diff --git a/lib/hyperscript/compiler.sx b/lib/hyperscript/compiler.sx
index fc3ad1e8..a501316f 100644
--- a/lib/hyperscript/compiler.sx
+++ b/lib/hyperscript/compiler.sx
@@ -1703,6 +1703,16 @@
                   (quote hs-type-check-strict)
                   (hs-to-sx (nth ast 1))
                   (nth ast 2)))
+              ((= head (quote type-assert))
+                (list
+                  (quote hs-type-assert)
+                  (hs-to-sx (nth ast 1))
+                  (nth ast 2)))
+              ((= head (quote type-assert-strict))
+                (list
+                  (quote hs-type-assert-strict)
+                  (hs-to-sx (nth ast 1))
+                  (nth ast 2)))
               ((= head (quote strict-eq))
                 (list
                   (quote hs-strict-eq)
diff --git a/lib/hyperscript/parser.sx b/lib/hyperscript/parser.sx
index 3d88a560..901c7b2a 100644
--- a/lib/hyperscript/parser.sx
+++ b/lib/hyperscript/parser.sx
@@ -678,8 +678,8 @@
                         (when strict (adv!))
                         (if
                           strict
-                          (list (quote type-check-strict) left type-name)
-                          (list (quote type-check) left type-name)))))))
+                          (list (quote type-assert-strict) left type-name)
+                          (list (quote type-assert) left type-name)))))))
               ((and (= typ "keyword") (= val "of"))
                 (do
                   (adv!)
diff --git a/lib/hyperscript/runtime.sx b/lib/hyperscript/runtime.sx
index fd276cd1..d4d433f0 100644
--- a/lib/hyperscript/runtime.sx
+++ b/lib/hyperscript/runtime.sx
@@ -769,28 +769,48 @@
     (dom-set-style target prop (str to-val))
     (when duration (hs-settle target))))
 
-(define
-  hs-type-check
-  (fn
-    (value type-name)
-    (if
-      (nil? value)
-      value
-      (let
-        ((matches (cond ((= type-name "Number") (number? value)) ((= type-name "String") (string? value)) ((= type-name "Boolean") (or (= value true) (= value false))) ((= type-name "Array") (list? value)) ((= type-name "Object") (dict? value)) ((= type-name "Element") (= (host-typeof value) "element")) ((= type-name "Node") (or (= (host-typeof value) "element") (= (host-typeof value) "text"))) (true (= (host-typeof value) (downcase type-name))))))
-        (if
-          matches
-          value
-          (raise (str "Typecheck failed! expected " type-name)))))))
+(begin
+  (define
+    hs-type-check
+    (fn
+      (value type-name)
+      (if
+        (nil? value)
+        true
+        (cond
+          ((= type-name "Number") (number? value))
+          ((= type-name "String") (string? value))
+          ((= type-name "Boolean") (or (= value true) (= value false)))
+          ((= type-name "Array") (list? value))
+          ((= type-name "Object") (dict? value))
+          ((= type-name "Element") (= (host-typeof value) "element"))
+          ((= type-name "Node")
+            (or
+              (= (host-typeof value) "element")
+              (= (host-typeof value) "text")))
+          (true (= (host-typeof value) (downcase type-name)))))))
+  (define
+    hs-type-assert
+    (fn
+      (value type-name)
+      (if
+        (hs-type-check value type-name)
+        value
+        (raise (str "Typecheck failed! expected " type-name)))))
+  (define
+    hs-type-assert-strict
+    (fn
+      (value type-name)
+      (if
+        (nil? value)
+        (raise (str "Typecheck failed! expected " type-name " but got nil"))
+        (hs-type-assert value type-name)))))
 
 (define
   hs-type-check-strict
   (fn
     (value type-name)
-    (if
-      (nil? value)
-      (raise (str "Typecheck failed! expected " type-name " but got nil"))
-      (hs-type-check value type-name))))
+    (if (nil? value) false (hs-type-check value type-name))))
 
