diff --git a/src/Analyser/NodeScopeResolver.php b/src/Analyser/NodeScopeResolver.php
index 603035e2d1..028bffe544 100644
--- a/src/Analyser/NodeScopeResolver.php
+++ b/src/Analyser/NodeScopeResolver.php
@@ -2819,7 +2819,17 @@ static function (): void {
 					}
 					foreach ($properties as $name => $type) {
 						$optional = in_array($name, $optionalProperties, true) || $refCount[$name] < count($constantArrays);
-						$scope = $scope->assignVariable($name, $type, $type, $optional ? TrinaryLogic::createMaybe() : TrinaryLogic::createYes());
+
+						if (!$optional) {
+							$scope = $scope->assignVariable($name, $type, $type, TrinaryLogic::createYes());
+						} else {
+							$hasVariable = $scope->hasVariableType($name);
+							if (!$hasVariable->no()) {
+								$type = TypeCombinator::union($scope->getVariableType($name), $type);
+							}
+
+							$scope = $scope->assignVariable($name, $type, $type, $scope->hasVariableType($name)->or(TrinaryLogic::createMaybe()));
+						}
 					}
 				} else {
 					$scope = $scope->afterExtractCall();
diff --git a/tests/PHPStan/Analyser/NodeScopeResolverTest.php b/tests/PHPStan/Analyser/NodeScopeResolverTest.php
index a90728cb30..e6639e0907 100644
--- a/tests/PHPStan/Analyser/NodeScopeResolverTest.php
+++ b/tests/PHPStan/Analyser/NodeScopeResolverTest.php
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ private static function findTestFiles(): iterable
 		yield __DIR__ . '/../Rules/Comparison/data/bug-5365.php';
 		yield __DIR__ . '/../Rules/Comparison/data/bug-6551.php';
 		yield __DIR__ . '/../Rules/Variables/data/bug-9403.php';
+		yield __DIR__ . '/../Rules/Variables/data/bug-12364.php';
 		yield __DIR__ . '/../Rules/Methods/data/bug-9542.php';
 		yield __DIR__ . '/../Rules/Functions/data/bug-9803.php';
 		yield __DIR__ . '/../Rules/PhpDoc/data/bug-10594.php';
diff --git a/tests/PHPStan/Rules/Variables/DefinedVariableRuleTest.php b/tests/PHPStan/Rules/Variables/DefinedVariableRuleTest.php
index 96b89cf070..01628eaaa9 100644
--- a/tests/PHPStan/Rules/Variables/DefinedVariableRuleTest.php
+++ b/tests/PHPStan/Rules/Variables/DefinedVariableRuleTest.php
@@ -1011,6 +1011,15 @@ public function testIsStringNarrowsCertainty(): void
 		]);
 	}
 
+	public function testBug12364(): void
+	{
+		$this->cliArgumentsVariablesRegistered = true;
+		$this->polluteScopeWithLoopInitialAssignments = true;
+		$this->checkMaybeUndefinedVariables = true;
+		$this->polluteScopeWithAlwaysIterableForeach = true;
+		$this->analyse([__DIR__ . '/data/bug-12364.php'], []);
+	}
+
 	public function testDiscussion10252(): void
 	{
 		$this->cliArgumentsVariablesRegistered = true;
diff --git a/tests/PHPStan/Rules/Variables/data/bug-12364.php b/tests/PHPStan/Rules/Variables/data/bug-12364.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..84cb57f799
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/PHPStan/Rules/Variables/data/bug-12364.php
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Bug12364;
+
+use function PHPStan\Testing\assertType;
+
+/** @return array{x: string, y?: string} */
+function foo(): array {
+	return [ 'x' => 'foo' ];
+}
+
+$x = $y = null;
+assertType('null', $x);
+assertType('null', $y);
+extract(foo());
+assertType('string', $x);
+assertType('string|null', $y); // <-- should be: null|string
+var_dump($x);
+var_dump($y); // <-- does exist