diff --git a/docs/pages/release_notes.md b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
index f13f19c908..d953887fb0 100644
--- a/docs/pages/release_notes.md
+++ b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ This is a bug fixing release.
     *   [#1021](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/issues/1021): \[java] False positive for `DoNotExtendJavaLangError`
     *   [#1097](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/1097): \[java] False negative in AvoidThrowingRawExceptionTypes
 *   java-performance
+    *   [#1051](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/issues/1051): \[java] ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuse false-negative
     *   [#1098](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/1098): \[java] Simplify LongInstantiation, IntegerInstantiation, ByteInstantiation, and ShortInstantiation using type resolution
 *   doc
     *   [#999](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/issues/999): \[doc] Add a header before the XPath expression in rules
diff --git a/pmd-java/etc/grammar/Java.jjt b/pmd-java/etc/grammar/Java.jjt
index 2049876e21..51bafb2f38 100644
--- a/pmd-java/etc/grammar/Java.jjt
+++ b/pmd-java/etc/grammar/Java.jjt
@@ -374,11 +374,11 @@ public class JavaParser {
   // Note that this can't be replaced with a syntactic lookahead
   // since "assert" isn't a string literal token
   private boolean isNextTokenAnAssert() {
-    boolean res = getToken(1).image.equals("assert");
-    if (res && jdkVersion <= 3 && getToken(2).image.equals("(")) {
-     res = false;
+    if (jdkVersion <= 3) {
+      return false;
     }
-    return res;
+    
+    return getToken(1).image.equals("assert");
   }
 
   private boolean isPrecededByComment(Token tok) {
@@ -2379,7 +2379,6 @@ void IfStatement() :
 {}
 {
   "if" "(" Expression() ")" Statement() [ LOOKAHEAD(1) "else" {jjtThis.setHasElse();} Statement() ]
-{}
 }
 
 void WhileStatement() :
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/ast/ASTVariableDeclaratorId.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/ast/ASTVariableDeclaratorId.java
index 8f03fffedf..ec6c6802fb 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/ast/ASTVariableDeclaratorId.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/ast/ASTVariableDeclaratorId.java
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ public class ASTVariableDeclaratorId extends AbstractJavaTypeNode implements Dim
         return jjtGetParent().jjtGetParent() instanceof ASTTryStatement;
     }
 
+    public boolean isFormalParameter() {
+        return jjtGetParent() instanceof ASTFormalParameter;
+    }
+
     public void setExplicitReceiverParameter() {
         explicitReceiverParameter = true;
     }
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/AvoidReassigningParametersRule.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/AvoidReassigningParametersRule.java
index 6ddf9e7695..d355f15692 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/AvoidReassigningParametersRule.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/AvoidReassigningParametersRule.java
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ public class AvoidReassigningParametersRule extends AbstractJavaRule {
         for (Map.Entry<VariableNameDeclaration, List<NameOccurrence>> entry : params.entrySet()) {
             VariableNameDeclaration decl = entry.getKey();
             List<NameOccurrence> usages = entry.getValue();
+
+            // Only look for formal parameters
+            if (!decl.getDeclaratorId().isFormalParameter()) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
             for (NameOccurrence occ : usages) {
                 JavaNameOccurrence jocc = (JavaNameOccurrence) occ;
                 if ((jocc.isOnLeftHandSide() || jocc.isSelfAssignment())
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/UnusedFormalParameterRule.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/UnusedFormalParameterRule.java
index 20eef81445..cc6561ec8b 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/UnusedFormalParameterRule.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/UnusedFormalParameterRule.java
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ public class UnusedFormalParameterRule extends AbstractJavaRule {
             for (Map.Entry<VariableNameDeclaration, List<NameOccurrence>> entry : vars.entrySet()) {
                 VariableNameDeclaration nameDecl = entry.getKey();
                 
-                ASTVariableDeclaratorId declNode = (ASTVariableDeclaratorId) nameDecl.getNode();
-                if (declNode.isExplicitReceiverParameter()) {
+                ASTVariableDeclaratorId declNode = nameDecl.getDeclaratorId();
+                if (!declNode.isFormalParameter() || declNode.isExplicitReceiverParameter()) {
                     continue;
                 }
                 
