diff --git a/solara/toestand.py b/solara/toestand.py
index 51aae1639..a9c3ecec4 100644
--- a/solara/toestand.py
+++ b/solara/toestand.py
@@ -92,6 +92,28 @@ def __init__(self, merge: Callable = merge_state):
         self.listeners: Dict[str, Set[Tuple[Callable[[T], None], Optional[ContextManager]]]] = defaultdict(set)
         self.listeners2: Dict[str, Set[Tuple[Callable[[T, T], None], Optional[ContextManager]]]] = defaultdict(set)
 
+    # make sure all boolean operations give type errors
+    def __bool__(self):
+        raise TypeError("Reactive vars are not allowed in boolean expressions, did you want to use .value?")
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        raise TypeError("Reactive vars are not allowed in boolean expressions, did you want to use .value?")
+
+    def __ne__(self, other):
+        raise TypeError("Reactive vars are not allowed in boolean expressions, did you want to use .value?")
+
+    def __lt__(self, other):
+        raise TypeError("Reactive vars are not allowed in boolean expressions, did you want to use .value?")
+
+    def __le__(self, other):
+        raise TypeError("Reactive vars are not allowed in boolean expressions, did you want to use .value?")
+
+    def __gt__(self, other):
+        raise TypeError("Reactive vars are not allowed in boolean expressions, did you want to use .value?")
+
+    def __ge__(self, other):
+        raise TypeError("Reactive vars are not allowed in boolean expressions, did you want to use .value?")
+
     @property
     def lock(self):
         raise NotImplementedError