diff --git a/cue.mod/module.cue b/cue.mod/module.cue
index 1f1af8ea9..9cf92bc9e 100644
--- a/cue.mod/module.cue
+++ b/cue.mod/module.cue
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 module: "cuelang.org/go"
 language: {
-	version: "v0.15.0"
+	version: "v0.16.0"
 }
diff --git a/encoding/jsonschema/crd.cue b/encoding/jsonschema/crd.cue
index 1d66ee96f..b015491f5 100644
--- a/encoding/jsonschema/crd.cue
+++ b/encoding/jsonschema/crd.cue
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ specs: {
 				#CRDSpec
 			},
 		]
-	}
-	if (input & [...]) == _|_ {
+	} else {
 		// It's a single document. Include it if it looks like a CRD.
 		if (input & {#crdlike, ...}) != _|_ {
 			[{input, #CRDSpec}]
diff --git a/internal/ci/base/gerrithub.cue b/internal/ci/base/gerrithub.cue
index cecd95655..5291cc535 100644
--- a/internal/ci/base/gerrithub.cue
+++ b/internal/ci/base/gerrithub.cue
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ trybotDispatchWorkflow: bashWorkflow & {
 		(trybot.key): {
 			"runs-on": linuxSmallMachine + overrideCacheTagDispatch
 
-			let goodDummyData = [if json.Marshal(#dummyDispatch) != _|_ {true}, false][0]
+			let goodDummyData = json.Marshal(#dummyDispatch) != _|_
 
 			// We set the "on" conditions above, but this would otherwise mean we
 			// run for all dispatch events.
diff --git a/internal/ci/base/github.cue b/internal/ci/base/github.cue
index 7baa76e10..293d9422a 100644
--- a/internal/ci/base/github.cue
+++ b/internal/ci/base/github.cue
@@ -243,12 +243,13 @@ goChecks: githubactions.#Step & {
 
 staticcheck: githubactions.#Step & {
 	#in: modfile: string | *"" // an optional -modfile flag to not use the main go.mod
-	let gotool = [
+	let gotool = {
 		if #in.modfile != "" {
 			"go tool -modfile=\(#in.modfile)"
-		},
-		"go tool",
-	][0]
+		} else {
+			"go tool"
+		}
+	}
 
 	// TODO(mvdan): swap "/cache" for "${{ env.NSC_CACHE_PATH }}" once Namespace wires up that env var
 	// for the workspace environment. See: https://discord.com/channels/975088590705012777/1397128547797176340
@@ -357,7 +358,8 @@ containsDispatchTrailer: {
 	//
 	//     Dispatch-Trailer: {"type:}
 	//
-	let _typeCheck = [if #type != _|_ {#type + "\""}, ""][0]
+	// TODO(mvdan): using a struct embedding a string here doesn't work. why?
+	let _typeCheck = [if #type != _|_ {#type + "\""} else {""}][0]
 	"""
 	(contains(\(_dispatchTrailerVariable), '\n\(dispatchTrailer): {"type":"\(_typeCheck)'))
 	"""
diff --git a/internal/ci/base/helpers.cue b/internal/ci/base/helpers.cue
index 027b461a5..dca9537f0 100644
--- a/internal/ci/base/helpers.cue
+++ b/internal/ci/base/helpers.cue
@@ -14,15 +14,14 @@ import (
 _matchPattern: {
 	variable: string
 	pattern:  string
-	expr: [
+	expr: {
 		if strings.HasSuffix(pattern, "*") {
 			let prefix = strings.TrimSuffix(pattern, "*")
 			"startsWith(\(variable), '\(prefix)')"
-		},
-		{
+		} else {
 			"\(variable) == '\(pattern)'"
-		},
-	][0]
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 doNotEditMessage: {
diff --git a/internal/ci/cue.mod/module.cue b/internal/ci/cue.mod/module.cue
index 49eba03fe..13b1e46d8 100644
--- a/internal/ci/cue.mod/module.cue
+++ b/internal/ci/cue.mod/module.cue
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module: "github.com/cue-lang/tmp/internal/ci"
 language: {
-	version: "v0.15.0"
+	version: "v0.16.0"
 }
 source: {
 	kind: "self"