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/UnnecessaryLocalBeforeReturnRule.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/UnnecessaryLocalBeforeReturnRule.java
index d4ce0efbe8..86b7f6ca5f 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/UnnecessaryLocalBeforeReturnRule.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/UnnecessaryLocalBeforeReturnRule.java
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ public class UnnecessaryLocalBeforeReturnRule extends AbstractJavaRule {
                 .getDeclarations(VariableNameDeclaration.class);
         for (Map.Entry<VariableNameDeclaration, List<NameOccurrence>> entry : vars.entrySet()) {
             VariableNameDeclaration variableDeclaration = entry.getKey();
+            if (variableDeclaration.getDeclaratorId().isFormalParameter()) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            
             List<NameOccurrence> usages = entry.getValue();
 
             if (usages.size() == 1) { // If there is more than 1 usage, then it's not only returned
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/performance/ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuseRule.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/performance/ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuseRule.java
index 5ab97ff034..053494702f 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/performance/ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuseRule.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/performance/ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuseRule.java
@@ -24,34 +24,6 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.symboltable.VariableNameDeclaration;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.typeresolution.TypeHelper;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.symboltable.NameOccurrence;
 
-/**
- * Original rule was written with XPath, but didn't verify whether the two calls
- * to append would have been done on the same variable.
- * 
- * <pre>
-//BlockStatement[./Statement/StatementExpression//PrimaryPrefix/Name[ends-with(@Image,'.append')]
-                                      [substring-before(@Image, '.') =
-                                         ancestor::Block//LocalVariableDeclaration[./Type//ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='StringBuffer']]//VariableDeclaratorId/@Image
-                                      ]
-                ]/following-sibling::*[1][./Statement/StatementExpression//PrimaryPrefix/Name[ends-with(@Image,'.append')]
-                                         [substring-before(@Image, '.') = 
-                                             ancestor::Block//LocalVariableDeclaration[./Type//ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='StringBuffer']]//VariableDeclaratorId/@Image
-                                         ]
-                                      ] 
-|
-//BlockStatement[./Statement/StatementExpression//PrimaryPrefix/Name[ends-with(@Image,'.append')]
-                                      [substring-before(@Image, '.') = 
-                                         ancestor::Block//LocalVariableDeclaration[./Type//ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='StringBuilder']]//VariableDeclaratorId/@Image
-                                      ]
-                ]/following-sibling::*[1][./Statement/StatementExpression//PrimaryPrefix/Name[ends-with(@Image,'.append')]
-                                         [substring-before(@Image, '.') = 
-                                             ancestor::Block//LocalVariableDeclaration[./Type//ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='StringBuilder']]//VariableDeclaratorId/@Image
-                                         ]
-                                      ]
- * 
- * </pre>
- *
- */
 public class ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuseRule extends AbstractJavaRule {
 
     @Override
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/LocalScope.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/LocalScope.java
index 3e27f8b06b..47a855ff28 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/LocalScope.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/LocalScope.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ public class LocalScope extends AbstractJavaScope {
         return getDeclarations(VariableNameDeclaration.class);
     }
 
+    @Override
     public Set<NameDeclaration> addNameOccurrence(NameOccurrence occurrence) {
         JavaNameOccurrence javaOccurrence = (JavaNameOccurrence) occurrence;
         Set<NameDeclaration> declarations = findVariableHere(javaOccurrence);
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ public class LocalScope extends AbstractJavaScope {
         return declarations;
     }
 
+    @Override
     public void addDeclaration(NameDeclaration nameDecl) {
         if (!(nameDecl instanceof VariableNameDeclaration || nameDecl instanceof ClassNameDeclaration)) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ public class LocalScope extends AbstractJavaScope {
         super.addDeclaration(nameDecl);
     }
 
+    @Override
     public Set<NameDeclaration> findVariableHere(JavaNameOccurrence occurrence) {
         if (occurrence.isThisOrSuper() || occurrence.isMethodOrConstructorInvocation()) {
             return Collections.emptySet();
@@ -61,6 +64,7 @@ public class LocalScope extends AbstractJavaScope {
         return Collections.emptySet();
     }
 
