diff --git a/mrbgems/mruby-compiler/core/codegen.c b/mrbgems/mruby-compiler/core/codegen.c
index cf3c24d19..f041a2c99 100644
--- a/mrbgems/mruby-compiler/core/codegen.c
+++ b/mrbgems/mruby-compiler/core/codegen.c
@@ -3974,7 +3974,13 @@ codegen_if(codegen_scope *s, node *varnode, int val)
     mrb_sym sym_nil_p = MRB_SYM_Q(nil);
     if (call_n->method_name == sym_nil_p && callargs_empty(call_n->args)) {
       nil_p = TRUE;
-      codegen(s, call_n->receiver, VAL);
+      if (call_n->receiver) {
+        codegen(s, call_n->receiver, VAL);
+      }
+      else {
+        /* implicit receiver: bare `nil?` means `self.nil?` */
+        gen_load_op1(s, OP_LOADSELF, VAL);
+      }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/test/t/codegen.rb b/test/t/codegen.rb
index c4e031bd3..1e4d37559 100644
--- a/test/t/codegen.rb
+++ b/test/t/codegen.rb
@@ -194,3 +194,29 @@ assert('register window of calls (#3783)') do
     end
   end
 end
+
+assert('bare `nil?` in if/unless uses self as receiver (#6874)') do
+  klass = Class.new do
+    def unless_form
+      reached = false
+      unless nil?
+        reached = true
+      end
+      reached
+    end
+
+    def if_form
+      if nil?
+        :yes
+      else
+        :no
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  assert_true klass.new.unless_form
+  assert_equal :no, klass.new.if_form
+  # Sanity: explicit literal nil receiver still optimized correctly.
+  result = if nil.nil? then :yes else :no end
+  assert_equal :yes, result
+end