diff --git a/src/compiler/binder.ts b/src/compiler/binder.ts
index a0e177e7659..969e6dc8a4b 100644
--- a/src/compiler/binder.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/binder.ts
@@ -661,7 +661,11 @@ module ts {
         }
 
         function bindExportAssignment(node: ExportAssignment) {
-            if (node.expression.kind === SyntaxKind.Identifier) {
+            if (!container.symbol || !container.symbol.exports) {
+                // Export assignment in some sort of block construct
+                bindAnonymousDeclaration(node, SymbolFlags.Alias, "");
+            }
+            else if (node.expression.kind === SyntaxKind.Identifier) {
                 // An export default clause with an identifier exports all meanings of that identifier
                 declareSymbol(container.symbol.exports, container.symbol, node, SymbolFlags.Alias, SymbolFlags.PropertyExcludes | SymbolFlags.AliasExcludes);
             }
@@ -672,7 +676,11 @@ module ts {
         }
 
         function bindExportDeclaration(node: ExportDeclaration) {
-            if (!node.exportClause) {
+            if (!container.symbol || !container.symbol.exports) {
+                // Export * in some sort of block construct
+                bindAnonymousDeclaration(node, SymbolFlags.ExportStar, "");
+            }
+            else if (!node.exportClause) {
                 // All export * declarations are collected in an __export symbol
                 declareSymbol(container.symbol.exports, container.symbol, node, SymbolFlags.ExportStar, SymbolFlags.None);
             }
diff --git a/src/compiler/checker.ts b/src/compiler/checker.ts
index c8150d644a2..1ad31795beb 100644
--- a/src/compiler/checker.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/checker.ts
@@ -11187,6 +11187,7 @@ module ts {
             let inAmbientExternalModule = node.parent.kind === SyntaxKind.ModuleBlock && (<ModuleDeclaration>node.parent.parent).name.kind === SyntaxKind.StringLiteral;
             if (node.parent.kind !== SyntaxKind.SourceFile && !inAmbientExternalModule) {
                 error(moduleName, node.kind === SyntaxKind.ExportDeclaration ?
+                    // TODO: StatementFlags (clarify message)
                     Diagnostics.Export_declarations_are_not_permitted_in_a_namespace :
                     Diagnostics.Import_declarations_in_a_namespace_cannot_reference_a_module);
                 return false;
@@ -11311,6 +11312,11 @@ module ts {
         }
 
         function checkExportAssignment(node: ExportAssignment) {
+            if (node.parent.kind !== SyntaxKind.SourceFile && node.parent.kind !== SyntaxKind.ModuleBlock) {
+                // TODO: StatementFlags
+                return;
+            }
+
             let container = node.parent.kind === SyntaxKind.SourceFile ? <SourceFile>node.parent : <ModuleDeclaration>node.parent.parent;
             if (container.kind === SyntaxKind.ModuleDeclaration && (<ModuleDeclaration>container).name.kind === SyntaxKind.Identifier) {
                 error(node, Diagnostics.An_export_assignment_cannot_be_used_in_a_namespace);
@@ -11326,7 +11332,8 @@ module ts {
             else {
                 checkExpressionCached(node.expression);
             }
-            checkExternalModuleExports(container);
+
+            checkExternalModuleExports(<SourceFile | ModuleDeclaration>container);
 
             if (node.isExportEquals && !isInAmbientContext(node)) {
                 if (languageVersion >= ScriptTarget.ES6) {