diff --git a/src/compiler/parser.ts b/src/compiler/parser.ts
index ea0ec323798bc..72b7fdc4850c8 100644
--- a/src/compiler/parser.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/parser.ts
@@ -6334,19 +6334,18 @@ namespace ts {
                 Debug.assert(start <= end);
                 Debug.assert(end <= content.length);
 
+                // Check for /** (JSDoc opening part)
+                if (!isJSDocLikeText(content, start)) {
+                    return undefined;
+                }
+
                 let tags: JSDocTag[];
                 let tagsPos: number;
                 let tagsEnd: number;
                 const comments: string[] = [];
-                let result: JSDoc | undefined;
-
-                // Check for /** (JSDoc opening part)
-                if (!isJSDocLikeText(content, start)) {
-                    return result;
-                }
 
                 // + 3 for leading /**, - 5 in total for /** */
-                scanner.scanRange(start + 3, length - 5, () => {
+                return scanner.scanRange(start + 3, length - 5, () => {
                     // Initially we can parse out a tag.  We also have seen a starting asterisk.
                     // This is so that /** * @type */ doesn't parse.
                     let state = JSDocState.SawAsterisk;
@@ -6432,11 +6431,9 @@ namespace ts {
                     }
                     removeLeadingNewlines(comments);
                     removeTrailingNewlines(comments);
-                    result = createJSDocComment();
+                    return createJSDocComment();
                 });
 
-                return result;
-
                 function removeLeadingNewlines(comments: string[]) {
                     while (comments.length && (comments[0] === "\n" || comments[0] === "\r")) {
                         comments.shift();