+    @Override
     public String toString() {
         return "LocalScope:" + glomNames(getVariableDeclarations().keySet());
     }
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/MethodScope.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/MethodScope.java
index a5230fde54..dc79e5e26f 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/MethodScope.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/MethodScope.java
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.ast.Node;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTConstructorDeclaration;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTName;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.symboltable.Applier;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.symboltable.ImageFinderFunction;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.symboltable.NameDeclaration;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.symboltable.NameOccurrence;
 
@@ -33,6 +32,7 @@ public class MethodScope extends AbstractJavaScope {
         return getDeclarations(VariableNameDeclaration.class);
     }
 
+    @Override
     public Set<NameDeclaration> addNameOccurrence(NameOccurrence occurrence) {
         JavaNameOccurrence javaOccurrence = (JavaNameOccurrence) occurrence;
         Set<NameDeclaration> declarations = findVariableHere(javaOccurrence);
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ public class MethodScope extends AbstractJavaScope {
         return declarations;
     }
 
+    @Override
     public void addDeclaration(NameDeclaration variableDecl) {
         if (!(variableDecl instanceof VariableNameDeclaration || variableDecl instanceof ClassNameDeclaration)) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
@@ -56,11 +57,12 @@ public class MethodScope extends AbstractJavaScope {
         super.addDeclaration(variableDecl);
     }
 
+    @Override
     public Set<NameDeclaration> findVariableHere(JavaNameOccurrence occurrence) {
         if (occurrence.isThisOrSuper() || occurrence.isMethodOrConstructorInvocation()) {
             return Collections.emptySet();
         }
-        ImageFinderFunction finder = new ImageFinderFunction(occurrence.getImage());
+        DeclarationFinderFunction finder = new DeclarationFinderFunction(occurrence);
         Applier.apply(finder, getVariableDeclarations().keySet().iterator());
         if (finder.getDecl() != null) {
             return Collections.singleton(finder.getDecl());
@@ -75,6 +77,7 @@ public class MethodScope extends AbstractJavaScope {
         return node.jjtGetChild(1).getImage();
     }
 
+    @Override
     public String toString() {
         return "MethodScope:" + glomNames(getVariableDeclarations().keySet());
     }
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ScopeAndDeclarationFinder.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ScopeAndDeclarationFinder.java
index 7d3d570022..94b898fbdd 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ScopeAndDeclarationFinder.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ScopeAndDeclarationFinder.java
@@ -7,20 +7,15 @@ package net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.symboltable;
 import java.util.ArrayDeque;
 import java.util.Deque;
 
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.ast.Node;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTAnnotationTypeDeclaration;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTBlock;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTBlockStatement;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTCatchStatement;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTClassOrInterfaceBody;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTClassOrInterfaceDeclaration;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTCompilationUnit;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTConstructorDeclaration;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTEnumDeclaration;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTFinallyStatement;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTForStatement;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTFormalParameters;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTIfStatement;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTImportDeclaration;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTLambdaExpression;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTMethodDeclaration;
@@ -28,7 +23,6 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTMethodDeclarator;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTPackageDeclaration;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTSwitchStatement;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTTryStatement;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTTypeParameters;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTVariableDeclaratorId;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.AbstractJavaNode;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.JavaNode;
@@ -207,8 +201,18 @@ public class ScopeAndDeclarationFinder extends JavaParserVisitorAdapter {
 
     @Override
     public Object visit(ASTBlock node, Object data) {
-        createLocalScope(node);
-        cont(node);
+        // top-level blocks for methods should have the same scope as parameters, just skip them
+        // same applies to catch statements defining exceptions + the catch block, and for-blocks
+        if (node.jjtGetParent() instanceof ASTMethodDeclaration
+                || node.jjtGetParent() instanceof ASTConstructorDeclaration
+                || node.jjtGetParent() instanceof ASTLambdaExpression
+                || node.jjtGetParent() instanceof ASTCatchStatement
+                || node.jjtGetParent() instanceof ASTForStatement) {
+            super.visit(node, null);
+        } else {
+            createLocalScope(node);
+            cont(node);
+        }
         return data;
     }
 
