diff --git a/Changelog.md b/Changelog.md
index ec494c418..c9d804324 100644
--- a/Changelog.md
+++ b/Changelog.md
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ Breaking Changes:
  * Syntax Checker: Named return values in function types are an error.
  * Syntax Checker: Strictly require visibility specifier for functions. This was already the case in the experimental 0.5.0 mode.
  * Syntax Checker: Disallow unary ``+``. This was already the case in the experimental 0.5.0 mode.
- * Syntax Checker: Disallow single statement variable declaration inside if/while/for without a block.
+ * Syntax Checker: Disallow single statement variable declaration inside if/while/for bodies that are not blocks.
  * View Pure Checker: Strictly enfore state mutability. This was already the case in the experimental 0.5.0 mode.
 
 Language Features:
diff --git a/libsolidity/analysis/SyntaxChecker.cpp b/libsolidity/analysis/SyntaxChecker.cpp
index ab883a21c..0bc20f2e1 100644
--- a/libsolidity/analysis/SyntaxChecker.cpp
+++ b/libsolidity/analysis/SyntaxChecker.cpp
@@ -138,25 +138,25 @@ void SyntaxChecker::endVisit(ModifierDefinition const& _modifier)
 	m_placeholderFound = false;
 }
 
-void SyntaxChecker::checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(ASTNode const* _statement)
+void SyntaxChecker::checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(ASTNode const& _statement)
 {
-	auto varDecl = dynamic_cast<VariableDeclarationStatement const*>(_statement);
+	auto varDecl = dynamic_cast<VariableDeclarationStatement const*>(&_statement);
 	if (varDecl)
-		m_errorReporter.syntaxError(_statement->location(), "Variable declarations can only be used inside blocks.");
+		m_errorReporter.syntaxError(_statement.location(), "Variable declarations can only be used inside blocks.");
 }
 
 bool SyntaxChecker::visit(IfStatement const& _ifStatement)
 {
-	checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(&_ifStatement.trueStatement());
+	checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(_ifStatement.trueStatement());
 	if (Statement const* _statement = _ifStatement.falseStatement())
-		checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(_statement);
+		checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(*_statement);
 	return true;
 }
 
 bool SyntaxChecker::visit(WhileStatement const& _whileStatement)
 {
 	m_inLoopDepth++;
-	checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(&_whileStatement.body());
+	checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(_whileStatement.body());
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ void SyntaxChecker::endVisit(WhileStatement const&)
 bool SyntaxChecker::visit(ForStatement const& _forStatement)
 {
 	m_inLoopDepth++;
-	checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(&_forStatement.body());
+	checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(_forStatement.body());
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/libsolidity/analysis/SyntaxChecker.h b/libsolidity/analysis/SyntaxChecker.h
index 27d98401a..f5716bf93 100644
--- a/libsolidity/analysis/SyntaxChecker.h
+++ b/libsolidity/analysis/SyntaxChecker.h
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ private:
 	virtual bool visit(ModifierDefinition const& _modifier) override;
 	virtual void endVisit(ModifierDefinition const& _modifier) override;
 
-	// Reports an error if _statement is a VariableDeclarationStatement.
-	// Used by if/while/for to check for single statement variable declarations
-	// without a block.
-	void checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(ASTNode const* _statement);
+	/// Reports an error if _statement is a VariableDeclarationStatement.
+	/// Used by if/while/for to check for single statement variable declarations
+	/// without a block.
+	void checkSingleStatementVariableDeclaration(ASTNode const& _statement);
 
 	virtual bool visit(IfStatement const& _ifStatement) override;
 	virtual bool visit(WhileStatement const& _whileStatement) override;