diff --git a/expr.go b/expr.go
index a668eb9..3d29be9 100644
--- a/expr.go
+++ b/expr.go
@@ -32,47 +32,14 @@ func (t *Template) evalExpr(expr ast.Expr, local map[string]any) (any, error) {
 	return a.Interface(), nil
 }
 
-func (t *Template) performOp(a, b reflect.Value, op ast.Operator) (any, error) {
+func (t *Template) performOp(a, b reflect.Value, op ast.Operator) (result any, err error) {
 	if op.Value == "in" {
-		switch b.Kind() {
-		case reflect.Slice, reflect.Array:
-			if a.CanConvert(b.Type().Elem()) {
-				a = a.Convert(b.Type().Elem())
-			} else {
-				return nil, ast.PosError(op, "mismatched types in expression (%s and %s)", a.Type(), b.Type())
-			}
-		case reflect.Map:
-			if a.CanConvert(b.Type().Key()) {
-				a = a.Convert(b.Type().Key())
-			} else {
-				return nil, ast.PosError(op, "mismatched types in expression (%s and %s)", a.Type(), b.Type())
-			}
-		case reflect.String:
-			if a.Kind() != reflect.String {
-				return nil, ast.PosError(op, "mismatched types in expression (%s and %s)", a.Type(), b.Type())
-			}
-		default:
-			return nil, ast.PosError(op, "the in operator can only be used on strings, arrays, and slices (got %s and %s)", a.Type(), b.Type())
-		}
-	} else if !a.IsValid() && !b.IsValid() {
-		return true, nil
-	} else if !a.IsValid() {
-		return nil, ast.PosError(op, "nil must be on the right side of an expression")
-	} else if !b.IsValid() {
-		if op.Value != "==" && op.Value != "!=" {
-			return nil, ast.PosError(op, "invalid operator for nil value (expected == or !=, got %s)", op.Value)
-		}
-
-		switch a.Kind() {
-		case reflect.Chan, reflect.Slice, reflect.Map, reflect.Func, reflect.Interface, reflect.Pointer:
-			if op.Value == "==" {
-				return a.IsNil(), nil
-			} else {
-				return !a.IsNil(), nil
-			}
-		default:
-			return nil, ast.PosError(op, "values of type %s cannot be compared against nil", a.Type())
+		a, b, err = handleIn(op, a, b)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
 		}
+	} else if !a.IsValid() || !b.IsValid() {
+		return handleNil(op, a, b)
 	} else if b.CanConvert(a.Type()) {
 		b = b.Convert(a.Type())
 	} else {
@@ -193,3 +160,51 @@ func (t *Template) performOp(a, b reflect.Value, op ast.Operator) (any, error) {
 	}
 	return false, ast.PosError(op, "unknown operator: %q", op.Value)
 }
+
+func handleIn(op ast.Operator, a, b reflect.Value) (c, d reflect.Value, err error) {
+	switch b.Kind() {
+	case reflect.Slice, reflect.Array:
+		if a.CanConvert(b.Type().Elem()) {
+			a = a.Convert(b.Type().Elem())
+		} else {
+			return a, b, ast.PosError(op, "mismatched types in expression (%s and %s)", a.Type(), b.Type())
+		}
+	case reflect.Map:
+		if a.CanConvert(b.Type().Key()) {
+			a = a.Convert(b.Type().Key())
+		} else {
+			return a, b, ast.PosError(op, "mismatched types in expression (%s and %s)", a.Type(), b.Type())
+		}
+	case reflect.String:
+		if a.Kind() != reflect.String {
+			return a, b, ast.PosError(op, "mismatched types in expression (%s and %s)", a.Type(), b.Type())
+		}
+	default:
+		return a, b, ast.PosError(op, "the in operator can only be used on strings, arrays, and slices (got %s and %s)", a.Type(), b.Type())
+	}
+	return a, b, nil
+}
+
+func handleNil(op ast.Operator, a, b reflect.Value) (any, error) {
+	if !a.IsValid() && !b.IsValid() {
+		return true, nil
+	} else if !a.IsValid() {
+		return nil, ast.PosError(op, "nil must be on the right side of an expression")
+	} else if !b.IsValid() {
+		if op.Value != "==" && op.Value != "!=" {
+			return nil, ast.PosError(op, "invalid operator for nil value (expected == or !=, got %s)", op.Value)
+		}
+
+		switch a.Kind() {
+		case reflect.Chan, reflect.Slice, reflect.Map, reflect.Func, reflect.Interface, reflect.Pointer:
+			if op.Value == "==" {
+				return a.IsNil(), nil
+			} else {
+				return !a.IsNil(), nil
+			}
+		default:
+			return nil, ast.PosError(op, "values of type %s cannot be compared against nil", a.Type())
+		}
+	}
+	return nil, nil
+}