diff --git a/loopy/codegen/control.py b/loopy/codegen/control.py
index 789c00d33b7bb41816e6901e24046d4b0eefb27d..e18a51c4d499570c034f3ef8682d48647485b511 100644
--- a/loopy/codegen/control.py
+++ b/loopy/codegen/control.py
@@ -240,6 +240,15 @@ def build_loop_nest(codegen_state, schedule_index):
 
     kernel = codegen_state.kernel
 
+    # If the AST builder does not implement conditionals, we can save us
+    # some work about hoisting conditionals and directly go into recursion.
+    if not codegen_state.ast_builder.can_implement_conditionals:
+        result = []
+        inner = generate_code_for_sched_index(codegen_state, schedule_index)
+        if inner is not None:
+            result.append(inner)
+        return merge_codegen_results(codegen_state, result)
+
     # {{{ pass 1: pre-scan schedule for my schedule item's siblings' indices
 
     # i.e. go up to the next LeaveLoop, and skip over inner loops.
diff --git a/loopy/target/__init__.py b/loopy/target/__init__.py
index 5d5743bae322fc59c989cafd85122c8ca619c422..59d051c50f20cea045e1edd88659f42fb8db5952 100644
--- a/loopy/target/__init__.py
+++ b/loopy/target/__init__.py
@@ -210,6 +210,10 @@ class ASTBuilderBase(object):
             static_lbound, static_ubound, inner):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
+    @property
+    def can_implement_conditionals(self):
+        return False
+
     def emit_if(self, condition_str, ast):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
@@ -274,28 +278,6 @@ class DummyHostASTBuilder(ASTBuilderBase):
     def ast_block_scope_class(self):
         return _DummyASTBlock
 
-    def emit_assignment(self, codegen_state, insn):
-        return None
-
-    def emit_multiple_assignment(self, codegen_state, insn):
-        return None
-
-    def emit_sequential_loop(self, codegen_state, iname, iname_dtype,
-            static_lbound, static_ubound, inner):
-        return None
-
-    def emit_if(self, condition_str, ast):
-        return None
-
-    def emit_initializer(self, codegen_state, dtype, name, val_str, is_const):
-        return None
-
-    def emit_blank_line(self):
-        return None
-
-    def emit_comment(self, s):
-        return None
-
 # }}}
 
 
diff --git a/loopy/target/c/__init__.py b/loopy/target/c/__init__.py
index a2ad682505bbdb7ed5977a28e201ebc6655c7784..dfffcfae7b734b86bc1d454b72b148fab7f24394 100644
--- a/loopy/target/c/__init__.py
+++ b/loopy/target/c/__init__.py
@@ -789,6 +789,10 @@ class CASTBuilder(ASTBuilderBase):
         from cgen import Comment
         return Comment(s)
 
+    @property
+    def can_implement_conditionals(self):
+        return True
+
     def emit_if(self, condition_str, ast):
         from cgen import If
         return If(condition_str, ast)
diff --git a/loopy/target/python.py b/loopy/target/python.py
index 11951abcf17e94c0fdba51042e3060735215b423..ce04986d3d2a39dcf7126339055d32fa16ffcc25 100644
--- a/loopy/target/python.py
+++ b/loopy/target/python.py
@@ -283,6 +283,10 @@ class PythonASTBuilderBase(ASTBuilderBase):
         from genpy import Comment
         return Comment(s)
 
+    @property
+    def can_implement_conditionals(self):
+        return True
+
     def emit_if(self, condition_str, ast):
         from genpy import If
         return If(condition_str, ast)