diff --git a/modules/gdnative/nativescript/nativescript.cpp b/modules/gdnative/nativescript/nativescript.cpp
index 509d78d4f27..5cf144d4fe3 100644
--- a/modules/gdnative/nativescript/nativescript.cpp
+++ b/modules/gdnative/nativescript/nativescript.cpp
@@ -160,8 +160,10 @@ bool NativeScript::can_instance() const {
 	NativeScriptDesc *script_data = get_script_desc();
 
 #ifdef TOOLS_ENABLED
-
-	return script_data || (!is_tool() && !ScriptServer::is_scripting_enabled());
+	// Only valid if this is either a tool script or a "regular" script.
+	// (so an environment whre scripting is disabled (and not the editor) would not
+	// create objects).
+	return script_data && (is_tool() || ScriptServer::is_scripting_enabled());
 #else
 	return script_data;
 #endif
@@ -199,25 +201,6 @@ ScriptInstance *NativeScript::instance_create(Object *p_this) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-#ifdef TOOLS_ENABLED
-	if (!ScriptServer::is_scripting_enabled() && !is_tool()) {
-		// placeholder for nodes. For tools we want the rool thing.
-
-		PlaceHolderScriptInstance *sins = memnew(PlaceHolderScriptInstance(NSL, Ref<Script>(this), p_this));
-		placeholders.insert(sins);
-
-		if (script_data->create_func.create_func) {
-			script_data->create_func.create_func(
-					(godot_object *)p_this,
-					script_data->create_func.method_data);
-		}
-
-		_update_placeholder(sins);
-
-		return sins;
-	}
-#endif
-
 	NativeScriptInstance *nsi = memnew(NativeScriptInstance);
 
 	nsi->owner = p_this;
@@ -246,6 +229,19 @@ ScriptInstance *NativeScript::instance_create(Object *p_this) {
 	return nsi;
 }
 
+PlaceHolderScriptInstance *NativeScript::placeholder_instance_create(Object *p_this) {
+#ifdef TOOLS_ENABLED
+	PlaceHolderScriptInstance *sins = memnew(PlaceHolderScriptInstance(NSL, Ref<Script>(this), p_this));
+	placeholders.insert(sins);
+
+	_update_placeholder(sins);
+
+	return sins;
+#else
+	return NULL;
+#endif
+}
+
 bool NativeScript::instance_has(const Object *p_this) const {
 	return instance_owners.has((Object *)p_this);
 }
diff --git a/modules/gdnative/nativescript/nativescript.h b/modules/gdnative/nativescript/nativescript.h
index 8dd5ba3b9c9..a6865c62430 100644
--- a/modules/gdnative/nativescript/nativescript.h
+++ b/modules/gdnative/nativescript/nativescript.h
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ public:
 
 	virtual StringName get_instance_base_type() const; // this may not work in all scripts, will return empty if so
 	virtual ScriptInstance *instance_create(Object *p_this);
+	virtual PlaceHolderScriptInstance *placeholder_instance_create(Object *p_this);
 	virtual bool instance_has(const Object *p_this) const;
 
 	virtual bool has_source_code() const;