diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/BuildHIR.ts b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/BuildHIR.ts
index 4c72f7e8e8..ce3debfab4 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/BuildHIR.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/BuildHIR.ts
@@ -811,8 +811,55 @@ function lowerExpression(
           );
         }
         case "??": {
-          // test should be roughly the equivalent of `<left> != null`
-          todo("Handle logical ??");
+          // generate the equivalent of
+          //   const tmp = <left>;
+          //   tmp != null ? tmp : <right>
+          const left = lowerExpressionToPlace(builder, leftPath);
+
+          const nullPlace: Place = {
+            kind: "Identifier",
+            identifier: builder.makeTemporary(),
+            memberPath: null,
+            effect: Effect.Unknown,
+            path: null as any,
+          };
+          builder.push({
+            value: {
+              kind: "Primitive",
+              value: null,
+              path: null as any,
+            },
+            path: exprPath,
+            lvalue: { place: { ...nullPlace }, kind: InstructionKind.Const },
+          });
+
+          const condPlace: Place = {
+            kind: "Identifier",
+            identifier: builder.makeTemporary(),
+            memberPath: null,
+            effect: Effect.Unknown,
+            path: null as any,
+          };
+          builder.push({
+            lvalue: {
+              place: { ...condPlace },
+              kind: InstructionKind.Const,
+            },
+            value: {
+              kind: "BinaryExpression",
+              operator: "!=",
+              left,
+              right: nullPlace,
+              path: null as any,
+            },
+            path: null as any,
+          });
+          return lowerConditional(
+            builder,
+            condPlace,
+            () => left,
+            () => lowerExpression(builder, expr.get("right"))
+          );
         }
         default: {
           assertExhaustive(
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/InferReferenceEffects.ts b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/InferReferenceEffects.ts
index 7b8a126f3a..e93bf4e4d0 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/InferReferenceEffects.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/InferReferenceEffects.ts
@@ -210,9 +210,8 @@ class Environment {
     const values = this.#variables.get(value.identifier.id);
     invariant(
       values != null,
-      `Expected value to be populated at '${String(value.path)}' in '${String(
-        value.path.parentPath
-      )}'`
+      "Expected value for identifier `%s` to be initialized.",
+      value.identifier.id
     );
     this.#variables.set(place.identifier.id, new Set(values));
   }
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/hir/logical-expression.expect.md b/compiler/forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/hir/logical-expression.expect.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..212e23f61f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/hir/logical-expression.expect.md
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+
+## Input
+
+```javascript
+function And() {
+  return f() && g();
+}
+
+function Or() {
+  return f() || g();
+}
+
+function QuestionQuestion(props) {
+  return f() ?? g();
+}
+
+function f() {}
+function g() {}
+
+```
+
+## HIR
+
+```
+bb0:
+  Const mutate $5 = Call mutate f$1()
+  If (read $5) then:bb2 else:bb3
+bb2:
+  predecessor blocks: bb0
+  Const mutate $6 = Call mutate g$4()
+  Goto bb1
+bb3:
+  predecessor blocks: bb0
+  Const mutate $7 = read $5
+  Goto bb1
+bb1:
+  predecessor blocks: bb3 bb2
+  $8: phi(bb3: $7, bb2: $6)
+  Return freeze $8
+```
+
+## Code
+
+```javascript
+function And$0() {
+  if (f$1()) {
+    ("<<TODO: handle complex control flow in codegen>>");
+  } else {
+    ("<<TODO: handle complex control flow in codegen>>");
+  }
+  return t8;
+}
+
+```
+## HIR
+
+```
+bb0:
+  Const mutate $5 = Call mutate f$1()
+  If (read $5) then:bb2 else:bb3
+bb2:
+  predecessor blocks: bb0
+  Const mutate $6 = read $5
+  Goto bb1
+bb3:
+  predecessor blocks: bb0
+  Const mutate $7 = Call mutate g$4()
+  Goto bb1
+bb1:
+  predecessor blocks: bb3 bb2
+  $8: phi(bb3: $7, bb2: $6)
+  Return freeze $8
+```
+
+## Code
+
+```javascript
+function Or$0() {
+  if (f$1()) {
+    ("<<TODO: handle complex control flow in codegen>>");
+  } else {
+    ("<<TODO: handle complex control flow in codegen>>");
+  }
+  return t8;
+}
+
+```
+## HIR
+
+```
+bb0:
+  Const mutate $9 = Call mutate f$2()
+  Const mutate $10 = null
+  Const mutate $11 = Binary read $9 != read $10
+  If (read $11) then:bb2 else:bb3
+bb2:
+  predecessor blocks: bb0
+  Const mutate $12 = read $9
+  Goto bb1
+bb3:
+  predecessor blocks: bb0
+  Const mutate $13 = Call mutate g$7()
+  Goto bb1
+bb1:
+  predecessor blocks: bb3 bb2
+  $14: phi(bb3: $13, bb2: $12)
+  Return freeze $14
+```
+
+## Code
+
+```javascript
+function QuestionQuestion$0(props$8) {
+  if (f$2() != null) {
+    ("<<TODO: handle complex control flow in codegen>>");
+  } else {
+    ("<<TODO: handle complex control flow in codegen>>");
+  }
+  return t14;
+}
+
+```
+## HIR
+
+```
+bb0:
+  Return
+```
+
+## Code
+
+```javascript
+function f$0() {
+  return;
+}
+
+```
+## HIR
+
+```
+bb0:
+  Return
+```
+
+## Code
+
+```javascript
+function g$0() {
+  return;
+}
+
+```
+      
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/hir/logical-expression.js b/compiler/forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/hir/logical-expression.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f5ad160196
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/hir/logical-expression.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+function And() {
+  return f() && g();
+}
+
+function Or() {
+  return f() || g();
+}
+
+function QuestionQuestion(props) {
+  return f() ?? g();
+}
+
+function f() {}
+function g() {}