diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index 5195d75d7edf45..4f787ea53192a4 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -1355,16 +1355,20 @@ fn (mut c Checker) check_or_expr(node ast.OrExpr, ret_type ast.Type, expr_return
 	}
 	if node.stmts.len == 0 {
 		if expr is ast.CallExpr && expr.is_return_used {
-			// x := f() or {}
-			c.error('assignment requires a non empty `or {}` block', node.pos)
+			// x := f() or {}, || f() or {} etc
+			c.error('expression requires a non empty `or {}` block', node.pos)
 		}
 		// allow `f() or {}`
 		return
 	}
 	mut valid_stmts := node.stmts.filter(it !is ast.SemicolonStmt)
 	mut last_stmt := if valid_stmts.len > 0 { valid_stmts.last() } else { node.stmts.last() }
-	if expr !is ast.CallExpr || (expr is ast.CallExpr && expr.is_return_used) {
+	if expr is ast.CallExpr && expr.is_return_used {
+		// requires a block returning an unwrapped type of callexpr return type
 		c.check_or_last_stmt(mut last_stmt, ret_type, expr_return_type.clear_option_and_result())
+	} else {
+		// allow f() or { var = 123 }
+		c.check_or_last_stmt(mut last_stmt, ast.void_type, expr_return_type.clear_option_and_result())
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/lambda_expr.v b/vlib/v/checker/lambda_expr.v
index 12575c5ee0831a..ffa9966954277b 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/lambda_expr.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/lambda_expr.v
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) lambda_expr(mut node ast.LambdaExpr, exp_typ ast.Type) as
 				is_expr: false
 				typ:     return_type
 			}
+			if mut node.expr is ast.CallExpr && node.expr.is_return_used {
+				node.expr.is_return_used = false
+			}
 		} else {
 			stmts << ast.Return{
 				pos:   node.pos
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/call_empty_or_block_err.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/call_empty_or_block_err.out
index aaf409e6375b3f..18a9f483fca203 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/tests/call_empty_or_block_err.out
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/call_empty_or_block_err.out
@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@ vlib/v/checker/tests/call_empty_or_block_err.vv:35:2: warning: unused variable:
       |     ^
    36 |         foo() or {}
    37 |         false
-vlib/v/checker/tests/call_empty_or_block_err.vv:9:24: error: assignment requires a non empty `or {}` block
+vlib/v/checker/tests/call_empty_or_block_err.vv:9:24: error: expression requires a non empty `or {}` block
     7 | 
     8 | fn main() {
     9 |     a := foo() or { foo() or {} }
       |                           ~~~~~
    10 | 
    11 |     // must be error
-vlib/v/checker/tests/call_empty_or_block_err.vv:14:9: error: assignment requires a non empty `or {}` block
+vlib/v/checker/tests/call_empty_or_block_err.vv:14:9: error: expression requires a non empty `or {}` block
    12 |     y := if c := foo() {
    13 |         dump(c)
    14 |         bar() or {}
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/or_block_check_err.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/or_block_check_err.out
index c4fb27bba829b6..854bbe1d662c32 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/tests/or_block_check_err.out
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/or_block_check_err.out
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-vlib/v/checker/tests/or_block_check_err.vv:6:36: error: assignment requires a non empty `or {}` block
+vlib/v/checker/tests/or_block_check_err.vv:6:36: error: expression requires a non empty `or {}` block
     4 | 
     5 | fn main() {
     6 |     _ = callexpr_with_or_block_call() or {}.replace('a', 'b')
       |                                       ~~~~~
     7 |     _ = (callexpr_with_or_block_call() or {}).replace('a', 'b')
     8 |
-vlib/v/checker/tests/or_block_check_err.vv:7:37: error: assignment requires a non empty `or {}` block
+vlib/v/checker/tests/or_block_check_err.vv:7:37: error: expression requires a non empty `or {}` block
     5 | fn main() {
     6 |     _ = callexpr_with_or_block_call() or {}.replace('a', 'b')
     7 |     _ = (callexpr_with_or_block_call() or {}).replace('a', 'b')
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/orm_no_default_value.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/orm_no_default_value.out
index 43d11d19b53be4..104496004e15e9 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/tests/orm_no_default_value.out
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/orm_no_default_value.out
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-vlib/v/checker/tests/orm_no_default_value.vv:11:4: error: assignment requires a non empty `or {}` block
+vlib/v/checker/tests/orm_no_default_value.vv:11:4: error: expression requires a non empty `or {}` block
     9 |     _ := sql db {
    10 |         select from Person
    11 |     } or {
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/expr.v b/vlib/v/parser/expr.v
index b7774a641091a3..bbfbe197ca2bdf 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/expr.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/expr.v
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ fn (mut p Parser) lambda_expr() ?ast.LambdaExpr {
 		}
 	}
 	pos_expr := p.tok.pos()
-	e := p.expr_no_value(0)
+	e := p.expr(0)
 	pos_end := p.tok.pos()
 	return ast.LambdaExpr{
 		pos:      pos.extend(e.pos())