diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 40b072f..0e395e6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,12 +16,15 @@ initializes its WebAssembly module on first use.
 ```ts
 import { createEvaluator } from "nix-eval";
 
-const evaluator = await createEvaluator();
+const evaluator = await createEvaluator({ strict: true });
 const result = await evaluator.eval("6 * 7");
 
 console.log(result.output); // "42"
 ```
 
+Pass `{ strict: true }` to force the final value before rendering. This resolves
+lazy values in attribute sets and lists instead of displaying `<CODE>`.
+
 Pass a location as the second argument to associate diagnostics with a source
 name. It defaults to `"<string>"`.
 
diff --git a/demo/src/evaluator.ts b/demo/src/evaluator.ts
index eb0f136..457b8c8 100644
--- a/demo/src/evaluator.ts
+++ b/demo/src/evaluator.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export interface EvalErrorEvent {
 export type NixEval = (source: string) => Promise<void>;
 
 export async function createNixEvaluator(el: EventTarget): Promise<NixEval> {
-  const ev = await createEvaluator();
+  const ev = await createEvaluator({ strict: true });
 
   return async (source: string): Promise<void> => {
     const start = performance.now();
diff --git a/demo/vite.config.ts b/demo/vite.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..43030f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demo/vite.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import { defineConfig } from "vite";
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  optimizeDeps: {
+    exclude: ["nix-eval"],
+  },
+});
diff --git a/rust/src/lib.rs b/rust/src/lib.rs
index da919cf..4d94a58 100644
--- a/rust/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ struct Output {
     ast: String,
 }
 
-fn eval(source: &str, location: &str) -> Output {
+fn eval(source: &str, location: &str, strict: bool) -> Output {
     let mut output = Output::default();
     let mut builder = tvix_eval::Evaluation::builder_pure();
     let source_map = builder.source_map().clone();
@@ -26,7 +26,14 @@ fn eval(source: &str, location: &str) -> Output {
         let mut runtime_observer = TracingObserver::new(&mut output.trace);
         builder.set_runtime_observer(Some(&mut runtime_observer));
 
-        builder.build().evaluate(source, Some(location.into()))
+        builder
+            .mode(if strict {
+                tvix_eval::EvalMode::Strict
+            } else {
+                tvix_eval::EvalMode::Lazy
+            })
+            .build()
+            .evaluate(source, Some(location.into()))
     };
 
     if let Some(expr) = &result.expr {
@@ -55,8 +62,8 @@ fn eval(source: &str, location: &str) -> Output {
 }
 
 #[wasm_bindgen(js_name = evaluate)]
-pub fn eval_wasm(source: &str, location: &str) -> String {
-    let output = eval(source, location);
+pub fn eval_wasm(source: &str, location: &str, strict: bool) -> String {
+    let output = eval(source, location, strict);
     serde_json::json!({
         "errors": output.errors,
         "warnings": output.warnings,
@@ -74,7 +81,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn evaluates_a_pure_expression() {
-        let result = eval("6 * 7", "/input.nix");
+        let result = eval("6 * 7", "/input.nix", false);
 
         assert_eq!(result.output, "42");
         assert!(result.warnings.is_empty());
@@ -86,7 +93,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn returns_parse_errors_as_data() {
-        let result = eval("let", "/input.nix");
+        let result = eval("let", "/input.nix", false);
 
         assert!(result.output.is_empty());
         assert!(result.warnings.is_empty());
@@ -97,8 +104,20 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn serializes_output_for_wasm() {
         let output: serde_json::Value =
-            serde_json::from_str(&eval_wasm("6 * 7", "/input.nix")).unwrap();
+            serde_json::from_str(&eval_wasm("6 * 7", "/input.nix", false)).unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(output["output"], "42");
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn strict_evaluation_forces_nested_values() {
+        let source = "{ value = builtins.concatStringsSep \"\" [ \"hello\" \" world\" ]; }";
+
+        assert!(eval(source, "/input.nix", false).output.contains("<CODE>"));
+        let strict_output = eval(source, "/input.nix", true).output;
+        assert!(
+            strict_output.contains("hello world"),
+            "unexpected strict output: {strict_output}"
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/common.ts b/src/common.ts
index d58d77f..d1f3388 100644
--- a/src/common.ts
+++ b/src/common.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ export type Output = {
   ast: string;
 };
 
+export type EvaluatorOptions = {
+  strict?: boolean;
+};
+
 export interface Evaluator {
   eval(source: string, location?: string): Promise<Output>;
 }
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index f110f12..bdcdbb5 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-export type { Evaluator, Output } from "#src/common.js";
+export type { Evaluator, EvaluatorOptions, Output } from "#src/common.js";
 export { createEvaluator } from "#src/sync.js";
diff --git a/src/sync.test.ts b/src/sync.test.ts
index 3f98976..1e5b7d7 100644
--- a/src/sync.test.ts
+++ b/src/sync.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 vi.mock("#wasm/nix_eval.js", () => ({
   default: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
-  evaluate: vi.fn((source: string, _location: string) =>
+  evaluate: vi.fn((source: string, _location: string, _strict: boolean) =>
     JSON.stringify({
       errors: "",
       warnings: "",
@@ -40,4 +40,14 @@ describe("createEvaluator", () => {
     expect(result.output).toBe("42");
     expect(result.errors).toBe("");
   });
+
+  it("passes the strict option to the WASM binding", async () => {
+    const mod = await import("#wasm/nix_eval.js");
+    const evaluate = mod.evaluate as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+    const evaluator = await createEvaluator({ strict: true });
+
+    await evaluator.eval("6 * 7");
+
+    expect(evaluate).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith("6 * 7", "/input.nix", true);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/sync.ts b/src/sync.ts
index 0b3c36f..c7cbe45 100644
--- a/src/sync.ts
+++ b/src/sync.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import * as wasm from "#wasm/nix_eval.js";
 import { parseOutput } from "#src/common.js";
-import type { Evaluator } from "#src/common.js";
+import type { Evaluator, EvaluatorOptions } from "#src/common.js";
 
 let initialized: Promise<void> | undefined;
 
-export async function createEvaluator(): Promise<Evaluator> {
+export async function createEvaluator({ strict = false }: EvaluatorOptions = {}): Promise<Evaluator> {
   initialized ??= Promise.resolve(
     typeof wasm.default === "function" ? wasm.default() : undefined,
   ).then(() => undefined);
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export async function createEvaluator(): Promise<Evaluator> {
 
   return {
     async eval(source, location = "/input.nix") {
-      return parseOutput(wasm.evaluate(source, location));
+      return parseOutput(wasm.evaluate(source, location, strict));
     },
   };
 }