From 8ba76f2983c66f7910da5d3981ac0854aacd516f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2026 17:22:15 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 1/4] Initial plan


From aa6b754e5bdd1d89ddbf9c51d9c64ade9b0fc80b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2026 17:32:17 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 2/4] fix parser short-circuit for chained literal OR fallbacks

Co-authored-by: aarne <82001+aarne@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts |  5 +++++
 packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts  | 22 +++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 27 insertions(+)

diff --git a/packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts b/packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts
index 837999dd..134eeba3 100644
--- a/packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts
+++ b/packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts
@@ -5237,13 +5237,18 @@ function buildBridgeBody(
 
     let falsyFallback: string | undefined;
     let falsyControl: ControlFlowInstruction | undefined;
+    let hasTruthyLiteralFallback = false;
     for (const alt of subs(wireNode, "nullAlt")) {
+      if (hasTruthyLiteralFallback) continue;
       const altResult = extractCoalesceAlt(alt, lineNum);
       if ("literal" in altResult) {
         falsyFallback = altResult.literal;
+        hasTruthyLiteralFallback = Boolean(JSON.parse(altResult.literal));
       } else if ("control" in altResult) {
+        falsyFallback = undefined;
         falsyControl = altResult.control;
       } else {
+        falsyFallback = undefined;
         sourceParts.push({ ref: altResult.sourceRef, isPipeFork: false });
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts b/packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts
index c1fa86cc..ce0f6243 100644
--- a/packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts
+++ b/packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts
@@ -649,6 +649,28 @@ bridge Query.lookup {
     assert.equal(data.label, "fallback");
   });
 
+  test("?. with chained || literals short-circuits at first truthy literal", async () => {
+    const doc = parseBridge(`version 1.5
+const lorem = {
+  "ipsum":"dolor sit amet",
+  "consetetur":8.9
+}
+
+bridge Query.lookup {
+  with const
+  with output as o
+
+  o.label <- const.lorem.ipsums?.kala || "A" || "B"
+}`);
+    const gateway = createGateway(typeDefs, doc, { tools: {} });
+    const executor = buildHTTPExecutor({ fetch: gateway.fetch as any });
+
+    const result: any = await executor({
+      document: parse(`{ lookup(q: "x") { label } }`),
+    });
+    assert.equal(result.data.lookup.label, "A");
+  });
+
   test("?. passes through value when tool succeeds", async () => {
     const { data } = await run(
       `version 1.5

From e7fade1be01c732ab9eff062fb62bd6a90d796aa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2026 17:35:06 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 3/4] test and parser update for chained literal OR fallback
 order

Co-authored-by: aarne <82001+aarne@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts b/packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts
index 134eeba3..e6b2d59b 100644
--- a/packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts
+++ b/packages/bridge-parser/src/parser/parser.ts
@@ -5239,7 +5239,7 @@ function buildBridgeBody(
     let falsyControl: ControlFlowInstruction | undefined;
     let hasTruthyLiteralFallback = false;
     for (const alt of subs(wireNode, "nullAlt")) {
-      if (hasTruthyLiteralFallback) continue;
+      if (hasTruthyLiteralFallback) break;
       const altResult = extractCoalesceAlt(alt, lineNum);
       if ("literal" in altResult) {
         falsyFallback = altResult.literal;

From 9d0f23d7372e870eb460d8eff0739d7fd22e9edb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2026 17:45:39 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 4/4] test mixed || ?? chain semantics and add release
 changeset

Co-authored-by: aarne <82001+aarne@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 .changeset/tough-cups-smoke.md             |  6 ++++++
 packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts | 22 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 28 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 .changeset/tough-cups-smoke.md

diff --git a/.changeset/tough-cups-smoke.md b/.changeset/tough-cups-smoke.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3349eb9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/tough-cups-smoke.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"@stackables/bridge": patch
+"@stackables/bridge-parser": patch
+---
+
+Fix chained `||` literal fallback parsing so authored left-to-right short-circuiting is preserved after safe pulls (`?.`), and add regression coverage for mixed `||` + `??` chains.
diff --git a/packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts b/packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts
index ce0f6243..6dfb8741 100644
--- a/packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts
+++ b/packages/bridge/test/coalesce-cost.test.ts
@@ -671,6 +671,28 @@ bridge Query.lookup {
     assert.equal(result.data.lookup.label, "A");
   });
 
+  test("mixed || and ?? remains left-to-right with first truthy || winner", async () => {
+    const doc = parseBridge(`version 1.5
+const lorem = {
+  "ipsum": "dolor sit amet",
+  "consetetur": 8.9
+}
+
+bridge Query.lookup {
+  with const
+  with output as o
+
+  o.label <- const.lorem.kala || const.lorem.ipsums?.mees || "B" ?? "C"
+}`);
+    const gateway = createGateway(typeDefs, doc, { tools: {} });
+    const executor = buildHTTPExecutor({ fetch: gateway.fetch as any });
+
+    const result: any = await executor({
+      document: parse(`{ lookup(q: "x") { label } }`),
+    });
+    assert.equal(result.data.lookup.label, "B");
+  });
+
   test("?. passes through value when tool succeeds", async () => {
     const { data } = await run(
       `version 1.5