diff --git a/shiny/render/renderer/_renderer.py b/shiny/render/renderer/_renderer.py
index a76519257..0cbf4f8c4 100644
--- a/shiny/render/renderer/_renderer.py
+++ b/shiny/render/renderer/_renderer.py
@@ -82,9 +82,12 @@
 DefaultUIFnResultOrNone = Union[DefaultUIFnResult, None]
 DefaultUIFn = Callable[[str], DefaultUIFnResultOrNone]
 
+# Requiring `None` type throughout the value functions as `return` returns `None` type.
+# This is typically paired with `req(False)` to exit quickly.
+# If package authors want to NOT allow `None` type, they can capture it in a custom render method with a runtime error. (Or make a new RendererThatCantBeNone class)
 ValueFn = Union[
-    Callable[[], IT],
-    Callable[[], Awaitable[IT]],
+    Callable[[], Union[IT, None]],
+    Callable[[], Awaitable[Union[IT, None]]],
 ]
 """
 App-supplied output value function which returns type `IT`. This function can be
@@ -223,7 +226,10 @@ class AsyncValueFn(Generic[IT]):
     Type definition: `Callable[[], Awaitable[IT]]`
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, fn: Callable[[], IT] | Callable[[], Awaitable[IT]]):
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        fn: Callable[[], IT | None] | Callable[[], Awaitable[IT | None]],
+    ):
         if isinstance(fn, AsyncValueFn):
             raise TypeError(
                 "Must not call `AsyncValueFn.__init__` with an object of class `AsyncValueFn`"
@@ -232,7 +238,7 @@ def __init__(self, fn: Callable[[], IT] | Callable[[], Awaitable[IT]]):
         self._fn = wrap_async(fn)
         self._orig_fn = fn
 
-    async def __call__(self) -> IT:
+    async def __call__(self) -> IT | None:
         """
         Call the asynchronous function.
         """
@@ -249,7 +255,7 @@ def is_async(self) -> bool:
         """
         return self._is_async
 
-    def get_async_fn(self) -> Callable[[], Awaitable[IT]]:
+    def get_async_fn(self) -> Callable[[], Awaitable[IT | None]]:
         """
         Return the async value function.
 
@@ -260,7 +266,7 @@ def get_async_fn(self) -> Callable[[], Awaitable[IT]]:
         """
         return self._fn
 
-    def get_sync_fn(self) -> Callable[[], IT]:
+    def get_sync_fn(self) -> Callable[[], IT | None]:
         """
         Retrieve the original, synchronous value function function.
 
@@ -286,14 +292,14 @@ class Renderer(RendererBase, Generic[IT]):
     TODO-barret-docs
     """
 
-    fn: AsyncValueFn[IT | None]
+    fn: AsyncValueFn[IT]
     """
     App-supplied output value function which returns type `IT`. This function is always
     asyncronous as the original app-supplied function possibly wrapped to execute
     asynchonously.
     """
 
-    def __call__(self, _fn: ValueFn[IT | None]) -> Self:
+    def __call__(self, _fn: ValueFn[IT]) -> Self:
         """
         Renderer __call__ docs here; Sets app's value function
 
@@ -308,7 +314,7 @@ def __call__(self, _fn: ValueFn[IT | None]) -> Self:
         self.__name__: str = _fn.__name__
 
         # Set value function with extra meta information
-        self.fn: AsyncValueFn[IT | None] = AsyncValueFn(_fn)
+        self.fn: AsyncValueFn[IT] = AsyncValueFn(_fn)
 
         # Allow for App authors to not require `@output`
         self._auto_register()
@@ -317,7 +323,7 @@ def __call__(self, _fn: ValueFn[IT | None]) -> Self:
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        _fn: Optional[ValueFn[IT | None]] = None,
+        _fn: Optional[ValueFn[IT]] = None,
     ):
         # Do not display docs here. If docs are present, it could highjack the docs of
         # the subclass's `__init__` method.
diff --git a/shiny/render/transformer/_transformer.py b/shiny/render/transformer/_transformer.py
index 114c88269..42fb9626e 100644
--- a/shiny/render/transformer/_transformer.py
+++ b/shiny/render/transformer/_transformer.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
     overload,
 )
 
-from ..renderer import AsyncValueFn, Jsonifiable, RendererBase
+from ..renderer import Jsonifiable, RendererBase
 from ..renderer._renderer import DefaultUIFn, DefaultUIFnResultOrNone
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -255,13 +255,16 @@ def __init__(
                 " Ex `async def my_transformer(....`"
             )
 
-        # Upgrade value function to be async;
-        # Calling an async function has a ~35ns overhead (barret's machine)
-        # Checking if a function is async has a 180+ns overhead (barret's machine)
-        # -> It is faster to always call an async function than to always check if it is async
-        # Always being async simplifies the execution
-        self._fn = AsyncValueFn(value_fn)
-        self._value_fn_is_async = self._fn.is_async()  # legacy key
+        # # Upgrade value function to be async;
+        # # Calling an async function has a ~35ns overhead (barret's machine)
+        # # Checking if a function is async has a 180+ns overhead (barret's machine)
+        # # -> It is faster to always call an async function than to always check if it is async
+        # # Always being async simplifies the execution
+        # # Not used
+        # self._fn = AsyncValueFn(value_fn)
+
+        self._value_fn = value_fn
+        self._value_fn_is_async = is_async_callable(value_fn)  # legacy key
         self.__name__ = value_fn.__name__
 
         self._transformer = transform_fn
@@ -302,14 +305,11 @@ async def _run(self) -> OT:
         `*args` is required to use with `**kwargs` when using
         `typing.ParamSpec`.
         """
-        value_fn = (
-            self._fn.get_async_fn() if self._fn.is_async() else self._fn.get_sync_fn()
-        )
         ret = await self._transformer(
             # TransformerMetadata
             self._meta(),
             # Callable[[], IT] | Callable[[], Awaitable[IT]]
-            value_fn,
+            self._value_fn,
             # P
             *self._params.args,
             **self._params.kwargs,