diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/BuildHIR.ts b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/BuildHIR.ts
index d197ec95e1..3f92439691 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/BuildHIR.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/BuildHIR.ts
@@ -1815,7 +1815,7 @@ function lowerOptionalMemberExpression(
 
   builder.terminateWithContinuation(
     {
-      kind: "optional-call",
+      kind: "optional",
       optional,
       test: testBlock,
       fallthrough: continuationBlock.id,
@@ -1966,7 +1966,7 @@ function lowerOptionalCallExpression(
 
   builder.terminateWithContinuation(
     {
-      kind: "optional-call",
+      kind: "optional",
       optional,
       test: testBlock,
       fallthrough: continuationBlock.id,
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/HIR.ts b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/HIR.ts
index d9fe6f231c..1b6dcaefca 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/HIR.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/HIR.ts
@@ -118,9 +118,9 @@ export type ReactiveSequenceValue = {
 };
 
 export type ReactiveOptionalCallValue = {
-  kind: "OptionalCall";
+  kind: "OptionalExpression";
   id: InstructionId;
-  call: ReactiveValue;
+  value: ReactiveValue;
   optional: boolean;
   loc: SourceLocation;
 };
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ export type Terminal =
   | WhileTerminal
   | LogicalTerminal
   | TernaryTerminal
-  | OptionalCallTerminal
+  | OptionalTerminal
   | LabelTerminal;
 
 function _staticInvariantTerminalHasLocation(
@@ -421,11 +421,12 @@ export type LabelTerminal = {
   loc: SourceLocation;
 };
 
-export type OptionalCallTerminal = {
-  kind: "optional-call";
-  // Whether the call itself is optional. If false, this means that the callee itself
-  // is optionally evaluated (has some OptionalMemberExpresion) but the final call is
-  // required (if the callee is not null/undefined).
+export type OptionalTerminal = {
+  kind: "optional";
+  // Specifies whether this node was optional. If false, it means that the original
+  // node was part of an optional chain but this specific item was non-optional.
+  // For example, in `a?.b.c?.()`, the `.b` access is non-optional but appears within
+  // an optional chain.
   optional: boolean;
   test: BlockId;
   fallthrough: BlockId;
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/HIRBuilder.ts b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/HIRBuilder.ts
index aa5dc76b6f..1f76461e75 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/HIRBuilder.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/HIRBuilder.ts
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ export function reversePostorderBlocks(func: HIR): void {
         }
         break;
       }
-      case "optional-call":
+      case "optional":
       case "ternary":
       case "logical": {
         visit(terminal.test);
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/PrintHIR.ts b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/PrintHIR.ts
index d59e2e11a0..53840e5861 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/PrintHIR.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/PrintHIR.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export function printMixedHIR(
   }
   switch (value.kind) {
     case "label":
-    case "optional-call":
+    case "optional":
     case "branch":
     case "if":
     case "logical":
@@ -158,8 +158,8 @@ export function printTerminal(terminal: Terminal): Array<string> | string {
       value = `[${terminal.id}] Ternary test:bb${terminal.test} fallthrough=bb${terminal.fallthrough}`;
       break;
     }
-    case "optional-call": {
-      value = `[${terminal.id}] OptionalCall test:bb${terminal.test} fallthrough=bb${terminal.fallthrough}`;
+    case "optional": {
+      value = `[${terminal.id}] Optional test:bb${terminal.test} fallthrough=bb${terminal.fallthrough}`;
       break;
