diff --git a/vlib/os/inode_test.v b/vlib/os/inode_test.v
index 04ca6b33f0..7e875486d5 100644
--- a/vlib/os/inode_test.v
+++ b/vlib/os/inode_test.v
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ fn testsuite_end() {
 
 fn test_inode_file_type() {
 	filename := './test1.txt'
-	mut file := os.open_file(filename, 'w', 0o600)
-	file.close()
+	if file := os.open_file(filename, 'w', 0o600) {
+		file.close()
+	}
 	mode := os.inode(filename)
 	os.rm(filename)
 	assert mode.typ == .regular
@@ -33,8 +34,9 @@ fn test_inode_file_type() {
 
 fn test_inode_file_owner_permission() {
 	filename := './test2.txt'
-	mut file := os.open_file(filename, 'w', 0o600)
-	file.close()
+	if file := os.open_file(filename, 'w', 0o600) {
+		file.close()
+	}
 	mode := os.inode(filename)
 	os.rm(filename)
 	assert mode.owner.read
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index c486bb9749..4059a07584 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ fn (c mut Checker) assign_expr(assign_expr mut ast.AssignExpr) {
 		right_type_sym := c.table.get_type_symbol(right_type)
 		c.error('cannot assign `$right_type_sym.name` to `$left_type_sym.name`', assign_expr.pos)
 	}
+	c.check_expr_opt_call(assign_expr.val, right_type, true)
 }
 
 pub fn (c mut Checker) call_expr(call_expr mut ast.CallExpr) table.Type {
@@ -396,49 +397,72 @@ pub fn (c mut Checker) call_expr(call_expr mut ast.CallExpr) table.Type {
 	}
 }
 
-pub fn (c mut Checker) check_or_block(call_expr mut ast.CallExpr, ret_type table.Type) {
-	if call_expr.or_block.is_used {
-		stmts_len := call_expr.or_block.stmts.len
-		if stmts_len != 0 {
-			last_stmt := call_expr.or_block.stmts[stmts_len - 1]
-
-			if c.is_or_block_stmt_valid(last_stmt) {
-				match last_stmt {
-					ast.ExprStmt {
-						type_fits := c.table.check(c.expr(it.expr), ret_type)
-						is_panic_or_exit := is_expr_panic_or_exit(it.expr)
-						if !type_fits && !is_panic_or_exit {
-							type_name := c.table.get_type_symbol(c.expr(it.expr)).name
-							expected_type_name := c.table.get_type_symbol(ret_type).name
-							c.error('wrong return type ‘$type_name‘ in or{} block, expected ‘$expected_type_name‘', it.pos)
-						}
-					}
-					ast.BranchStmt {
-						if !(it.tok.kind in [.key_continue, .key_break]) {
-							c.error('only break and continue are allowed as a final branch statement in an or{} block', it.tok.position())
-						}
-					}
-					else {}
-				}
-			} else {
-				expected_type_name := c.table.get_type_symbol(ret_type).name
-				c.error('last statement in or{} block should return ‘$expected_type_name‘', call_expr.pos)
+pub fn (c mut Checker) check_expr_opt_call(x ast.Expr, xtype table.Type, is_return_used bool){
+	match x {
+		ast.CallExpr {
+			if table.type_is(it.return_type, .optional) {
+				c.check_or_block(it, xtype, is_return_used)
 			}
-		} else {
-			c.error('require a statement in or{} block', call_expr.pos)
 		}
+		else{}
+	}
+}
+
+pub fn (c mut Checker) check_or_block(call_expr mut ast.CallExpr, ret_type table.Type, is_ret_used bool) {
+	if !call_expr.or_block.is_used {
+		c.error('${call_expr.name}() returns an option, but you missed to add an `or {}` block to it', call_expr.pos)
+		return
+	}
+	stmts_len := call_expr.or_block.stmts.len
+	if stmts_len == 0 {
+		if is_ret_used {
+			// x := f() or {}
+			c.error('assignment requires a non empty `or {}` block', call_expr.pos)
+			return
+		}
+		// allow `f() or {}`
+		return
+	}
+	last_stmt := call_expr.or_block.stmts[stmts_len - 1]
+	if is_ret_used {
+		if !c.is_last_or_block_stmt_valid(last_stmt) {
+			expected_type_name := c.table.get_type_symbol(ret_type).name
+			c.error('last statement in the `or {}` block should return ‘$expected_type_name‘', call_expr.pos)
+			return
+		}
+		match last_stmt {
+			ast.ExprStmt {
+				type_fits := c.table.check(c.expr(it.expr), ret_type)
+				is_panic_or_exit := is_expr_panic_or_exit(it.expr)
+				if type_fits || is_panic_or_exit {
+					return
+				}
+				type_name := c.table.get_type_symbol(c.expr(it.expr)).name
+				expected_type_name := c.table.get_type_symbol(ret_type).name
+				c.error('wrong return type `$type_name` in the `or {}` block, expected `$expected_type_name`', it.pos)
+				return
+			}
+			ast.BranchStmt {
+				if !(it.tok.kind in [.key_continue, .key_break]) {
+					c.error('only break/continue is allowed as a branch statement in the end of an `or {}` block', it.tok.position())
+					return
+				}
+			}
+			else {}
+		}
+		return
 	}
 }
 
