diff --git a/src/ng/compile.js b/src/ng/compile.js
index 68e49f2bcaf1..015886976efe 100644
--- a/src/ng/compile.js
+++ b/src/ng/compile.js
@@ -2052,6 +2052,16 @@ function $CompileProvider($provide, $$sanitizeUriProvider) {
           addTextInterpolateDirective(directives, node.nodeValue);
           break;
         case NODE_TYPE_COMMENT: /* Comment */
+          collectCommentDirectives();
+          break;
+      }
+
+      directives.sort(byPriority);
+      return directives;
+
+      function collectCommentDirectives() {
+          // function created because of performance, try/catch disables
+          // the optimization of the whole function #14848
           try {
             match = COMMENT_DIRECTIVE_REGEXP.exec(node.nodeValue);
             if (match) {
@@ -2065,11 +2075,7 @@ function $CompileProvider($provide, $$sanitizeUriProvider) {
             // comment's node value.
             // Just ignore it and continue. (Can't seem to reproduce in test case.)
           }
-          break;
       }
-
-      directives.sort(byPriority);
-      return directives;
     }
 
     /**