diff --git a/src/renderer/context_element.rs b/src/renderer/context_element.rs
index f69fcd3..27249d1 100644
--- a/src/renderer/context_element.rs
+++ b/src/renderer/context_element.rs
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ pub trait IntoContextElement: Debug + Walkable /* + CloneIntoBoxedContextElement
         &self,
         renderer: &DustRenderer,
         breadcrumbs: Option<&BreadcrumbTree>,
-    ) -> &dyn ContextElement;
+    ) -> Option<&dyn ContextElement>;
 }
 
 impl<C: ContextElement> IntoContextElement for C {
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ impl<C: ContextElement> IntoContextElement for C {
         &self,
         renderer: &DustRenderer,
         breadcrumbs: Option<&BreadcrumbTree>,
-    ) -> &dyn ContextElement {
-        self
+    ) -> Option<&dyn ContextElement> {
+        Some(self)
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/parameters_context.rs b/src/renderer/parameters_context.rs
index 4a81476..f07f2c2 100644
--- a/src/renderer/parameters_context.rs
+++ b/src/renderer/parameters_context.rs
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ impl<'a> IntoContextElement for RValue<'a> {
         &self,
         renderer: &DustRenderer,
         breadcrumbs: Option<&BreadcrumbTree>,
-    ) -> &dyn ContextElement {
+    ) -> Option<&dyn ContextElement> {
         match self {
-            RValue::RVLiteral(owned_literal) => owned_literal,
+            RValue::RVLiteral(owned_literal) => Some(owned_literal),
             RValue::RVPath(path) => todo!(),
             RValue::RVTemplate(template) => todo!(),
         }
diff --git a/src/renderer/renderer.rs b/src/renderer/renderer.rs
index 0cd3a38..d6319ce 100644
--- a/src/renderer/renderer.rs
+++ b/src/renderer/renderer.rs
@@ -151,8 +151,8 @@ impl<'a> DustRenderer<'a> {
                 let val = walk_path(breadcrumbs, &reference.path.keys)
                     .map(|ice| ice.into_context_element(self, breadcrumbs));
                 match val {
-                    Err(WalkError::CantWalk) => return Ok("".to_owned()),
-                    Ok(final_val) => {
+                    Err(WalkError::CantWalk) | Ok(None) => return Ok("".to_owned()),
+                    Ok(Some(final_val)) => {
                         return if final_val.is_truthy() {
                             final_val.render(&Self::preprocess_filters(&reference.filters))
                         } else {
@@ -218,8 +218,10 @@ impl<'a> DustRenderer<'a> {
         let mut new_nodes: Vec<BreadcrumbTreeElement> = Vec::new();
 
         explicit_context.as_ref().map(|path| {
-            let x = walk_path(maybe_breadcrumbs, &path.keys);
-            x.map(|ice| ice.into_context_element(self, maybe_breadcrumbs))
+            walk_path(maybe_breadcrumbs, &path.keys)
+                .map(|ice| ice.into_context_element(self, maybe_breadcrumbs))
+                .ok()
+                .flatten()
                 .map(|val| {
                     if val.is_truthy() {
                         new_nodes.push(BreadcrumbTreeElement::Borrowed(val.from_context_element()))
@@ -283,11 +285,13 @@ impl<'a> DustRenderer<'a> {
             }
         });
         explicit_context.as_ref().map(|path| {
-            let x = walk_path(maybe_breadcrumbs, &path.keys);
             // TODO: should resolving the value here use
             // explicit_context_maybe_breadcrumbs or
             // maybe_breadcrumbs?
-            x.map(|ice| ice.into_context_element(self, maybe_breadcrumbs))
+            walk_path(maybe_breadcrumbs, &path.keys)
+                .map(|ice| ice.into_context_element(self, maybe_breadcrumbs))
+                .ok()
+                .flatten()
                 .map(|val| {
                     if val.is_truthy() {
                         new_nodes.push(BreadcrumbTreeElement::Borrowed(val.from_context_element()))