 fn is_expr_panic_or_exit(expr ast.Expr) bool {
 	match expr {
-		ast.CallExpr { return it.name == 'panic' || it.name == 'exit' }
+		ast.CallExpr { return it.name in ['panic','exit'] }
 		else { return false }
 	}
 }
 
 // TODO: merge to check_or_block when v can handle it
-pub fn (c mut Checker) is_or_block_stmt_valid(stmt ast.Stmt) bool {
+pub fn (c mut Checker) is_last_or_block_stmt_valid(stmt ast.Stmt) bool {
 	return match stmt {
 		ast.Return { true }
 		ast.BranchStmt { true }
@@ -555,6 +579,7 @@ pub fn (c mut Checker) assign_stmt(assign_stmt mut ast.AssignStmt) {
 			assign_stmt.right_types << val_type
 			scope.update_var_type(ident.name, val_type)
 		}
+		c.check_expr_opt_call(assign_stmt.right[0], right_type, true)
 	} else {
 		// `a := 1` | `a,b := 1,2`
 		if assign_stmt.left.len != assign_stmt.right.len {
@@ -581,6 +606,7 @@ pub fn (c mut Checker) assign_stmt(assign_stmt mut ast.AssignStmt) {
 			assign_stmt.left[i] = ident
 			assign_stmt.right_types << val_type
 			scope.update_var_type(ident.name, val_type)
+			c.check_expr_opt_call(assign_stmt.right[i], val_type, true)
 		}
 	}
 	c.expected_type = table.void_type
@@ -711,8 +737,9 @@ fn (c mut Checker) stmt(node ast.Stmt) {
 			}
 		}
 		ast.ExprStmt {
-			c.expr(it.expr)
+			etype := c.expr(it.expr)
 			c.expected_type = table.void_type
+			c.check_expr_opt_call(it.expr, etype, false)
 		}
 		ast.FnDecl {
 			// if it.is_method {
@@ -851,9 +878,7 @@ pub fn (c mut Checker) expr(node ast.Expr) table.Type {
 			return it.typ
 		}
 		ast.CallExpr {
-			call_ret_type := c.call_expr(mut it)
-			c.check_or_block(mut it, call_ret_type)
-			return call_ret_type
+			return c.call_expr(mut it)
 		}
 		ast.CharLiteral {
 			return table.byte_type
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/defer_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/defer_test.v
index ee2cb21d94..b0e48870d2 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/defer_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/defer_test.v
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ mut:
 }
 
 fn test_defer_early_exit() {
-	mut sum := Num{
-		0}
+	mut sum := Num{0}
 	for i in 0 .. 10 {
 		set_num(i, mut sum)
 	}
@@ -57,6 +56,6 @@ fn test_defer_early_exit() {
 
 fn test_defer_option() {
 	mut ok := Num{0}
-	set_num_opt(mut ok)
+	set_num_opt(mut ok) or {}
 	assert ok.val == 1
 }
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/option_if_assign_and_fallthrough_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/option_if_assign_and_fallthrough_test.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e37fe77524
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/option_if_assign_and_fallthrough_test.v
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+fn err_call(ok bool) ?int {
+	if ok {
+		return 42
+	}
+	return error('Not ok!')
+}
+
+fn test_if_opt() {
+	if val := err_call(true) {
+		eprintln('  val should be available here: $val')
+		assert val == 42
+	}
+	assert true
+}
+
+fn test_opt_with_fall_through() {
+	mut x := 1
+	err_call(false) or {
+		eprintln('  this *should* be an error: $err')
+		x++
+		assert true
+	}
+	assert x == 2
+}