diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/context.go b/pkg/yqlib/context.go
index 921eb7c2..e5d9fb83 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/context.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/context.go
@@ -60,3 +60,9 @@ func (n *Context) Clone() Context {
 	}
 	return clone
 }
+
+func (n *Context) ReadOnlyClone() Context {
+	clone := n.Clone()
+	clone.DontAutoCreate = true
+	return clone
+}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases.go
index 41e97126..c2f16b6f 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ func assignAliasOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *
 
 	aliasName := ""
 	if !expressionNode.Operation.UpdateAssign {
-		rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context, expressionNode.Rhs)
+		rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode.Rhs)
 		if err != nil {
 			return Context{}, err
 		}
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func assignAliasOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *
 		log.Debugf("Setting aliasName : %v", candidate.GetKey())
 
 		if expressionNode.Operation.UpdateAssign {
-			rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.SingleChildContext(candidate), expressionNode.Rhs)
+			rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.SingleReadonlyChildContext(candidate), expressionNode.Rhs)
 			if err != nil {
 				return Context{}, err
 			}
@@ -41,8 +41,10 @@ func assignAliasOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *
 			}
 		}
 
-		candidate.Node.Kind = yaml.AliasNode
-		candidate.Node.Value = aliasName
+		if aliasName != "" {
+			candidate.Node.Kind = yaml.AliasNode
+			candidate.Node.Value = aliasName
+		}
 	}
 	return context, nil
 }
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ func assignAnchorOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode
 
 	anchorName := ""
 	if !expressionNode.Operation.UpdateAssign {
-		rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context, expressionNode.Rhs)
+		rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode.Rhs)
 		if err != nil {
 			return Context{}, err
 		}
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ func assignAnchorOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode
 		log.Debugf("Setting anchorName of : %v", candidate.GetKey())
 
 		if expressionNode.Operation.UpdateAssign {
-			rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.SingleChildContext(candidate), expressionNode.Rhs)
+			rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.SingleReadonlyChildContext(candidate), expressionNode.Rhs)
 			if err != nil {
 				return Context{}, err
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases_test.go
index fb64f85f..bdb24ab2 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases_test.go
@@ -58,6 +58,22 @@ var anchorOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[], (doc)::a: &cat {b: cat}\n",
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `a: {c: cat}`,
+		expression: `.a anchor |= .b`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (doc)::a: {c: cat}\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `a: {c: cat}`,
+		expression: `.a anchor = .b`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (doc)::a: {c: cat}\n",
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		description: "Get alias",
 		document:    `{b: &billyBob meow, a: *billyBob}`,
@@ -74,6 +90,22 @@ var anchorOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[], (doc)::{b: &meow purr, a: *meow}\n",
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `{b: &meow purr, a: cat}`,
+		expression: `.a alias = .c`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (doc)::{b: &meow purr, a: cat}\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `{b: &meow purr, a: cat}`,
+		expression: `.a alias |= .c`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (doc)::{b: &meow purr, a: cat}\n",
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		description: "Set alias relatively using assign-update",
 		document:    `{b: &meow purr, a: {f: meow}}`,
@@ -159,7 +191,7 @@ foobar:
 	},
 }
 
-func TestAnchorAliaseOperatorScenarios(t *testing.T) {
+func TestAnchorAliasOperatorScenarios(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tt := range anchorOperatorScenarios {
 		testScenario(t, &tt)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_booleans.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_booleans.go
index 5d4cf332..b8f37ac3 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_booleans.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_booleans.go
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func anyOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *Expressi
 
 func orOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *ExpressionNode) (Context, error) {
 	log.Debugf("-- orOp")
-	return crossFunction(d, context, expressionNode, performBoolOp(
+	return crossFunction(d, context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode, performBoolOp(
 		func(b1 bool, b2 bool) bool {
 			log.Debugf("-- peformingOrOp with %v and %v", b1, b2)
 			return b1 || b2
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func orOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *Expressio
 
