diff --git a/examples/qq-call-default.ilo b/examples/qq-call-default.ilo
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ed26135a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/qq-call-default.ilo
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+-- Prefix `??` accepts a CALL expression as its value side.
+-- Common case: nil-coalesce on a map lookup with a default.
+-- `??mget m "k" 0` parses as `??(mget m "k") 0`, the arity-aware
+-- parser stops after `mget`'s 2 args and leaves `0` for the default.
+-- Previously you had to write `??(mget m "k") 0` or bind first; now
+-- the bare form Just Works, which is the most common nil-coalesce
+-- shape in agent-written ilo (mget lookups with a fallback).
+
+hit>n;m=mset mmap "k" 42;??mget m "k" 0
+miss>n;m=mset mmap "k" 42;??mget m "missing" 99
+
+-- Chained: first non-nil wins, mirroring infix chaining.
+chain>n;m=mset mmap "a" 1;??mget m "x" ??mget m "a" 0
+
+-- run: hit
+-- out: 42
+
+-- run: miss
+-- out: 99
+
+-- run: chain
+-- out: 1
diff --git a/src/parser/mod.rs b/src/parser/mod.rs
index 125053fd..92647069 100644
--- a/src/parser/mod.rs
+++ b/src/parser/mod.rs
@@ -1898,10 +1898,15 @@ impl Parser {
             | Some(Token::Amp)
             | Some(Token::Pipe)
             | Some(Token::PlusEq) => self.parse_prefix_binop(),
-            // Prefix nil-coalesce: ??a b — mirror of infix `a ?? b`
+            // Prefix nil-coalesce: ??a b, mirror of infix `a ?? b`.
+            // The value side uses `parse_call_arg` (not `parse_operand`) so
+            // a known-arity function with args expands into a call expression,
+            // consuming exactly its declared arity. This lets `??mget m "k" 0`
+            // parse as `??(mget m "k") 0` without forcing parens or a bind-first
+            // line. The most common nil-coalesce site is `??mget ... default`.
             Some(Token::NilCoalesce) => {
                 self.advance();
-                let value = self.parse_operand()?;
+                let value = self.parse_call_arg(false, None)?;
                 let default = self.parse_expr_inner()?;
                 Ok(Expr::NilCoalesce {
                     value: Box::new(value),
@@ -2571,8 +2576,11 @@ or write `({fmt_name} \"...\" ...)` so its args are grouped."
             | Some(Token::Pipe)
             | Some(Token::PlusEq) => self.parse_prefix_binop(),
             Some(Token::NilCoalesce) => {
+                // See `parse_expr_inner` for the rationale: `parse_call_arg`
+                // expands a known-arity function into a call so `??mget m "k" 0`
+                // parses as `??(mget m "k") 0`.
                 self.advance();
-                let value = self.parse_operand()?;
+                let value = self.parse_call_arg(false, None)?;
                 let default = self.parse_expr_inner()?;
                 Ok(Expr::NilCoalesce {
                     value: Box::new(value),
diff --git a/tests/regression_prefix_nil_coalesce.rs b/tests/regression_prefix_nil_coalesce.rs
index 45831868..d53e45e3 100644
--- a/tests/regression_prefix_nil_coalesce.rs
+++ b/tests/regression_prefix_nil_coalesce.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,22 @@ const PREFIX_INFIX_DEFAULT_VAL: &str = "f>n;a=3;b=4;c=5;?? c a+b";
 // Nested prefix nil-coalesce — confirm right-associativity matches infix.
 const PREFIX_NESTED_NIL: &str = "f>n;c=nil;d=nil;??c ??d 0";
 const PREFIX_NESTED_INNER: &str = "f>n;c=nil;d=9;??c ??d 0";
+// Prefix `??` where the value side is a CALL expression. Previously the
+// value side used `parse_operand` (atom-only), so `??mget m "k" 0` mis-parsed:
+// `mget` was taken as the value atom and `m "k" 0` as the default expression
+// (which then failed because `m` is a Map, not a function). With the arity-cap
+// fix, the value side is parsed via `parse_call_arg`, so a known-arity
+// function consumes exactly its declared arity and the remaining tokens
+// become the default. Workarounds (`??(mget m "k") 0`, bind-first) keep
+// working; the new shape is purely additive.
+const PREFIX_CALL_HIT: &str = "f>n;m=mset mmap \"k\" 42;??mget m \"k\" 0";
+const PREFIX_CALL_MISS: &str = "f>n;m=mset mmap \"k\" 42;??mget m \"missing\" 99";
+// Chained prefix `??` with two call value-sides:
+// `??mget m "x" ??mget m "a" 0` reads as `??(mget m "x") (??(mget m "a") 0)`,
+// first miss, second hit, expect `1`.
+const PREFIX_CALL_CHAIN: &str = "f>n;m=mset mmap \"a\" 1;??mget m \"x\" ??mget m \"a\" 0";
+// Paren workaround still parses correctly post-fix.
+const PREFIX_CALL_PAREN: &str = "f>n;m=mset mmap \"k\" 42;??(mget m \"k\") 0";
 
 fn check_all(engine: &str) {
     assert_eq!(
@@ -110,6 +126,26 @@ fn check_all(engine: &str) {
         "9",
         "prefix nested inner engine={engine}"
     );
+    assert_eq!(
+        run(engine, PREFIX_CALL_HIT, "f"),
+        "42",
+        "prefix call hit engine={engine}"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        run(engine, PREFIX_CALL_MISS, "f"),
+        "99",
+        "prefix call miss engine={engine}"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        run(engine, PREFIX_CALL_CHAIN, "f"),
+        "1",
+        "prefix call chain engine={engine}"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        run(engine, PREFIX_CALL_PAREN, "f"),
+        "42",
+        "prefix call paren workaround engine={engine}"
+    );
 }
 
 #[test]