@@ -219,57 +223,10 @@ public class ScopeAndDeclarationFinder extends JavaParserVisitorAdapter {
         return data;
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public Object visit(ASTFinallyStatement node, Object data) {
-        createLocalScope(node);
-        cont(node);
-        return data;
-    }
-
     @Override
     public Object visit(ASTConstructorDeclaration node, Object data) {
-        /*
-         * Local variables declared inside the constructor need to be in a
-         * different scope so special handling is needed
-         */
         createMethodScope(node);
-
-        Scope methodScope = node.getScope();
-
-        Node formalParameters = node.jjtGetChild(0);
-        int i = 1;
-        int n = node.jjtGetNumChildren();
-        if (!(formalParameters instanceof ASTFormalParameters)) {
-            visit((ASTTypeParameters) formalParameters, data);
-            formalParameters = node.jjtGetChild(1);
-            i++;
-        }
-        visit((ASTFormalParameters) formalParameters, data);
-
-        Scope localScope = null;
-        for (; i < n; i++) {
-            JavaNode b = (JavaNode) node.jjtGetChild(i);
-            if (b instanceof ASTBlockStatement) {
-                if (localScope == null) {
-                    createLocalScope(node);
-                    localScope = node.getScope();
-                }
-                b.setScope(localScope);
-                visit(b, data);
-            } else {
-                visit(b, data);
-            }
-        }
-        if (localScope != null) {
-            // pop the local scope
-            scopes.pop();
-
-            // reset the correct scope for the constructor
-            node.setScope(methodScope);
-        }
-        // pop the method scope
-        scopes.pop();
-
+        cont(node);
         return data;
     }
 
@@ -304,13 +261,6 @@ public class ScopeAndDeclarationFinder extends JavaParserVisitorAdapter {
         return data;
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public Object visit(ASTIfStatement node, Object data) {
-        createLocalScope(node);
-        cont(node);
-        return data;
-    }
-
     @Override
     public Object visit(ASTVariableDeclaratorId node, Object data) {
         VariableNameDeclaration decl = new VariableNameDeclaration(node);
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/VariableNameDeclaration.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/VariableNameDeclaration.java
index 3a58bd4f5c..d4573576f7 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/VariableNameDeclaration.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/VariableNameDeclaration.java
@@ -54,15 +54,23 @@ public class VariableNameDeclaration extends AbstractNameDeclaration implements
     }
 
     public boolean isExceptionBlockParameter() {
-        return ((ASTVariableDeclaratorId) node).isExceptionBlockParameter();
+        return getDeclaratorId().isExceptionBlockParameter();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated use {@link #isTypeInferred()}
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public boolean isLambdaTypelessParameter() {
-        return getAccessNodeParent() instanceof ASTLambdaExpression;
+        return isTypeInferred();
+    }
+    
+    public boolean isTypeInferred() {
+        return getDeclaratorId().isTypeInferred();
     }
 
     public boolean isPrimitiveType() {
-        return !isLambdaTypelessParameter()
+        return !isTypeInferred()
                 && getAccessNodeParent().getFirstChildOfType(ASTType.class).jjtGetChild(0) instanceof ASTPrimitiveType;
     }
 
@@ -78,7 +86,7 @@ public class VariableNameDeclaration extends AbstractNameDeclaration implements
      * Note that an array of primitive types (int[]) is a reference type.
      */
     public boolean isReferenceType() {
-        return !isLambdaTypelessParameter()
+        return !isTypeInferred()
                 && getAccessNodeParent().getFirstChildOfType(ASTType.class).jjtGetChild(0) instanceof ASTReferenceType;
     }
 