 (define
   hs-strict-eq
diff --git a/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-compiler.sx b/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-compiler.sx
index fc3ad1e8..a501316f 100644
--- a/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-compiler.sx
+++ b/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-compiler.sx
@@ -1703,6 +1703,16 @@
                   (quote hs-type-check-strict)
                   (hs-to-sx (nth ast 1))
                   (nth ast 2)))
+              ((= head (quote type-assert))
+                (list
+                  (quote hs-type-assert)
+                  (hs-to-sx (nth ast 1))
+                  (nth ast 2)))
+              ((= head (quote type-assert-strict))
+                (list
+                  (quote hs-type-assert-strict)
+                  (hs-to-sx (nth ast 1))
+                  (nth ast 2)))
               ((= head (quote strict-eq))
                 (list
                   (quote hs-strict-eq)
diff --git a/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-parser.sx b/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-parser.sx
index 3d88a560..901c7b2a 100644
--- a/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-parser.sx
+++ b/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-parser.sx
@@ -678,8 +678,8 @@
                         (when strict (adv!))
                         (if
                           strict
-                          (list (quote type-check-strict) left type-name)
-                          (list (quote type-check) left type-name)))))))
+                          (list (quote type-assert-strict) left type-name)
+                          (list (quote type-assert) left type-name)))))))
               ((and (= typ "keyword") (= val "of"))
                 (do
                   (adv!)
diff --git a/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-runtime.sx b/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-runtime.sx
index fd276cd1..d4d433f0 100644
--- a/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-runtime.sx
+++ b/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-runtime.sx
@@ -769,28 +769,48 @@
     (dom-set-style target prop (str to-val))
     (when duration (hs-settle target))))
 
-(define
-  hs-type-check
-  (fn
-    (value type-name)
-    (if
-      (nil? value)
-      value
-      (let
-        ((matches (cond ((= type-name "Number") (number? value)) ((= type-name "String") (string? value)) ((= type-name "Boolean") (or (= value true) (= value false))) ((= type-name "Array") (list? value)) ((= type-name "Object") (dict? value)) ((= type-name "Element") (= (host-typeof value) "element")) ((= type-name "Node") (or (= (host-typeof value) "element") (= (host-typeof value) "text"))) (true (= (host-typeof value) (downcase type-name))))))
-        (if
-          matches
-          value
-          (raise (str "Typecheck failed! expected " type-name)))))))
+(begin
+  (define
+    hs-type-check
+    (fn
+      (value type-name)
+      (if
+        (nil? value)
+        true
+        (cond
+          ((= type-name "Number") (number? value))
+          ((= type-name "String") (string? value))
+          ((= type-name "Boolean") (or (= value true) (= value false)))
+          ((= type-name "Array") (list? value))
+          ((= type-name "Object") (dict? value))
+          ((= type-name "Element") (= (host-typeof value) "element"))
+          ((= type-name "Node")
+            (or
+              (= (host-typeof value) "element")
+              (= (host-typeof value) "text")))
+          (true (= (host-typeof value) (downcase type-name)))))))
+  (define
+    hs-type-assert
+    (fn
+      (value type-name)
+      (if
+        (hs-type-check value type-name)
+        value
+        (raise (str "Typecheck failed! expected " type-name)))))
+  (define
+    hs-type-assert-strict
+    (fn
+      (value type-name)
+      (if
+        (nil? value)
+        (raise (str "Typecheck failed! expected " type-name " but got nil"))
+        (hs-type-assert value type-name)))))
 
 (define
   hs-type-check-strict
   (fn
     (value type-name)
-    (if
-      (nil? value)
-      (raise (str "Typecheck failed! expected " type-name " but got nil"))
-      (hs-type-check value type-name))))
+    (if (nil? value) false (hs-type-check value type-name))))
 
 (define
   hs-strict-eq