diff --git a/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/modification.js b/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/modification.js
index add972ee4327..abd1890e993e 100644
--- a/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/modification.js
+++ b/packages/babel-traverse/src/path/modification.js
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ export function insertBefore(nodes) {
   } else if (
     (this.isNodeType("Expression") &&
       this.listKey !== "params" &&
-      this.listKey !== "arguments") ||
+      this.listKey !== "arguments" &&
+      !this.isJSXElement()) ||
     (parentPath.isForStatement() && this.key === "init")
   ) {
     if (this.node) nodes.push(this.node);
diff --git a/packages/babel-traverse/test/modification.js b/packages/babel-traverse/test/modification.js
index ad5d40c69a8a..027b71945723 100644
--- a/packages/babel-traverse/test/modification.js
+++ b/packages/babel-traverse/test/modification.js
@@ -116,6 +116,32 @@ describe("modification", function() {
       );
     });
 
+    it("returns inserted path with nested JSXElement", function() {
+      const ast = parse("<div><span>foo</span></div>", {
+        plugins: ["jsx"],
+      });
+      let path;
+      traverse(ast, {
+        Program: function(_path) {
+          path = _path.get("body.0");
+        },
+        JSXElement: function(path) {
+          const tagName = path.node.openingElement.name.name;
+          if (tagName !== "span") return;
+          path.insertBefore(
+            t.JSXElement(
+              t.JSXOpeningElement(t.JSXIdentifier("div"), [], false),
+              t.JSXClosingElement(t.JSXIdentifier("div")),
+              [],
+            ),
+          );
+        },
+      });
+      expect(generateCode(path)).toBe(
+        "<div><div></div><span>foo</span></div>;",
+      );
+    });
+
     describe("when the parent is an export declaration inserts the node before", function() {
       it("the ExportNamedDeclaration", function() {
         const bodyPath = getPath("export function a() {}", {