diff --git a/lib/nodes.js b/lib/nodes.js
index 2ce6fdab..6b1fdc64 100644
--- a/lib/nodes.js
+++ b/lib/nodes.js
@@ -1702,7 +1702,7 @@
       if (this.isExistentialEquals) {
         return new If(new Existence(fst).invert(), this.second, {
           type: 'if'
-        }).compile(o);
+        }).addElse(fst).compile(o);
       } else {
         return new If(new Existence(fst), ref, {
           type: 'if'
diff --git a/src/nodes.coffee b/src/nodes.coffee
index 7e6e2dbe..ee7dc965 100644
--- a/src/nodes.coffee
+++ b/src/nodes.coffee
@@ -1317,7 +1317,7 @@ exports.Op = class Op extends Base
       fst = @first
       ref = fst
     if @isExistentialEquals
-      new If(new Existence(fst).invert(), @second, type: 'if').compile o
+      new If(new Existence(fst).invert(), @second, type: 'if').addElse(fst).compile o
     else
       new If(new Existence(fst), ref, type: 'if').addElse(@second).compile o
 
diff --git a/test/assignment.coffee b/test/assignment.coffee
index f9fbb5e0..c3305e42 100644
--- a/test/assignment.coffee
+++ b/test/assignment.coffee
@@ -268,3 +268,9 @@ test "existential assignment", ->
   eq nonce, c
   d ?= nonce
   eq nonce, d
+
+test "#1348, #1216: existential assignment comilation", ->
+  nonce = {}
+  a = nonce
+  b = (a ?= 0)
+  eq nonce, b