diff --git a/crates/codegen/src/compile.rs b/crates/codegen/src/compile.rs
index c39c11892f9..be7807ec411 100644
--- a/crates/codegen/src/compile.rs
+++ b/crates/codegen/src/compile.rs
@@ -4423,11 +4423,12 @@ impl Compiler {
                 }
 
                 // Build kwargs if needed
-                let has_kwargs = arguments.is_some_and(|args| !args.keywords.is_empty());
-                if has_kwargs {
+                if arguments.is_some_and(|args| !args.keywords.is_empty()) {
                     self.compile_keywords(&arguments.unwrap().keywords)?;
+                } else {
+                    emit!(self, Instruction::PushNull);
                 }
-                emit!(self, Instruction::CallFunctionEx { has_kwargs });
+                emit!(self, Instruction::CallFunctionEx);
             } else {
                 // Simple case: no starred bases, no **kwargs
                 // Compile bases normally
@@ -6961,11 +6962,12 @@ impl Compiler {
             }
 
             // Create an optional map with kw-args:
-            let has_kwargs = !arguments.keywords.is_empty();
-            if has_kwargs {
+            if !arguments.keywords.is_empty() {
                 self.compile_keywords(&arguments.keywords)?;
+            } else {
+                emit!(self, Instruction::PushNull);
             }
-            emit!(self, Instruction::CallFunctionEx { has_kwargs });
+            emit!(self, Instruction::CallFunctionEx);
         } else if !arguments.keywords.is_empty() {
             // No **kwargs in this branch (has_double_star is false),
             // so all keywords have arg.is_some()
diff --git a/crates/compiler-core/src/bytecode/instruction.rs b/crates/compiler-core/src/bytecode/instruction.rs
index fe448f4574b..4faf67d273b 100644
--- a/crates/compiler-core/src/bytecode/instruction.rs
+++ b/crates/compiler-core/src/bytecode/instruction.rs
@@ -95,9 +95,7 @@ pub enum Instruction {
     Call {
         nargs: Arg<u32>,
     } = 53,
-    CallFunctionEx {
-        has_kwargs: Arg<bool>,
-    } = 54,
+    CallFunctionEx = 54,
     CallIntrinsic1 {
         func: Arg<IntrinsicFunction1>,
     } = 55,
@@ -575,8 +573,8 @@ impl InstructionMetadata for Instruction {
             Self::Call { nargs } => -(nargs.get(arg) as i32) - 2 + 1,
             // CallKw: pops kw_names_tuple + nargs + self_or_null + callable, pushes result
             Self::CallKw { nargs } => -1 - (nargs.get(arg) as i32) - 2 + 1,
-            // CallFunctionEx: pops kwargs(if any) + args_tuple + self_or_null + callable, pushes result
-            Self::CallFunctionEx { has_kwargs } => -1 - (has_kwargs.get(arg) as i32) - 2 + 1,
+            // CallFunctionEx: always pops kwargs_or_null + args_tuple + self_or_null + callable, pushes result
+            Self::CallFunctionEx => -4 + 1,
             Self::CheckEgMatch => 0, // pops 2 (exc, type), pushes 2 (rest, match)
             Self::ConvertValue { .. } => 0,
             Self::FormatSimple => 0,
@@ -880,7 +878,7 @@ impl InstructionMetadata for Instruction {
             Self::BuildTupleFromIter => w!(BUILD_TUPLE_FROM_ITER),
             Self::BuildTupleFromTuples { size } => w!(BUILD_TUPLE_FROM_TUPLES, size),
             Self::Call { nargs } => w!(CALL, nargs),
-            Self::CallFunctionEx { has_kwargs } => w!(CALL_FUNCTION_EX, has_kwargs),
+            Self::CallFunctionEx => w!(CALL_FUNCTION_EX),
             Self::CallKw { nargs } => w!(CALL_KW, nargs),
             Self::CallIntrinsic1 { func } => w!(CALL_INTRINSIC_1, ?func),
             Self::CallIntrinsic2 { func } => w!(CALL_INTRINSIC_2, ?func),
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/frame.rs b/crates/vm/src/frame.rs
index d83be841275..ee6142b8030 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/frame.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/frame.rs
@@ -763,9 +763,9 @@ impl ExecutingFrame<'_> {
                 let args = self.collect_keyword_args(nargs.get(arg));
                 self.execute_call(args, vm)
             }
-            Instruction::CallFunctionEx { has_kwargs } => {
-                // Stack: [callable, self_or_null, args_tuple, (kwargs_dict)?]
-                let args = self.collect_ex_args(vm, has_kwargs.get(arg))?;
+            Instruction::CallFunctionEx => {
+                // Stack: [callable, self_or_null, args_tuple, kwargs_or_null]
+                let args = self.collect_ex_args(vm)?;
                 self.execute_call(args, vm)
             }
             Instruction::CallIntrinsic1 { func } => {
@@ -2128,9 +2128,9 @@ impl ExecutingFrame<'_> {
         FuncArgs::with_kwargs_names(args, kwarg_names)
     }
 
-    fn collect_ex_args(&mut self, vm: &VirtualMachine, has_kwargs: bool) -> PyResult<FuncArgs> {
-        let kwargs = if has_kwargs {
-            let kw_obj = self.pop_value();
+    fn collect_ex_args(&mut self, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<FuncArgs> {
+        let kwargs_or_null = self.pop_value_opt();
+        let kwargs = if let Some(kw_obj) = kwargs_or_null {
             let mut kwargs = IndexMap::new();
 
             // Use keys() method for all mapping objects to preserve order