     }
     case "throw": {
@@ -458,8 +458,8 @@ export function printInstructionValue(instrValue: ReactiveValue): string {
       value = `Global ${instrValue.name}`;
       break;
     }
-    case "OptionalCall": {
-      value = `OptionalCall ${printInstructionValue(instrValue.call)}`;
+    case "OptionalExpression": {
+      value = `OptionalExpression ${printInstructionValue(instrValue.value)}`;
       break;
     }
     case "RegExpLiteral": {
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/visitors.ts b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/visitors.ts
index 031d73b59d..44d784354a 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/HIR/visitors.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/HIR/visitors.ts
@@ -598,11 +598,11 @@ export function mapTerminalSuccessors(
         loc: terminal.loc,
       };
     }
-    case "optional-call": {
+    case "optional": {
       const test = fn(terminal.test);
       const fallthrough = fn(terminal.fallthrough);
       return {
-        kind: "optional-call",
+        kind: "optional",
         optional: terminal.optional,
         test,
         fallthrough,
@@ -721,7 +721,7 @@ export function terminalFallthrough(terminal: Terminal): BlockId | null {
     case "if":
     case "label":
     case "logical":
-    case "optional-call":
+    case "optional":
     case "switch":
     case "ternary":
     case "while": {
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ export function mapOptionalFallthroughs(
       const _: BlockId = terminal.fallthrough;
       break;
     }
-    case "optional-call": {
+    case "optional": {
       const _: BlockId = terminal.fallthrough;
       break;
     }
@@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ export function* eachTerminalSuccessor(terminal: Terminal): Iterable<BlockId> {
       }
       break;
     }
-    case "optional-call":
+    case "optional":
     case "ternary":
     case "logical": {
       yield terminal.test;
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ export function mapTerminalOperands(
       break;
     }
     case "label":
-    case "optional-call":
+    case "optional":
     case "ternary":
     case "logical":
     case "do-while":
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ export function* eachTerminalOperand(terminal: Terminal): Iterable<Place> {
       break;
     }
     case "label":
-    case "optional-call":
+    case "optional":
     case "ternary":
     case "logical":
     case "do-while":
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/Inference/InlineUseMemo.ts b/compiler/forget/src/Inference/InlineUseMemo.ts
index 8664111f87..78ace5f73c 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/Inference/InlineUseMemo.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/Inference/InlineUseMemo.ts
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ export function inlineUseMemo(fn: HIRFunction): void {
               }
               // These all have non-nullable fallthroughs: there is always some code in the
               // CFG that succeeds them which we should find instead
-              case "optional-call":
+              case "optional":
               case "ternary":
               case "logical":
               case "while":
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ function getTerminalBlock(cfg: HIR, start: BlockId): BasicBlock {
           return current;
         }
       }
-      case "optional-call":
+      case "optional":
       case "ternary":
       case "logical":
       case "while":
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/BuildReactiveFunction.ts b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/BuildReactiveFunction.ts
index ac14e933ee..3d5427f212 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/BuildReactiveFunction.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/BuildReactiveFunction.ts
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ class Driver {
 
