diff --git a/.eslintrc.json b/.eslintrc.json
index 56a15a0a..eb8efa48 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.json
+++ b/.eslintrc.json
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
     "@typescript-eslint/no-floating-promises": "error",
     "@typescript-eslint/no-misused-promises": "error",
     "@typescript-eslint/prefer-optional-chain": "error",
+    "@typescript-eslint/prefer-nullish-coalescing": "error",
     "no-null/no-null": "error",
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/backend/tsconfig.json b/packages/backend/tsconfig.json
index abeb3ce5..bccdfdb7 100644
--- a/packages/backend/tsconfig.json
+++ b/packages/backend/tsconfig.json
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
   "compilerOptions": {
+    "strictNullChecks": true,
     "target": "esnext",
     "module": "esnext",
     "moduleResolution": "Node",