 func andOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *ExpressionNode) (Context, error) {
 	log.Debugf("-- AndOp")
-	return crossFunction(d, context, expressionNode, performBoolOp(
+	return crossFunction(d, context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode, performBoolOp(
 		func(b1 bool, b2 bool) bool {
 			return b1 && b2
 		}), true)
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_booleans_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_booleans_test.go
index ce6ef71f..d94eee5a 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_booleans_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_booleans_test.go
@@ -141,6 +141,22 @@ var booleanOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[b], (!!bool)::true\n",
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `{}`,
+		expression: `(.a.b or .c) as $x`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (doc)::{}\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `{}`,
+		expression: `(.a.b and .c) as $x`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (doc)::{}\n",
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		description: "Not true is false",
 		expression:  `true | not`,
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments.go
index 5eebf60c..6ece8f29 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func assignCommentsOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNod
 
 	comment := ""
 	if !expressionNode.Operation.UpdateAssign {
-		rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context, expressionNode.Rhs)
+		rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode.Rhs)
 		if err != nil {
 			return Context{}, err
 		}
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func assignCommentsOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNod
 		candidate := el.Value.(*CandidateNode)
 
 		if expressionNode.Operation.UpdateAssign {
-			rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.SingleChildContext(candidate), expressionNode.Rhs)
+			rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.SingleReadonlyChildContext(candidate), expressionNode.Rhs)
 			if err != nil {
 				return Context{}, err
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments_test.go
index e137fe2b..d2798c00 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments_test.go
@@ -62,6 +62,22 @@ var commentOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[], (doc)::a: cat\n\n# cat\n",
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `a: cat`,
+		expression: `. footComment=.b.d`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (doc)::a: cat\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `a: cat`,
+		expression: `. footComment|=.b.d`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (doc)::a: cat\n",
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		description: "Remove comment",
 		document:    "a: cat # comment\nb: dog # leave this",
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go
index cb6b94dd..8741a532 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go
@@ -7,9 +7,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func deleteChildOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *ExpressionNode) (Context, error) {
-	contextToUse := context.Clone()
-	contextToUse.DontAutoCreate = true
-	nodesToDelete, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(contextToUse, expressionNode.Rhs)
+	nodesToDelete, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode.Rhs)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return Context{}, err
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_has.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_has.go
index 474f1959..bce557a0 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_has.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_has.go
@@ -12,9 +12,7 @@ func hasOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *Expressi
 	log.Debugf("-- hasOperation")
 	var results = list.New()
 
-	readonlyContext := context.Clone()
-	readonlyContext.DontAutoCreate = true
-	rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(readonlyContext, expressionNode.Rhs)
+	rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode.Rhs)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return Context{}, err
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_strings.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_strings.go
index 18ef46a1..272c1224 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_strings.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_strings.go
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@ func getSubstituteParameters(d *dataTreeNavigator, block *ExpressionNode, contex
 	regEx := ""
 	replacementText := ""
 
-	readonlyContext := context.Clone()
-	readonlyContext.DontAutoCreate = true
-	regExNodes, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(readonlyContext, block.Lhs)
+	regExNodes, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.ReadOnlyClone(), block.Lhs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", "", err
 	}
@@ -80,9 +78,7 @@ func joinStringOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *E
 	log.Debugf("-- joinStringOperator")
 	joinStr := ""
 
-	readonlyContext := context.Clone()
-	readonlyContext.DontAutoCreate = true
-	rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(readonlyContext, expressionNode.Rhs)
+	rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode.Rhs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Context{}, err
 	}
@@ -123,9 +119,7 @@ func splitStringOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *
 	log.Debugf("-- splitStringOperator")
 	splitStr := ""
 
-	readonlyContext := context.Clone()
-	readonlyContext.DontAutoCreate = true
-	rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(readonlyContext, expressionNode.Rhs)
+	rhs, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode.Rhs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Context{}, err
 	}