diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7865b4c9..d82cb642 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+## 2.3.17 (WIP)
+
+* Fix optional chaining not working in EJS code
+
 ## 2.3.16 (2024-02-15)
 
 * Trigger `HePlaceholder` render when made & inserted in the DOM manually
diff --git a/lib/core/hawkejs.js b/lib/core/hawkejs.js
index 5bd03283..039771ff 100644
--- a/lib/core/hawkejs.js
+++ b/lib/core/hawkejs.js
@@ -942,7 +942,8 @@ Main.setMethod(function parseTemplateSyntax(source, name, wrap_ejs) {
  */
 Main.setMethod(function rewriteVariableReferences(code, scopes, level) {
 
-	var result = '',
+	let prev_value,
+	    result = '',
 	    tokens = Fn.tokenize(code, true),
 	    token,
 	    next,
@@ -975,7 +976,7 @@ Main.setMethod(function rewriteVariableReferences(code, scopes, level) {
 		if (token.type == 'name') {
 
 			// We don't modify property names
-			if (!prev || (prev && prev.value != '.')) {
+			if (prev_value != '.' && prev_value != '?.') {
 				if (next && next.type == 'punct' && next.value == ':') {
 					// Skip key names in object literals
 					continue;
@@ -1015,6 +1016,7 @@ Main.setMethod(function rewriteVariableReferences(code, scopes, level) {
 		}
 
 		prev = token;
+		prev_value = token.value;
 	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < tokens.length; i++) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index bd0258b6..c5da6546 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
 	"name": "hawkejs",
 	"description": "Asynchronous Embedded JavaScript templates",
-	"version": "2.3.16",
+	"version": "2.3.17-alpha",
 	"author": "Jelle De Loecker <jelle@elevenways.be>",
 	"keywords": [
 		"template",
diff --git a/test/10-expressions.js b/test/10-expressions.js
index 82b6f878..6bb48d20 100644
--- a/test/10-expressions.js
+++ b/test/10-expressions.js
@@ -820,6 +820,30 @@ This should be a converted variable:
 
 	});
 
+	describe('EJS', function() {
+
+		let tests = [
+			[
+				`<% if (bla?.bla?.bla) { %>BLA<% } else { %>NO BLA<% } %>`,
+				`NO BLA`
+			],
+			[
+				`<%= test?.two?.three?.four %>`,
+				`4`
+			],
+			[
+				`<%= test?.two?.doesnotexist ?? my_obj?.a %>`,
+				`a`
+			],
+			[
+				`<%= is_null ?? my_obj?.a %>`,
+				`a`
+			],
+		];
+
+		createTests(tests);
+	});
+
 	return;
 
 	describe('None existing method calls', function() {
@@ -871,6 +895,7 @@ function createTests(tests) {
 				__test    : {nested: {value: 'test'}},
 				c         : 'c',
 				str_bla   : 'bla',
+				is_null   : null,
 				empty_arr : [],
 				full_arr  : [0],
 				single    : [0],