diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index f4630137c..fceec752d 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -250,7 +250,6 @@ func (c *compiler) compileMap(obj *d2graph.Object, m *d2ir.Map) {
 }
 
 func (c *compiler) compileField(obj *d2graph.Object, f *d2ir.Field) {
-	println("\033[1;31m--- DEBUG:", "=======================", "\033[m")
 	keyword := strings.ToLower(f.Name)
 	_, isStyleReserved := d2graph.StyleKeywords[keyword]
 	if isStyleReserved {
diff --git a/d2ir/compile.go b/d2ir/compile.go
index 20a03b103..7c5ed5fb0 100644
--- a/d2ir/compile.go
+++ b/d2ir/compile.go
@@ -156,6 +156,13 @@ func (c *compiler) compileField(dst *Map, kp *d2ast.KeyPath, refctx *RefContext)
 		return
 	}
 
+	if f.Primary() != nil {
+		// null only applies if it's the appearance
+		if _, ok := f.Primary().Value.(*d2ast.Null); ok {
+			f.Primary_ = nil
+		}
+	}
+
 	if refctx.Key.Primary.Unbox() != nil {
 		f.Primary_ = &Scalar{
 			parent: f,
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.exp.json
index ebeb96548..cd14b3174 100644
--- a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.exp.json
@@ -104,7 +104,93 @@
       "zIndex": 0
     },
     "edges": null,
-    "objects": null
+    "objects": [
+      {
+        "id": "a",
+        "id_val": "a",
+        "references": [
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.d2,1:0:1-1:1:2",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.d2,1:0:1-1:1:2",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "a",
+                        "raw_string": "a"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          },
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.d2,2:0:3-2:1:4",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.d2,2:0:3-2:1:4",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "a",
+                        "raw_string": "a"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          },
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.d2,3:0:11-3:1:12",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/nulls/reappear/shape.d2,3:0:11-3:1:12",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "a",
+                        "raw_string": "a"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          }
+        ],
+        "attributes": {
+          "label": {
+            "value": "a"
+          },
+          "labelDimensions": {
+            "width": 0,
+            "height": 0
+          },
+          "style": {},
+          "near_key": null,
+          "shape": {
+            "value": "rectangle"
+          },
+          "direction": {
+            "value": ""
+          },
+          "constraint": null
+        },
+        "zIndex": 0
+      }
+    ]
   },
   "err": null
 }