@@ -97,7 +105,7 @@ public class VariableNameDeclaration extends AbstractNameDeclaration implements
         if (isPrimitiveType()) {
             return (TypeNode) getAccessNodeParent().getFirstChildOfType(ASTType.class).jjtGetChild(0);
         }
-        if (!isLambdaTypelessParameter()) {
+        if (!isTypeInferred()) {
             return (TypeNode) getAccessNodeParent().getFirstChildOfType(ASTType.class).jjtGetChild(0).jjtGetChild(0);
         }
         return null;
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/AcceptanceTest.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/AcceptanceTest.java
index bf9c6cb991..0e0db65c92 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/AcceptanceTest.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/AcceptanceTest.java
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public class AcceptanceTest extends STBBaseTst {
         ASTCatchStatement c = acu.findDescendantsOfType(ASTCatchStatement.class).get(0);
         ASTBlock a = c.findDescendantsOfType(ASTBlock.class).get(0);
         Scope s = a.getScope();
-        Map<NameDeclaration, List<NameOccurrence>> vars = s.getParent().getDeclarations();
+        Map<NameDeclaration, List<NameOccurrence>> vars = s.getDeclarations();
         assertEquals(1, vars.size());
         NameDeclaration v = vars.keySet().iterator().next();
         assertEquals("e", v.getImage());
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ClassScopeTest.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ClassScopeTest.java
index c543c41d61..d2438c6bd0 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ClassScopeTest.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ClassScopeTest.java
@@ -280,20 +280,25 @@ public class ClassScopeTest extends STBBaseTst {
     public void testNestedClassFieldAndParameter() {
         parseCode(NESTED_CLASS_FIELD_AND_PARAM);
         ASTMethodDeclaration node = acu.getFirstDescendantOfType(ASTMethodDeclaration.class);
-        Map<NameDeclaration, List<NameOccurrence>> vd = node.getScope().getDeclarations();
-        assertEquals(1, vd.size());
+        Map<VariableNameDeclaration, List<NameOccurrence>> vd = node.getScope().getDeclarations(VariableNameDeclaration.class);
+        assertEquals(2, vd.size());
 
-        for (Map.Entry<NameDeclaration, List<NameOccurrence>> entry : vd.entrySet()) {
-            assertEquals("field", entry.getKey().getImage());
-
-            List<NameOccurrence> occurrences = entry.getValue();
-            assertEquals(2, occurrences.size());
-            NameOccurrence no1 = occurrences.get(0);
-            assertEquals(8, no1.getLocation().getBeginLine());
-            NameOccurrence no2 = occurrences.get(1);
-            assertEquals(9, no2.getLocation().getBeginLine());
+        int paramCount = 0;
+        for (Map.Entry<VariableNameDeclaration, List<NameOccurrence>> entry : vd.entrySet()) {
+            if (entry.getKey().getDeclaratorId().isFormalParameter()) {
+                assertEquals("field", entry.getKey().getImage());
+    
+                List<NameOccurrence> occurrences = entry.getValue();
+                assertEquals(2, occurrences.size());
+                NameOccurrence no1 = occurrences.get(0);
+                assertEquals(8, no1.getLocation().getBeginLine());
+                NameOccurrence no2 = occurrences.get(1);
+                assertEquals(9, no2.getLocation().getBeginLine());
+                paramCount++;
+            }
         }
 
+        assertEquals(1, paramCount);
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/LocalScopeTest.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/LocalScopeTest.java
index 176e172343..cb07b81a8f 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/LocalScopeTest.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/LocalScopeTest.java
@@ -119,12 +119,8 @@ public class LocalScopeTest extends STBBaseTst {
     public static final String TEST3 = "public class Foo {" + PMD.EOL + " void foo() {" + PMD.EOL + "  int x = 2;"
             + PMD.EOL + "  x++;" + PMD.EOL + " }" + PMD.EOL + "}";
 
