When producing a noun phrase whether or not pre-planning extends beyond theinitial noun varies with the phrase’s syntactic structure. However it is not clear on whatbasis – conceptual or syntactic – the production system determines that pre-planning isnecessary. In two experiments (Ns= 32, 64) participants produced noun phrases inresponse to picture arrays. Surface form was held constant but scope of the initialdeterminer was manipulated by varying the contrastive functions of the first and thesecond noun (e.g., The man with the painting [but not the girl with the painting] vs. Theman with the painting [but not the man with the ball]). Evidence from eye movement data revealed a stronger tendency for early planning in the extended-scope condition. This is evidence that pre-planning requirements of structurally complex noun phrase are determined prior to the processing of syntax and lexis.