diff --git a/cli/src/runtime/typeSelection.ts b/cli/src/runtime/typeSelection.ts
index ad9a6c1..77a1a99 100644
--- a/cli/src/runtime/typeSelection.ts
+++ b/cli/src/runtime/typeSelection.ts
@@ -46,10 +46,9 @@ type HandleObject<SRC extends Anify<DST>, DST> = SRC extends Nil
           {
               // using keyof SRC to maintain ?: relations of SRC type
               [Key in keyof SRC]: Key extends keyof DST
-                  ? FieldsSelection<
-                        SRC[Key],
-                        NonNullable<DST[Key]>
-                    >
+                  ? SRC[Key] extends infer NON_NULL_SRC | null
+                  ? FieldsSelection<NON_NULL_SRC, NonNullable<DST[Key]>> | null
+                  : FieldsSelection<SRC[Key], NonNullable<DST[Key]>>
                   : SRC[Key]
           },
           Exclude<keyof DST, FieldsToRemove>
diff --git a/cli/src/typeSelection.test.ts b/cli/src/typeSelection.test.ts
index e0c0d85..be46f3d 100644
--- a/cli/src/typeSelection.test.ts
+++ b/cli/src/typeSelection.test.ts
@@ -120,11 +120,11 @@ describe('pick', () => {
         'response type picks from request type',
         dontExecute(() => {
             z.category
-            z.category.a
-            z.category.b
+            z.category?.a
+            z.category?.b
             // @ts-expect-error
             z.category.c
-            z.category.nested1.a
+            z.category?.nested1?.a
         }),
     )
     test(
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ describe('pick', () => {
     test(
         'argument syntax',
         dontExecute(() => {
-            z.argumentSyntax.a.toLocaleLowerCase
+            z.argumentSyntax?.a?.toLocaleLowerCase
         }),
     )
 })
@@ -173,12 +173,12 @@ describe('__scalar', () => {
         'response type picks from request type',
         dontExecute(() => {
             z.category
-            z.category.a
-            z.category.b
-            z.category.c
-            z.category.nested1.a
-            z.category.a.getDate
-            z.category.b.getDate
+            z.category?.a
+            z.category?.b
+            z.category?.c
+            z.category?.nested1.a
+            z.category?.a.getDate
+            z.category?.b.getDate
         }),
     )
     test(
@@ -212,8 +212,8 @@ describe('__scalar', () => {
     test(
         'argument syntax',
         dontExecute(() => {
-            z.argumentSyntax.a.toLocaleLowerCase
-            z.argumentSyntax.optional?.big
+            z.argumentSyntax?.a.toLocaleLowerCase
+            z.argumentSyntax?.optional?.big
             // @ts-expect-error
             z.argumentSyntax.nesting.x
         }),
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ describe('optional fields', () => {
         optionalObject: {
             x: 1,
             optional: 1,
-        }
+        },
     }
     const z: FieldsSelection<SRC, typeof req> = {} as any
     test(
@@ -254,13 +254,14 @@ describe('optional fields', () => {
         dontExecute(() => {
             // @ts-expect-error
             z.optionalFields.a.toLocaleLowerCase
-            z.optionalFields.a?.toLocaleLowerCase
+            z.optionalFields?.a?.toLocaleLowerCase
 
             // can use null
-            z.optionalFields.a = null
+            z.optionalFields!.a = null
+
             // @ts-expect-error
             z.optionalFields.b.toLocaleLowerCase
-            z.optionalFields.b?.toFixed
+            z.optionalFields?.b?.toFixed
             // @ts-expect-error
             z.category.optionalFieldsNested.a
             // @ts-expect-error
@@ -282,13 +283,13 @@ describe('optional fields', () => {
         dontExecute(() => {
             // @ts-expect-error
             z.optionalFields.a.toLocaleLowerCase
-            z.optionalFields.a?.toLocaleLowerCase
+            z.optionalFields?.a?.toLocaleLowerCase
             // @ts-expect-error
             z.optionalFields.b.toLocaleLowerCase
-            z.optionalFields.b?.toFixed
+            z.optionalFields?.b?.toFixed
             // @ts-expect-error
             z.category.optionalFieldsNested.a
-            z.category.optionalFieldsNested?.a?.toLocaleLowerCase
+            z.category?.optionalFieldsNested?.a?.toLocaleLowerCase
         }),
     )
     test(
@@ -296,7 +297,7 @@ describe('optional fields', () => {
         dontExecute(() => {
             // @ts-expect-error optional
             z.argumentSyntax.optional.toLocaleLowerCase
-            z.argumentSyntax.optional?.toLocaleLowerCase
+            z.argumentSyntax?.optional?.toLocaleLowerCase
         }),
     )
 })
@@ -332,9 +333,9 @@ describe('unions', () => {
     test(
         'pick union fields',
         dontExecute(() => {
-            z.union.a.toLocaleLowerCase
-            z.union.a.toLocaleLowerCase
-            z.nesting.nestedUnion.a.toLocaleLowerCase
+            z.union?.a.toLocaleLowerCase
+            z.union?.a.toLocaleLowerCase
+            z.nesting?.nestedUnion?.a.toLocaleLowerCase
         }),
     )
     test(
@@ -349,7 +350,7 @@ describe('unions', () => {
     test(
         'argument syntax',
         dontExecute(() => {
-            z.argumentSyntax.union.a.charAt
+            z.argumentSyntax?.union?.a.charAt
             // @ts-expect-error
             z.argumentSyntax.a
         }),
@@ -405,8 +406,8 @@ describe('arrays', () => {
     test(
         'list',
         dontExecute(() => {
-            z.list[0].a.charCodeAt
-            z.list[0].x.toFixed
+            z.list?.[0].a?.charCodeAt
+            z.list?.[0].x?.toFixed
         }),
     )
     test(
@@ -420,14 +421,14 @@ describe('arrays', () => {
         dontExecute(() => {
             // @ts-expect-error optional
             z.list[0].optional.bold
-            z.list[0].optional?.bold
+            z.list?.[0].optional?.bold
         }),
     )
     test(
         'args syntax',
         dontExecute(() => {
-            z.argumentSyntax.list[0].x
-            z.argumentSyntax.list[0].optional?.charAt
+            z.argumentSyntax?.list?.[0].x
+            z.argumentSyntax?.list?.[0].optional?.charAt
             // @ts-expect-error optional
             z.argumentSyntax.list[0].optional.charAt
         }),
@@ -442,7 +443,7 @@ describe('literals unions', () => {
     test(
         'literals',
         dontExecute(() => {
-            z.literalsUnion.blink
+            z.literalsUnion?.blink
             z.literalsUnion === 'a'
             z.literalsUnion === 'b'
             // @ts-expect-error