diff --git a/lib/handlebars/compiler/javascript-compiler.js b/lib/handlebars/compiler/javascript-compiler.js
index 19066d34f..d41cacd73 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars/compiler/javascript-compiler.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars/compiler/javascript-compiler.js
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ JavaScriptCompiler.prototype = {
     // when we examine local
     this.flushInline();
     var local = this.popStack();
-    this.pushSource("if(" + local + " || " + local + " === 0) { " + this.appendToBuffer(local) + " }");
+    this.pushSource('if (' + local + ' != null) { ' + this.appendToBuffer(local) + ' }');
     if (this.environment.isSimple) {
       this.pushSource("else { " + this.appendToBuffer("''") + " }");
     }
diff --git a/lib/handlebars/utils.js b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
index 087183e54..f38b7afb2 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars/utils.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
@@ -55,8 +55,10 @@ export function escapeExpression(string) {
   // don't escape SafeStrings, since they're already safe
   if (string instanceof SafeString) {
     return string.toString();
-  } else if (!string && string !== 0) {
+  } else if (string == null) {
     return "";
+  } else if (!string) {
+    return string + '';
   }
 
   // Force a string conversion as this will be done by the append regardless and
diff --git a/spec/basic.js b/spec/basic.js
index 8aa54b98c..8a9c116cf 100644
--- a/spec/basic.js
+++ b/spec/basic.js
@@ -50,6 +50,14 @@ describe("basic context", function() {
     shouldCompileTo("num: {{.}}", 0, "num: 0");
     shouldCompileTo("num: {{num1/num2}}", {num1: {num2: 0}}, "num: 0");
   });
+  it('false', function() {
+    shouldCompileTo('val1: {{val1}}, val2: {{val2}}', {val1: false, val2: new Boolean(false)}, 'val1: false, val2: false');
+    shouldCompileTo('val: {{.}}', false, 'val: false');
+    shouldCompileTo('val: {{val1/val2}}', {val1: {val2: false}}, 'val: false');
+
+    shouldCompileTo('val1: {{{val1}}}, val2: {{{val2}}}', {val1: false, val2: new Boolean(false)}, 'val1: false, val2: false');
+    shouldCompileTo('val: {{{val1/val2}}}', {val1: {val2: false}}, 'val: false');
+  });
 
   it("newlines", function() {
       shouldCompileTo("Alan's\nTest", {}, "Alan's\nTest");
diff --git a/spec/utils.js b/spec/utils.js
index ea7d78256..0216c8de8 100644
--- a/spec/utils.js
+++ b/spec/utils.js
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ describe('utils', function() {
       equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(''), '');
       equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(undefined), '');
       equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(null), '');
-      equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(false), '');
 
+      equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(false), 'false');
       equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(0), '0');
     });
     it('should handle empty objects', function() {