diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/doc/Alternative (Default value).md b/pkg/yqlib/doc/Alternative (Default value).md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6521c378
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/doc/Alternative (Default value).md	
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+This operator is used to provide alternative (or default) values when a particular expression is either null or false.
+
+## LHS is defined
+Given a sample.yml file of:
+```yaml
+a: bridge
+```
+then
+```bash
+yq eval '.a // "hello"' sample.yml
+```
+will output
+```yaml
+bridge
+```
+
+## LHS is not defined
+Given a sample.yml file of:
+```yaml
+{}
+```
+then
+```bash
+yq eval '.a // "hello"' sample.yml
+```
+will output
+```yaml
+hello
+```
+
+## LHS is null
+Given a sample.yml file of:
+```yaml
+a: ~
+```
+then
+```bash
+yq eval '.a // "hello"' sample.yml
+```
+will output
+```yaml
+hello
+```
+
+## LHS is false
+Given a sample.yml file of:
+```yaml
+a: false
+```
+then
+```bash
+yq eval '.a // "hello"' sample.yml
+```
+will output
+```yaml
+hello
+```
+
+## RHS is an expression
+Given a sample.yml file of:
+```yaml
+a: false
+b: cat
+```
+then
+```bash
+yq eval '.a // .b' sample.yml
+```
+will output
+```yaml
+cat
+```
+
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/doc/headers/Alternative (Default value).md b/pkg/yqlib/doc/headers/Alternative (Default value).md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1f601398
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/doc/headers/Alternative (Default value).md	
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+This operator is used to provide alternative (or default) values when a particular expression is either null or false.
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/lib.go b/pkg/yqlib/lib.go
index ce6367e9..c1d7dd37 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/lib.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/lib.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ var AssignComment = &OperationType{Type: "ASSIGN_COMMENT", NumArgs: 2, Precedenc
 
 var Multiply = &OperationType{Type: "MULTIPLY", NumArgs: 2, Precedence: 45, Handler: MultiplyOperator}
 var Add = &OperationType{Type: "ADD", NumArgs: 2, Precedence: 45, Handler: AddOperator}
+var Alternative = &OperationType{Type: "ALTERNATIVE", NumArgs: 2, Precedence: 45, Handler: AlternativeOperator}
 
 var Equals = &OperationType{Type: "EQUALS", NumArgs: 2, Precedence: 40, Handler: EqualsOperator}
 var CreateMap = &OperationType{Type: "CREATE_MAP", NumArgs: 2, Precedence: 40, Handler: CreateMapOperator}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/oeprator_alternative_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/oeprator_alternative_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2661c71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/oeprator_alternative_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+package yqlib
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+var alternativeOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
+	{
+		description: "LHS is defined",
+		expression:  `.a // "hello"`,
+		document:    `{a: bridge}`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[a], (!!str)::bridge\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		description: "LHS is not defined",
+		expression:  `.a // "hello"`,
+		document:    `{}`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (!!str)::hello\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		description: "LHS is null",
+		expression:  `.a // "hello"`,
+		document:    `{a: ~}`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (!!str)::hello\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		description: "LHS is false",
+		expression:  `.a // "hello"`,
+		document:    `{a: false}`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (!!str)::hello\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		description: "RHS is an expression",
+		expression:  `.a // .b`,
+		document:    `{a: false, b: cat}`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[b], (!!str)::cat\n",
+		},
+	},
+}
+
+func TestAlternativeOperatorScenarios(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tt := range alternativeOperatorScenarios {
+		testScenario(t, &tt)
+	}
+	documentScenarios(t, "Alternative (Default value)", alternativeOperatorScenarios)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_alternative.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_alternative.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9f8d97f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_alternative.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package yqlib
+
+import (
+	"container/list"
+)
+
+// corssFunction no matches
+// can boolean use crossfunction
+
+func AlternativeOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, matchingNodes *list.List, pathNode *PathTreeNode) (*list.List, error) {
+	log.Debugf("-- alternative")
+	return crossFunction(d, matchingNodes, pathNode, alternativeFunc)
+}
+
+func alternativeFunc(d *dataTreeNavigator, lhs *CandidateNode, rhs *CandidateNode) (*CandidateNode, error) {
+	lhs.Node = UnwrapDoc(lhs.Node)
+	rhs.Node = UnwrapDoc(rhs.Node)
+	log.Debugf("Alternative LHS: %v", lhs.Node.Tag)
+	log.Debugf("-          RHS: %v", rhs.Node.Tag)
+
+	isTrue, err := isTruthy(lhs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	} else if isTrue {
+		return lhs, nil
+	}
+	return rhs, nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/path_tokeniser.go b/pkg/yqlib/path_tokeniser.go
index a3d64e61..bcb7cc02 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/path_tokeniser.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/path_tokeniser.go
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ func initLexer() (*lex.Lexer, error) {
 	lexer.Add([]byte(`or`), opToken(Or))
 	lexer.Add([]byte(`and`), opToken(And))
 	lexer.Add([]byte(`not`), opToken(Not))
+	lexer.Add([]byte(`\/\/`), opToken(Alternative))
 
 	lexer.Add([]byte(`documentIndex`), opToken(GetDocumentIndex))