diff --git a/src/backend/src/util/hl_types.js b/src/backend/src/util/hl_types.js
index 942c0d4c3c..6110a595a5 100644
--- a/src/backend/src/util/hl_types.js
+++ b/src/backend/src/util/hl_types.js
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ const hl_type_definitions = {
                 return v;
             }
 
+            if ( v === 1 ) return true;
+            if ( v === 0 ) return false
+            if ( typeof v === 'object' ) {
+                return v !== null;
+            }
+
             throw new Error(`could not adapt value to boolean: ${quot(v)}`);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/backend/src/util/hl_types.test.js b/src/backend/src/util/hl_types.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2ad93e4ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/src/util/hl_types.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+const { expect } = require('chai');
+const { boolify } = require('./hl_types');
+
+describe('hl_types', () => {
+    it('boolify falsy values', () => {
+        expect(boolify(undefined)).to.be.false;
+        expect(boolify(0)).to.be.false;
+        expect(boolify('')).to.be.false;
+        expect(boolify(null)).to.be.false;
+    })
+    it('boolify truthy values', () => {
+        expect(boolify(true)).to.be.true;
+        expect(boolify(1)).to.be.true;
+        expect(boolify('1')).to.be.true;
+        expect(boolify({})).to.be.true;
+    })
+});
\ No newline at end of file