diff --git a/src/arborist.js b/src/arborist.js
index dee7165..0fa7b92 100644
--- a/src/arborist.js
+++ b/src/arborist.js
@@ -55,7 +55,13 @@ class Arborist {
 	 * @param {object|ASTNode} [replacementNode] If exists, replace the target node with this node.
 	 */
 	markNode(targetNode, replacementNode) {
-		if (!targetNode.isMarked) {
+    let alreadyMarked = false;
+    let currentNode = targetNode;
+    while (currentNode) {
+	  if (currentNode.isMarked) {alreadyMarked = true;}
+      currentNode = currentNode.parentNode;
+    }
+    if (alreadyMarked) {return;}
 			if (replacementNode) {  // Mark for replacement
 				this.replacements.push([targetNode, replacementNode]);
 				targetNode.isMarked = true;
@@ -65,7 +71,6 @@ class Arborist {
 				else if (!targetNode.isMarked) {
 					this.markedForDeletion.push(targetNode.nodeId);
 					targetNode.isMarked = true;
-				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/tests/arborist.test.js b/tests/arborist.test.js
index 849878f..29c6000 100644
--- a/tests/arborist.test.js
+++ b/tests/arborist.test.js
@@ -239,4 +239,15 @@ describe('Arborist edge case tests', () => {
 		arb.applyChanges();
 		assert.equal(arb.script, 'let y = 20;');
 	});
+
+  it('A node will not marked if any of their ancestors is', () => {
+    const code = 'const arr = [1, 2, 3];';
+    const arb = new Arborist(code);
+    const arrayNode = arb.ast.find((n) => n.type === 'ArrayExpression');
+    const literals = arb.ast.filter((n) => n.type === 'Literal');
+    arb.markNode(arrayNode);
+    for (const lit of literals) {arb.markNode(lit);}
+    assert.ok(arrayNode.isMarked);
+    for (const lit of literals) {assert.ok(!lit.isMarked);}
+  });
 });
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