While I can understand the reason behind the behaviour I cannot find it intuitive.

If I say an asseignment I expect the value to be "evaluated".

I could have grasped the expression in all the null values would have been replaced with new instances, but then it would have been too much invasive and magic to work, so - again - I understand why the designers night have been force to settle for the actual behaviour...

But maybe then the half-solution is not worth it