diff --git a/src/ast.rs b/src/ast.rs
index 47ca9fb..9086abf 100644
--- a/src/ast.rs
+++ b/src/ast.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // This is an auto-generated file. Any changes made to this file may be overwritten.
-// This file was created at: 2024-10-21 15:09:43
+// This file was created at: 2024-10-21 15:50:12
 #![allow(dead_code)]
 use std::fmt::Debug;
 use std::any::Any;
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ pub struct FunctionExpr {
     pub lparen: Token,
     pub params: Vec<(Token, Option<ExprP>)>,
     pub return_type: Option<ExprP>,
-    pub body: Vec<StmtP>,
+    pub body: BlockExpr,
     pub rbrace: Token,
 }
 
diff --git a/src/compiler.rs b/src/compiler.rs
index 5f6e9d4..7893ea9 100644
--- a/src/compiler.rs
+++ b/src/compiler.rs
@@ -943,13 +943,18 @@ impl ExprVisitor for Compiler<'_> {
         }
 
         // compile body
-        for stmt in &expr.body {
+        for stmt in &expr.body.stmts {
             self.compile_stmt(stmt)?;
         }
 
-        // always end with a "return nil"
-        let nil = self.insert_constant(Nil::create())?;
-        self.emit(end_line, Op::PushConstant(nil));
+        // compile the last expression in the block and compile that as the return value
+        if let Some(expr) = expr.body.return_expr.as_ref() {
+            self.compile_expr(expr)?;
+        } else {
+            // otherwise end with a "return nil"
+            let nil = self.insert_constant(Nil::create())?;
+            self.emit(end_line, Op::PushConstant(nil));
+        }
         self.emit(end_line, Op::Return);
 
         self.end_scope(end_line);
diff --git a/src/compiler/visitors.rs b/src/compiler/visitors.rs
index 987ff57..413101c 100644
--- a/src/compiler/visitors.rs
+++ b/src/compiler/visitors.rs
@@ -165,11 +165,14 @@ pub(super) struct LocalAssignCollector {
 }
 
 impl LocalAssignCollector {
-    pub fn collect(body: &Vec<StmtP>) -> HashSet<String> {
+    pub fn collect(block: &BlockExpr) -> HashSet<String> {
         let mut collector = Self::default();
-        for stmt in body {
+        for stmt in &block.stmts {
             stmt.accept(&mut collector).unwrap();
         }
+        if let Some(expr) = block.return_expr.as_ref() {
+            expr.accept(&mut collector).unwrap();
+        }
         collector.names
     }
 }
@@ -319,11 +322,14 @@ pub(super) struct LocalNameCollector {
 }
 
 impl LocalNameCollector {
-    pub fn collect(body: &Vec<StmtP>) -> HashSet<String> {
+    pub fn collect(block: &BlockExpr) -> HashSet<String> {
         let mut collector = Self::default();
-        for stmt in body {
+        for stmt in &block.stmts {
             stmt.accept(&mut collector).unwrap();
         }
+        if let Some(expr) = block.return_expr.as_ref() {
+            expr.accept(&mut collector).unwrap();
+        }
         collector.names
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index 534eee7..599118c 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ impl Parser {
         }
 
         self.expect("expect '{' after function signature", TokenKind::LBrace)?;
-        let body = self.block()?;
+        let body = self.block_expr()?;
         let rbrace = self.prev.clone().unwrap();
 
         Ok(Box::new(FunctionExpr {
diff --git a/tools/genast.py b/tools/genast.py
index 7eff05e..a6d1dd9 100755
--- a/tools/genast.py
+++ b/tools/genast.py
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ GENERATE = [
             "lparen: Token",
             "params: Vec<(Token, Option<ExprP>)>",
             "return_type: Option<ExprP>",
-            "body: Vec<StmtP>",
+            "body: BlockExpr",
             "rbrace: Token",
         ],
     )