diff --git a/lib/PHPParser/NodeTraverser.php b/lib/PHPParser/NodeTraverser.php
index 0111488b..3de3549f 100644
--- a/lib/PHPParser/NodeTraverser.php
+++ b/lib/PHPParser/NodeTraverser.php
@@ -41,21 +41,54 @@ class PHPParser_NodeTraverser
     }
 
     protected function _traverse(&$node) {
-        if ($node instanceof PHPParser_NodeAbstract) {
-            foreach ($this->visitors as $visitor) {
-                $visitor->enterNode($node);
+        if (!is_array($node) && !$node instanceof Traversable) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $delNodes = array();
+        $mrgNodes = array();
+
+        foreach ($node as $subNodeKey => &$subNode) {
+            if ($subNode instanceof PHPParser_NodeAbstract) {
+                foreach ($this->visitors as $visitor) {
+                    $visitor->enterNode($subNode);
+                }
+            }
+
+            $this->_traverse($subNode);
+
+            if ($subNode instanceof PHPParser_NodeAbstract) {
+                foreach ($this->visitors as $visitor) {
+                    $return = $visitor->leaveNode($subNode);
+
+                    if (false === $return) {
+                        $delNodes[] = $subNodeKey;
+                    } elseif (is_array($return)) {
+                        $mrgNodes[] = array($subNodeKey, $return);
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
 
-        if (is_array($node) || $node instanceof Traversable) {
-            foreach ($node as &$subNode) {
-                $this->_traverse($subNode);
+        if (!empty($delNodes)) {
+            if (is_array($node)) {
+                while ($delKey = array_pop($delNodes)) {
+                    array_splice($node, $delKey, 1, array());
+                }
+            } else {
+                while ($delKey = array_pop($delNodes)) {
+                    unset($node[$delKey]);
+                }
             }
         }
 
-        if ($node instanceof PHPParser_NodeAbstract) {
-            foreach ($this->visitors as $visitor) {
-                $visitor->leaveNode($node);
+        if (!empty($mrgNodes)) {
+            if (is_array($node)) {
+                while (list($mrgKey, $mrgItems) = array_pop($mrgNodes)) {
+                    array_splice($node, $mrgKey, 1, $mrgItems);
+                }
+            } else {
+                throw new Exception('Nodes can only be merged if the parent is an array');
             }
         }
     }