diff --git a/pkg/traceql/ast_execute_test.go b/pkg/traceql/ast_execute_test.go
index 4a2345a96b2..fc3dcee08f7 100644
--- a/pkg/traceql/ast_execute_test.go
+++ b/pkg/traceql/ast_execute_test.go
@@ -1951,6 +1951,34 @@ func TestSpansetExistence(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			matches: true,
 		},
+		// .foo exists but flip the query - test symmetric
+		{
+			query: `{ nil != .duration }`,
+			span: &mockSpan{
+				attributes: map[Attribute]Static{
+					NewAttribute("duration"): NewStaticDuration(time.Minute),
+				},
+			},
+			matches: true,
+		},
+		{
+			query: `{ nil != .bar }`,
+			span: &mockSpan{
+				attributes: map[Attribute]Static{
+					NewAttribute("bar"): NewStaticString("bzz"),
+				},
+			},
+			matches: true,
+		},
+		{
+			query: `{ nil != .float }`,
+			span: &mockSpan{
+				attributes: map[Attribute]Static{
+					NewAttribute("float"): NewStaticFloat(2.0),
+				},
+			},
+			matches: true,
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		// create a evalTC and use testEvaluator
diff --git a/pkg/traceql/enum_statics.go b/pkg/traceql/enum_statics.go
index c1c6050720c..4c2ab7e7e83 100644
--- a/pkg/traceql/enum_statics.go
+++ b/pkg/traceql/enum_statics.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func (t StaticType) isMatchingOperand(otherT StaticType) bool {
 		return true
 	}
 
-	if otherT == TypeNil {
+	if otherT == TypeNil || t == TypeNil {
 		return true
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/traceql/enum_statics_test.go b/pkg/traceql/enum_statics_test.go
index 13c1be76511..7b922b094df 100644
--- a/pkg/traceql/enum_statics_test.go
+++ b/pkg/traceql/enum_statics_test.go
@@ -62,17 +62,19 @@ func TestStaticType_isMatchingOperand(t *testing.T) {
 		// both numeric
 		{t: TypeInt, otherT: TypeFloat, want: true},
 		{t: TypeFloat, otherT: TypeInt, want: true},
+
+		// TypeNil with others
 		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeIntArray, want: true},
 		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeFloatArray, want: true},
 		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeStringArray, want: true},
 		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeBooleanArray, want: true},
-		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeInt, want: false},
-		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeFloat, want: false},
-		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeString, want: false},
-		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeBoolean, want: false},
-		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeDuration, want: false},
-		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeStatus, want: false},
-		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeKind, want: false},
+		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeInt, want: true},
+		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeFloat, want: true},
+		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeString, want: true},
+		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeBoolean, want: true},
+		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeDuration, want: true},
+		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeStatus, want: true},
+		{t: TypeNil, otherT: TypeKind, want: true},
 
 		// array types
 		{t: TypeIntArray, otherT: TypeIntArray, want: true},
@@ -96,6 +98,8 @@ func TestStaticType_isMatchingOperand(t *testing.T) {
 		name := fmt.Sprintf("%s with %s", tt.t, tt.otherT)
 		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			assert.Equalf(t, tt.want, tt.t.isMatchingOperand(tt.otherT), "isMatchingOperand: %s", name)
+			// test symmetric case
+			assert.Equalf(t, tt.want, tt.otherT.isMatchingOperand(tt.t), "isMatchingOperand(%s) [symmetric]", name)
 		})
 	}
 }