diff --git a/src/ast/nodes/VariableDeclarator.js b/src/ast/nodes/VariableDeclarator.js
index dc35bff..753d384 100644
--- a/src/ast/nodes/VariableDeclarator.js
+++ b/src/ast/nodes/VariableDeclarator.js
@@ -48,6 +48,16 @@ export default class VariableDeclarator extends Node {
 		this.activated = true;
 
 		this.run( this.findScope() );
+
+		// if declaration is inside a block, ensure that the block
+		// is marked for inclusion
+		if ( this.parent.kind === 'var' ) {
+			let node = this.parent.parent;
+			while ( /Statement/.test( node.type ) ) {
+				node.shouldInclude = true;
+				node = node.parent;
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	hasEffects ( scope ) {
diff --git a/test/function/vars-not-removed-in-if-block/_config.js b/test/function/vars-not-removed-in-if-block/_config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c34bcea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/function/vars-not-removed-in-if-block/_config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+module.exports = {
+	description: 'preserves var declarations in if blocks (#1113)'
+};
diff --git a/test/function/vars-not-removed-in-if-block/main.js b/test/function/vars-not-removed-in-if-block/main.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f4367dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/function/vars-not-removed-in-if-block/main.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+if ( Math.random() <= 1 ) {
+	var x = 1;
+} else {
+	var x = 2;
+}
+
+assert.equal( x, 1 );