diff --git a/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/fail_todo_trace.rs b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/fail_todo_trace.rs
index aed2d6f3..2a1180a6 100644
--- a/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/fail_todo_trace.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/fail_todo_trace.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::{
-    ast::TraceKind,
+    ast::{well_known, TraceKind},
     expr::UntypedExpr,
     parser::{
         error::{ParseError, Pattern},
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ pub fn parser<'a>(
                 choice((just(Token::Colon), just(Token::Comma)))
                     .then(
                         choice((string::hybrid(), expression.clone()))
-                            .separated_by(just(Token::Comma)),
+                            .separated_by(just(Token::Comma))
+                            .at_least(1),
                     )
                     .validate(|(token, arguments), span, emit| {
                         if token != Token::Colon {
@@ -53,7 +54,10 @@ pub fn parser<'a>(
                 |((label, arguments), continuation), span| UntypedExpr::Trace {
                     kind: TraceKind::Trace,
                     location: span,
-                    then: Box::new(continuation.unwrap_or_else(|| UntypedExpr::todo(None, span))),
+                    then: Box::new(continuation.unwrap_or_else(|| UntypedExpr::Var {
+                        location: span,
+                        name: well_known::VOID.to_string(),
+                    })),
                     label: Box::new(label),
                     arguments,
                 },
@@ -193,4 +197,15 @@ mod tests {
             "#
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn trace_dangling_colons() {
+        assert_expr!(
+            r#"
+            let debug = fn() {
+              trace "foo":
+            }
+            "#
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_dangling_colons.snap b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_dangling_colons.snap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..87a82c3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_dangling_colons.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+---
+source: crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/fail_todo_trace.rs
+description: "Invalid code (parse error):\n\nlet debug = fn() {\n  trace \"foo\":\n}\n"
+---
+[
+    ParseError {
+        kind: Unexpected(
+            Token(
+                RightBrace,
+            ),
+        ),
+        span: 34..35,
+        while_parsing: None,
+        expected: {
+            Token(
+                If,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Expect,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Minus,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                When,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                And,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Or,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                LeftParen,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Todo,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                LeftSquare,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                NewLineMinus,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Bang,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Fail,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                NewLineLeftParen,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                LeftBrace,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Trace,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Let,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Hash,
+            ),
+            Token(
+                Fn,
+            ),
+        },
+        label: None,
+    },
+]
diff --git a/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_expr_todo.snap b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_expr_todo.snap
index ae65d4df..32b3ea26 100644
--- a/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_expr_todo.snap
+++ b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_expr_todo.snap
@@ -5,17 +5,9 @@ description: "Code:\n\ntrace some_var\n"
 Trace {
     kind: Trace,
     location: 0..14,
-    then: Trace {
-        kind: Todo,
+    then: Var {
         location: 0..14,
-        then: ErrorTerm {
-            location: 0..14,
-        },
-        label: String {
-            location: 0..14,
-            value: "aiken::todo",
-        },
-        arguments: [],
+        name: "Void",
     },
     label: Var {
         location: 6..14,
diff --git a/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_labelled.snap b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_labelled.snap
index 3af8fa07..2deadaf9 100644
--- a/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_labelled.snap
+++ b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_labelled.snap
@@ -5,17 +5,9 @@ description: "Code:\n\ntrace foo: \"bar\"\n"
 Trace {
     kind: Trace,
     location: 0..16,
-    then: Trace {
-        kind: Todo,
+    then: Var {
         location: 0..16,
-        then: ErrorTerm {
-            location: 0..16,
-        },
-        label: String {
-            location: 0..16,
-            value: "aiken::todo",
-        },
-        arguments: [],
+        name: "Void",
     },
     label: Var {
         location: 6..9,
diff --git a/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_variadic.snap b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_variadic.snap
index 71ee7150..721f7493 100644
--- a/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_variadic.snap
+++ b/crates/aiken-lang/src/parser/expr/snapshots/trace_variadic.snap
@@ -5,17 +5,9 @@ description: "Code:\n\ntrace \"foo\": @\"bar\", baz\n"
 Trace {
     kind: Trace,
     location: 0..24,
-    then: Trace {
-        kind: Todo,
+    then: Var {
         location: 0..24,
-        then: ErrorTerm {
-            location: 0..24,
-        },
-        label: String {
-            location: 0..24,
-            value: "aiken::todo",
-        },
-        arguments: [],
+        name: "Void",
     },
     label: String {
         location: 6..11,
diff --git a/crates/aiken-lang/src/tests/check.rs b/crates/aiken-lang/src/tests/check.rs
index 8655bb8d..9410b801 100644
--- a/crates/aiken-lang/src/tests/check.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken-lang/src/tests/check.rs
@@ -3332,6 +3332,22 @@ fn dangling_let_in_block() {
     )
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn default_trace_return() {
+    let source_code = r#"
+        fn debug() {
+          trace @"patate": Void
+        }
+
+        test foo() {
+            debug()
+            True
+        }
+    "#;
+
+    assert!(matches!(check_validator(parse(source_code)), Ok(..)))
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn dangling_trace_let_standalone() {
     let source_code = r#"