-    public static final String TEST4 = "public class Foo {" + PMD.EOL + " void foo(String x, String z) { int y; }"
+    public static final String TEST4 = "public class Foo {" + PMD.EOL + " void foo(String x, String z) { { int x; } }"
             + PMD.EOL + "}";
 
     public static final String TEST5 = "public class Foo {" + PMD.EOL + " void foo(String x);" + PMD.EOL + "}";
-
-    public static junit.framework.Test suite() {
-        return new junit.framework.JUnit4TestAdapter(LocalScopeTest.class);
-    }
 }
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ScopeCreationVisitorTest.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ScopeCreationVisitorTest.java
index ea41e754b7..6b67c02e30 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ScopeCreationVisitorTest.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symboltable/ScopeCreationVisitorTest.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.PMD;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTBlock;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTIfStatement;
 
 public class ScopeCreationVisitorTest extends STBBaseTst {
@@ -16,7 +17,8 @@ public class ScopeCreationVisitorTest extends STBBaseTst {
     @Test
     public void testScopesAreCreated() {
         parseCode(TEST1);
-        ASTIfStatement n = acu.findDescendantsOfType(ASTIfStatement.class).get(0);
+        ASTBlock n = acu.getFirstDescendantOfType(ASTIfStatement.class)
+                .getFirstDescendantOfType(ASTBlock.class);
         assertTrue(n.getScope() instanceof LocalScope);
     }
 
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/errorprone/xml/AvoidAssertAsIdentifier.xml b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/errorprone/xml/AvoidAssertAsIdentifier.xml
index 116576c271..6a39b2adcb 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/errorprone/xml/AvoidAssertAsIdentifier.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/errorprone/xml/AvoidAssertAsIdentifier.xml
@@ -5,12 +5,26 @@
     xsi:schemaLocation="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rule-tests http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rule-tests_1_0_0.xsd">
     <test-code>
         <description><![CDATA[
-assert as identifier
+assert as identifier - parameter
      ]]></description>
-        <expected-problems>2</expected-problems>
+        <expected-problems>1</expected-problems>
         <code><![CDATA[
 public class Foo {
  void bar(String assert) {
+  assert = "hi";
+ }
+}
+     ]]></code>
+     <source-type>java 1.3</source-type>
+    </test-code>
+    <test-code>
+        <description><![CDATA[
+assert as identifier - local var
+     ]]></description>
+        <expected-problems>1</expected-problems>
+        <code><![CDATA[
+public class Foo {
+ void bar() {
   String assert = "hi";
  }
 }
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/errorprone/xml/AvoidEnumAsIdentifier.xml b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/errorprone/xml/AvoidEnumAsIdentifier.xml
index 93dad20c52..15bb7d26ec 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/errorprone/xml/AvoidEnumAsIdentifier.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/errorprone/xml/AvoidEnumAsIdentifier.xml
@@ -5,14 +5,28 @@
     xsi:schemaLocation="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rule-tests http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rule-tests_1_0_0.xsd">
     <test-code>
         <description><![CDATA[
-variable and param named enum
+variable named enum
      ]]></description>
-        <expected-problems>2</expected-problems>
+        <expected-problems>1</expected-problems>
         <code><![CDATA[
 public class Foo {
- void bar(String enum) {
+ void bar() {
   String enum = "hi";
  }
+}
+     ]]></code>
+     <source-type>java 1.4</source-type>
+    </test-code>
+    <test-code>
+        <description><![CDATA[
+param named enum
+     ]]></description>
+        <expected-problems>1</expected-problems>
+        <code><![CDATA[
+public class Foo {
+ void bar(String enum) {
+  enum = "hi";
+ }
 }
      ]]></code>
      <source-type>java 1.4</source-type>
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/performance/xml/ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuse.xml b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/performance/xml/ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuse.xml
index 67140ee054..1fa9aaea68 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/performance/xml/ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuse.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/performance/xml/ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuse.xml
@@ -250,6 +250,19 @@ public class Foo {
         stringBuffer = new StringBuffer().append("agrego ").append("un ");
         stringBuffer.append("string ");
     }
+}
+        ]]></code>
+    </test-code>
+    <test-code>
+        <description>#1051 ConsecutiveAppendsShouldReuse not detect on parameter</description>
+        <expected-problems>2</expected-problems>
+        <code><![CDATA[
+public class Foo {
+    public static void asd(StringBuilder builder, String b) {
+        builder.append("asd");
+        builder.append(b);
+        builder.append(123);
+	}
 }
         ]]></code>
     </test-code>