diff --git a/packages/babel/src/traversal/scope/index.js b/packages/babel/src/traversal/scope/index.js
index e588276c68..0d577152b4 100644
--- a/packages/babel/src/traversal/scope/index.js
+++ b/packages/babel/src/traversal/scope/index.js
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ export default class Scope {
 
     var unique = opts.unique;
     var kind   = opts.kind || "var";
-    var blockHoist = opts._blockHoist || 2;
+    var blockHoist = opts._blockHoist == null ? 2 : opts._blockHoist;
 
     var dataKey = `declaration:${kind}:${blockHoist}`;
     var declar  = !unique && path.getData(dataKey);