--- a/libinterp/corefcn/symrec.cc	Sun Dec 03 12:37:13 2017 +0100
+++ b/libinterp/corefcn/symrec.cc	Tue Nov 28 12:43:25 2017 -0500
@@ -48,28 +48,6 @@
   }
 
   void
-  symbol_record::symbol_record_rep::clear (symbol_scope *sid)
-  {
-    if (auto t_fwd_rep = m_fwd_rep.lock ())
-      {
-        t_fwd_rep->clear (sid);
-        return;
-      }
-
-    if (! (is_hidden () || is_inherited ())
-        && sid == decl_scope ())
-      {
-        if (is_global ())
-          unmark_global ();
-
-        assign (octave_value ());
-
-        if (is_persistent ())
-          unmark_persistent ();
-      }
-  }
-
-  void
   symbol_record::symbol_record_rep::init_persistent (void)
   {
     if (auto t_fwd_rep = m_fwd_rep.lock ())

--- a/libinterp/corefcn/symrec.h	Sun Dec 03 12:37:13 2017 +0100
+++ b/libinterp/corefcn/symrec.h	Tue Nov 28 12:43:25 2017 -0500
@@ -196,16 +196,12 @@
           return octave_value ();
       }
 
-      void push_context (symbol_scope *sid)
+      void push_context (void)
       {
         if (auto t_fwd_rep = m_fwd_rep.lock ())
-          {
-            t_fwd_rep->push_context (sid);
-            return;
-          }
+          return;
 
-        if (! (is_persistent () || is_global ())
-            && sid == decl_scope ())
+        if (! (is_persistent () || is_global ()))
           m_value_stack.push_back (octave_value ());
       }
 
@@ -223,15 +219,14 @@
       //
       // Here, X should only exist in the final stack frame.
 
-      size_t pop_context (symbol_scope *sid)
+      size_t pop_context (void)
       {
-        if (auto t_fwd_rep = m_fwd_rep.lock ())
-          return t_fwd_rep->pop_context (sid);
-
         size_t retval = 1;
 
-        if (! (is_persistent () || is_global ())
-            && sid == decl_scope ())
+        if (auto t_fwd_rep = m_fwd_rep.lock ())
+          return retval;
+
+        if (! (is_persistent () || is_global ()))
           {
             m_value_stack.pop_back ();
             retval = m_value_stack.size ();
@@ -242,17 +237,33 @@
 
       void clear (void)
       {
+        // There is no need to do anything with a fowarded
+        // symbol_record_rep here.
+        //
+        // For scripts, we are never executing in the script "scope".
+        //
+        // For globals, we are only interested in breaking the link to
+        // the global value and clearing the local value, not the
+        // global one.
+
+        // For persistent values, we clear the value then unmark so
+        // that we clear the first element of the value stack.
+
         if (auto t_fwd_rep = m_fwd_rep.lock ())
+          return;
+
+        if (! (is_hidden () || is_inherited ()))
           {
-            t_fwd_rep->clear ();
-            return;
+            if (is_global ())
+              unmark_global ();
+
+            assign (octave_value ());
+
+            if (is_persistent ())
+              unmark_persistent ();
           }
-
-        clear (decl_scope ());
       }
 
-      void clear (symbol_scope *sid);
-
       bool is_defined (void) const
       {
         if (auto t_fwd_rep = m_fwd_rep.lock ())
@@ -666,14 +677,12 @@
       return m_rep->varval ();
     }
 
-    void push_context (symbol_scope *sid) { m_rep->push_context (sid); }
+    void push_context (void) { m_rep->push_context (); }
 
-    size_t pop_context (symbol_scope *sid) { return m_rep->pop_context (sid); }
+    size_t pop_context (void) { return m_rep->pop_context (); }
 
     void clear (void) { m_rep->clear (); }
 
-    void clear (symbol_scope *sid) { m_rep->clear (sid); }
-
     bool is_defined (void) const
     {
       return m_rep->is_defined ();

--- a/libinterp/corefcn/symscope.h	Sun Dec 03 12:37:13 2017 +0100
+++ b/libinterp/corefcn/symscope.h	Tue Nov 28 12:43:25 2017 -0500
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@
     void push_context (void)
     {
       for (auto& nm_sr : m_symbols)
-        nm_sr.second.push_context (this);
+        nm_sr.second.push_context ();
     }
 
     void pop_context (void)
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@
 
       while (tbl_it != m_symbols.end ())
         {
-          if (tbl_it->second.pop_context (this) == 0)
+          if (tbl_it->second.pop_context () == 0)
             m_symbols.erase (tbl_it++);
           else
             tbl_it++;
@@ -284,14 +284,14 @@
           symbol_record& sr = nm_sr.second;
 
           if (! sr.is_persistent ())
-            sr.clear (this);
+            sr.clear ();
         }
     }
 
     void clear_variables (void)
     {
       for (auto& nm_sr : m_symbols)
-        nm_sr.second.clear (this);
+        nm_sr.second.clear ();
     }
 
     void clear_objects (void)
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@
           symbol_record& sr = nm_sr.second;
           octave_value val = sr.varval ();
           if (val.isobject ())
-            nm_sr.second.clear (this);
+            nm_sr.second.clear ();
         }
     }
 
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@
       table_iterator p = m_symbols.find (name);
 
       if (p != m_symbols.end ())
-        p->second.clear (this);
+        p->second.clear ();
     }
 
     void clear_global_pattern (const std::string& pat);
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@
           if (sr.is_defined () || sr.is_global ())
             {
               if (pattern.match (sr.name ()))
-                sr.clear (this);
+                sr.clear ();
             }
         }
     }
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@
           if (sr.is_defined () || sr.is_global ())
             {
               if (pattern.is_match (sr.name ()))
-                sr.clear (this);
+                sr.clear ();
             }
         }
     }