log((_c2 = c3, ({
   a3
-} = _c2), b3 = babelHelpers.objectWithoutProperties(_c2, ["a3"]), _c2));
\ No newline at end of file
+} = _c2), b3 = babelHelpers.objectWithoutProperties(_c2, ["a3"]), _c2));
diff --git a/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/context.js b/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/context.js
index 50c5364685..0145b1d90f 100644
--- a/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/context.js
+++ b/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/context.js
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ export function _getQueueContexts() {
   let contexts = this.contexts;
   while (!contexts.length) {
     path = path.parentPath;
+    if (!path) break;
     contexts = path.contexts;
   }
   return contexts;
diff --git a/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/modification.js b/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/modification.js
index 5b7ed5678e..104ed99aa7 100644
--- a/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/modification.js
+++ b/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/modification.js
@@ -20,24 +20,21 @@ export function insertBefore(nodes) {
   ) {
     return this.parentPath.insertBefore(nodes);
   } else if (
-    this.isNodeType("Expression") ||
+    (this.isNodeType("Expression") && this.listKey !== "params") ||
     (this.parentPath.isForStatement() && this.key === "init")
   ) {
     if (this.node) nodes.push(this.node);
     this.replaceExpressionWithStatements(nodes);
+  } else if (Array.isArray(this.container)) {
+    return this._containerInsertBefore(nodes);
+  } else if (this.isStatementOrBlock()) {
+    if (this.node) nodes.push(this.node);
+    this._replaceWith(t.blockStatement(nodes));
   } else {
-    this._maybePopFromStatements(nodes);
-    if (Array.isArray(this.container)) {
-      return this._containerInsertBefore(nodes);
-    } else if (this.isStatementOrBlock()) {
-      if (this.node) nodes.push(this.node);
-      this._replaceWith(t.blockStatement(nodes));
-    } else {
-      throw new Error(
-        "We don't know what to do with this node type. " +
-          "We were previously a Statement but we can't fit in here?",
-      );
-    }
+    throw new Error(
+      "We don't know what to do with this node type. " +
+        "We were previously a Statement but we can't fit in here?",
+    );
   }
 
   return [this];
@@ -101,17 +98,6 @@ export function _containerInsertAfter(nodes) {
   return this._containerInsert(this.key + 1, nodes);
 }
 
-export function _maybePopFromStatements(nodes) {
-  const last = nodes[nodes.length - 1];
-  const isIdentifier =
-    t.isIdentifier(last) ||
-    (t.isExpressionStatement(last) && t.isIdentifier(last.expression));
-
-  if (isIdentifier && !this.isCompletionRecord()) {
-    nodes.pop();
-  }
-}
-
 /**
  * Insert the provided nodes after the current one. When inserting nodes after an
  * expression, ensure that the completion record is correct by pushing the current node.
@@ -139,25 +125,22 @@ export function insertAfter(nodes) {
       nodes.push(t.expressionStatement(temp));
     }
     this.replaceExpressionWithStatements(nodes);
-  } else {
-    this._maybePopFromStatements(nodes);
-    if (Array.isArray(this.container)) {
-      return this._containerInsertAfter(nodes);
-    } else if (this.isStatementOrBlock()) {
-      // Unshift current node if it's not an empty expression
-      if (
-        this.node &&
-        (!this.isExpressionStatement() || this.node.expression != null)
-      ) {
-        nodes.unshift(this.node);
-      }
-      this._replaceWith(t.blockStatement(nodes));
-    } else {
-      throw new Error(
-        "We don't know what to do with this node type. " +
-          "We were previously a Statement but we can't fit in here?",
-      );
+  } else if (Array.isArray(this.container)) {
+    return this._containerInsertAfter(nodes);
+  } else if (this.isStatementOrBlock()) {
+    // Unshift current node if it's not an empty expression
+    if (
+      this.node &&
+      (!this.isExpressionStatement() || this.node.expression != null)
+    ) {
+      nodes.unshift(this.node);
     }
+    this._replaceWith(t.blockStatement(nodes));
+  } else {
+    throw new Error(
+      "We don't know what to do with this node type. " +
+        "We were previously a Statement but we can't fit in here?",
+    );
   }
 
   return [this];
diff --git a/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/replacement.js b/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/replacement.js
index 1f80d960e4..390cf3e167 100644
--- a/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/replacement.js
+++ b/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/replacement.js
@@ -205,20 +205,7 @@ export function replaceExpressionWithStatements(nodes: Array<Object>) {
 
   const toSequenceExpression = t.toSequenceExpression(nodes, this.scope);
 
-  if (t.isSequenceExpression(toSequenceExpression)) {
-    const exprs = toSequenceExpression.expressions;
-
-    if (exprs.length >= 2 && this.parentPath.isExpressionStatement()) {
-      this._maybePopFromStatements(exprs);
-    }
-
-    // could be just one element due to the previous maybe popping
-    if (exprs.length === 1) {
-      this.replaceWith(exprs[0]);
-    } else {
-      this.replaceWith(toSequenceExpression);
-    }
-  } else if (toSequenceExpression) {
+  if (toSequenceExpression) {
     this.replaceWith(toSequenceExpression);
   } else {
     const container = t.arrowFunctionExpression([], t.blockStatement(nodes));
diff --git a/packages/babel-traverse/test/modification.js b/packages/babel-traverse/test/modification.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e3fa8a9f9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel-traverse/test/modification.js
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import traverse from "../lib";
+import assert from "assert";
+import { parse } from "babylon";
+import generate from "babel-generator";
+import * as t from "babel-types";
+
+function getPath(code) {
+  const ast = parse(code);
+  let path;
+  traverse(ast, {
+    Program: function(_path) {
+      path = _path;
+      _path.stop();
+    },
+  });
+
+  return path;
+}
+
+function generateCode(path) {
+  return generate(path.node).code;
+}
+
+describe("modification", function() {
+  describe("pushContainer", function() {
+    it("pushes identifier into params", function() {
+      const rootPath = getPath("function test(a) {}");
+      const path = rootPath.get("body.0");
+      path.pushContainer("params", t.identifier("b"));
+
+      assert.equal(generateCode(rootPath), "function test(a, b) {}");
+    });
+
+    it("pushes identifier into block", function() {
+      const rootPath = getPath("function test(a) {}");
+      const path = rootPath.get("body.0.body");
+      path.pushContainer("body", t.expressionStatement(t.identifier("b")));
+
+      assert.equal(generateCode(rootPath), "function test(a) {\n  b;\n}");
+    });
+  });
+  describe("unshiftContainer", function() {
+    it("unshifts identifier into params", function() {
+      const rootPath = getPath("function test(a) {}");
+      const path = rootPath.get("body.0");
+      path.unshiftContainer("params", t.identifier("b"));
+
+      assert.equal(generateCode(rootPath), "function test(b, a) {}");
+    });
+
+    it("unshifts identifier into block", function() {
+      const rootPath = getPath("function test(a) {}");
+      const path = rootPath.get("body.0.body");
+      path.unshiftContainer("body", t.expressionStatement(t.identifier("b")));
+
+      assert.equal(generateCode(rootPath), "function test(a) {\n  b;\n}");
+    });
+  });
+});