         break;
       }
-      case "optional-call":
+      case "optional":
       case "ternary":
       case "logical": {
         const fallthroughId = terminal.fallthrough;
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ class Driver {
     id: InstructionId;
   } {
     switch (terminal.kind) {
-      case "optional-call": {
+      case "optional": {
         const test = this.visitValueBlock(terminal.test, terminal.loc);
         const testBlock = this.cx.ir.blocks.get(test.block)!;
         invariant(
@@ -785,9 +785,9 @@ class Driver {
         return {
           place: { ...consequent.place },
           value: {
-            kind: "OptionalCall",
+            kind: "OptionalExpression",
             optional: terminal.optional,
-            call: call,
+            value: call,
             id: terminal.id,
             loc: terminal.loc,
           },
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/CodegenReactiveFunction.ts b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/CodegenReactiveFunction.ts
index 23e55817f3..129986cb70 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/CodegenReactiveFunction.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/CodegenReactiveFunction.ts
@@ -684,8 +684,8 @@ function codegenInstructionValue(
       value = createCallExpression(instrValue.loc, callee, args);
       break;
     }
-    case "OptionalCall": {
-      const optionalValue = codegenInstructionValue(cx, instrValue.call);
+    case "OptionalExpression": {
+      const optionalValue = codegenInstructionValue(cx, instrValue.value);
       switch (optionalValue.type) {
         case "OptionalCallExpression":
         case "CallExpression": {
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/MergeOverlappingReactiveScopes.ts b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/MergeOverlappingReactiveScopes.ts
index e970b5a438..677c18796c 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/MergeOverlappingReactiveScopes.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/MergeOverlappingReactiveScopes.ts
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ class Visitor extends ReactiveFunctionVisitor<Context> {
     if (
       instruction.value.kind === "ConditionalExpression" ||
       instruction.value.kind === "LogicalExpression" ||
-      instruction.value.kind === "OptionalCall"
+      instruction.value.kind === "OptionalExpression"
     ) {
       state.enter(() => {
         super.visitInstruction(instruction, state);
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PrintReactiveFunction.ts b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PrintReactiveFunction.ts
index dc50874395..af8b5b07d4 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PrintReactiveFunction.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PrintReactiveFunction.ts
@@ -151,11 +151,11 @@ function printReactiveValue(writer: Writer, value: ReactiveValue): void {
       });
       break;
     }
-    case "OptionalCall": {
-      writer.append(`OptionalCall optional=${value.optional}`);
+    case "OptionalExpression": {
+      writer.append(`OptionalExpression optional=${value.optional}`);
       writer.newline();
       writer.indented(() => {
-        printReactiveValue(writer, value.call);
+        printReactiveValue(writer, value.value);
       });
       break;
     }
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PropagateScopeDependencies.ts b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PropagateScopeDependencies.ts
index 39bf3807fd..5c27e56e1e 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PropagateScopeDependencies.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PropagateScopeDependencies.ts
@@ -450,9 +450,9 @@ class PropagationVisitor extends ReactiveFunctionVisitor<Context> {
     value: ReactiveValue
   ): void {
     switch (value.kind) {
-      case "OptionalCall": {
+      case "OptionalExpression": {
         context.enterConditional(() => {
-          this.visitReactiveValue(context, id, value.call);
+          this.visitReactiveValue(context, id, value.value);
         });
         break;
       }
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PruneNonEscapingScopes.ts b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PruneNonEscapingScopes.ts
index 1cdd9bd3e8..9ced59c1e5 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PruneNonEscapingScopes.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/PruneNonEscapingScopes.ts
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ function computeMemoizationInputs(
         rvalues: [value.value],
       };
     }
-    case "OptionalCall":
+    case "OptionalExpression":
     case "RegExpLiteral":
     case "FunctionExpression":
     case "TaggedTemplateExpression":
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/visitors.ts b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/visitors.ts
index 1c1a4c2b36..d7b80fd8b8 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/visitors.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/ReactiveScopes/visitors.ts
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ export class ReactiveFunctionVisitor<TState = void> {
   }
   traverseValue(id: InstructionId, value: ReactiveValue, state: TState): void {
     switch (value.kind) {
-      case "OptionalCall": {
-        this.visitValue(id, value.call, state);
+      case "OptionalExpression": {
+        this.visitValue(id, value.value, state);
         break;
       }
       case "LogicalExpression": {
@@ -290,8 +290,8 @@ export function* eachReactiveValueOperand(
   instrValue: ReactiveValue
 ): Iterable<Place> {
   switch (instrValue.kind) {
-    case "OptionalCall": {
-      yield* eachReactiveValueOperand(instrValue.call);
+    case "OptionalExpression": {
+      yield* eachReactiveValueOperand(instrValue.value);
       break;
     }
     case "LogicalExpression": {
diff --git a/compiler/forget/src/Utils/VisualizeHIRMermaid.ts b/compiler/forget/src/Utils/VisualizeHIRMermaid.ts
index a265bb5361..73bd38fbab 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/src/Utils/VisualizeHIRMermaid.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/src/Utils/VisualizeHIRMermaid.ts
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ function printTerminalLabel(terminal: Terminal): string {
       buffer.push("Ternary");
       break;
     }
-    case "optional-call": {
-      buffer.push("OptionalCall");
+    case "optional": {
+      buffer.push("Optional");
       break;
     }
     case "do-while": {
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ function printTerminalArrows(blockId: BlockId, terminal: Terminal): string {
       buffer.push(printJumpArrow(blockId, terminal.fallthrough, "fallthrough"));
       break;
     }
-    case "optional-call": {
+    case "optional": {
       buffer.push(printJumpArrow(blockId, terminal.test, "test"));
       buffer.push(printJumpArrow(blockId, terminal.fallthrough, "fallthrough"));
       break;