diff --git a/client/space_lua/context_errors.test.ts b/client/space_lua/context_errors.test.ts
index 5c421fb9..e9343b0d 100644
--- a/client/space_lua/context_errors.test.ts
+++ b/client/space_lua/context_errors.test.ts
@@ -45,18 +45,6 @@ Deno.test("Context error: indexing nil value includes message and ref", async ()
   assertCtxErrorContains(e, code, ref, "attempt to index a nil value");
 });
 
-Deno.test("Context error: indexing with nil key includes message and ref", async () => {
-  const { e, code, ref } = await runAndCatch(
-    `
-    local t = {}
-    local k = nil
-    local x = t[k]
-  `,
-    "nil_key.lua",
-  );
-  assertCtxErrorContains(e, code, ref, "attempt to index with a nil key");
-});
-
 Deno.test("Context error: calling nil includes message and ref", async () => {
   const { e, code, ref } = await runAndCatch(
     `
diff --git a/client/space_lua/lua.test.ts b/client/space_lua/lua.test.ts
index ef443744..56275712 100644
--- a/client/space_lua/lua.test.ts
+++ b/client/space_lua/lua.test.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ Deno.test("[Lua] Load tests", async () => {
   await runLuaTest("./stdlib/load_test.lua");
 });
 
+Deno.test("[Lua] Core language (truthiness)", async () => {
+  await runLuaTest("./stdlib/table_test.lua");
+});
+
 Deno.test("[Lua] Core language (length)", async () => {
   await runLuaTest("./len_test.lua");
 });
diff --git a/client/space_lua/runtime.ts b/client/space_lua/runtime.ts
index 55ac2f08..3410d446 100644
--- a/client/space_lua/runtime.ts
+++ b/client/space_lua/runtime.ts
@@ -1257,11 +1257,10 @@ export function luaGet(
       errSf,
     );
   }
+
+  // In Lua reading with a nil key returns nil silently
   if (key === null || key === undefined) {
-    throw new LuaRuntimeError(
-      `attempt to index with a nil key`,
-      errSf,
-    );
+    return null;
   }
 
   if (obj instanceof LuaTable || obj instanceof LuaEnv) {
diff --git a/client/space_lua/stdlib/table_test.lua b/client/space_lua/stdlib/table_test.lua
index 8ef17920..aea581d4 100644
--- a/client/space_lua/stdlib/table_test.lua
+++ b/client/space_lua/stdlib/table_test.lua
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ do
     assertError(function() table.remove(t, #t + 2) end)
 end
 
--- nil and NaN keys are forbidden
+-- nil and NaN keys are forbidden on write
 do
     -- nil key at assignment
     assertError(function()
@@ -88,11 +88,9 @@ do
         local _ = { [0/0] = "bar" }
     end)
 
-    -- reading with nil key is also an error
-    assertError(function()
-        local t = {}
-        return t[nil]
-    end)
+    -- reading with nil key returns nil silently
+    local t = {}
+    assertEqual(t[nil], nil)
 end
 
 -- Reference semantics / aliasing (tables are mutable references)
@@ -218,7 +216,7 @@ do
     assertEqual(t, { 3, 2, 1 })
 
     table.sort(t, function(a, b) return a < b end)
-    assertEqual(t, { 3, 2, 1 })
+    assertEqual(t, { 1, 2, 3 })
 
     local data = { { name = "John", age = 30 }, { name = "Jane", age = 25 } }
     table.sort(data, function(a, b) return a.age < b.age end)