diff --git a/src/Perl6/Actions.pm b/src/Perl6/Actions.pm
index 97e2dc689a4..9de5ed8f539 100644
--- a/src/Perl6/Actions.pm
+++ b/src/Perl6/Actions.pm
@@ -335,7 +335,8 @@ method statement_control:sym<use>($/) {
 }
 
 method statement_control:sym<return>($/) {
-    make PAST::Op.new( $<EXPR>.ast, :pasttype('return'), :node($/) );
+    my $retval := $<EXPR> ?? $<EXPR>[0].ast !! PAST::Op.new( :name('&Nil') );
+    make PAST::Op.new( $retval, :pasttype('return'), :node($/) );
 }
 
 method statement_control:sym<given>($/) {
diff --git a/src/Perl6/Grammar.pm b/src/Perl6/Grammar.pm
index 5dc35c11f75..594ba6c2027 100644
--- a/src/Perl6/Grammar.pm
+++ b/src/Perl6/Grammar.pm
@@ -366,8 +366,7 @@ token statement_control:sym<loop> {
 }
 
 token statement_control:sym<return> {
-    <sym> :s 
-    [ <EXPR> || <.panic: 'return requires an expression argument'> ]
+    <sym> :s <EXPR>?
 }
 
 token statement_control:sym<use> {