diff --git a/vortex-array/src/arrays/scalar_fn/vtable/validity.rs b/vortex-array/src/arrays/scalar_fn/vtable/validity.rs
index 2ac376155e3..fd5bad28054 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/arrays/scalar_fn/vtable/validity.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/arrays/scalar_fn/vtable/validity.rs
@@ -2,17 +2,22 @@
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright the Vortex contributors
 
 use vortex_error::VortexResult;
+use vortex_error::vortex_bail;
 
 use crate::ArrayRef;
 use crate::IntoArray;
 use crate::LEGACY_SESSION;
 use crate::VortexSessionExecute;
+use crate::array::Array;
 use crate::array::ArrayView;
 use crate::array::ValidityVTable;
+use crate::array::child_to_validity;
+use crate::arrays::ConstantArray;
 use crate::arrays::scalar_fn::ScalarFnArrayExt;
 use crate::arrays::scalar_fn::vtable::ArrayExpr;
 use crate::arrays::scalar_fn::vtable::FakeEq;
 use crate::arrays::scalar_fn::vtable::ScalarFn;
+use crate::dtype::Nullability;
 use crate::expr::Expression;
 use crate::expr::lit;
 use crate::scalar_fn::TypedScalarFnInstance;
@@ -21,6 +26,36 @@ use crate::scalar_fn::fns::literal::Literal;
 use crate::scalar_fn::fns::root::Root;
 use crate::validity::Validity;
 
+/// Convert an expression tree into a lazy array DAG without executing it.
+///
+/// This assumes all leaf expressions are either ArrayExpr (wrapping actual arrays) or Literals.
+fn expr_to_lazy_array(expr: &Expression, row_count: usize) -> VortexResult<ArrayRef> {
+    // Handle Root expression - this should not happen in validity expressions
+    if expr.is::<Root>() {
+        vortex_bail!("Root expression cannot be converted in validity context");
+    }
+
+    // Handle Literal expression - create a constant array
+    if expr.is::<Literal>() {
+        let scalar = expr.as_::<Literal>();
+        return Ok(ConstantArray::new(scalar.clone(), row_count).into_array());
+    }
+
+    // Handle ArrayExpr leaves - unwrap the array they hold
+    if expr.is::<ArrayExpr>() {
+        return Ok(expr.as_::<ArrayExpr>().0.clone());
+    }
+
+    // Recursively convert child expressions into lazy input arrays
+    let children: Vec<ArrayRef> = expr
+        .children()
+        .iter()
+        .map(|child| expr_to_lazy_array(child, row_count))
+        .collect::<VortexResult<_>>()?;
+
+    Ok(Array::<ScalarFn>::try_new(expr.scalar_fn().clone(), children, row_count)?.into_array())
+}
+
 /// Execute an expression tree recursively.
 ///
 /// This assumes all leaf expressions are either ArrayExpr (wrapping actual arrays) or Literals.
@@ -29,13 +64,13 @@ fn execute_expr(expr: &Expression, row_count: usize) -> VortexResult<ArrayRef> {
 
     // Handle Root expression - this should not happen in validity expressions
     if expr.is::<Root>() {
-        vortex_error::vortex_bail!("Root expression cannot be executed in validity context");
+        vortex_bail!("Root expression cannot be executed in validity context");
     }
 
     // Handle Literal expression - create a constant array
     if expr.is::<Literal>() {
         let scalar = expr.as_::<Literal>();
-        return Ok(crate::arrays::ConstantArray::new(scalar.clone(), row_count).into_array());
+        return Ok(ConstantArray::new(scalar.clone(), row_count).into_array());
     }
 
     // Recursively execute child expressions to get input arrays
@@ -66,9 +101,26 @@ impl ValidityVTable<ScalarFn> for ScalarFn {
             .collect::<VortexResult<_>>()?;
 
         let expr = Expression::try_new(array.scalar_fn().clone(), inputs)?;
-        let validity_expr = array.scalar_fn().validity(&expr)?;
 
-        // Execute the validity expression. All leaves are ArrayExpr nodes.
-        Ok(Validity::Array(execute_expr(&validity_expr, array.len())?))
+        match array.scalar_fn().validity_opt(&expr)? {
+            Some(validity_expr) => {
+                // The function defines its validity as an expression over its inputs, so we can
+                // represent it as a lazy array DAG without executing anything. If the expression
+                // is already a constant it is folded back into AllValid/AllInvalid.
+                let validity_array = expr_to_lazy_array(&validity_expr, array.len())?;
+                Ok(child_to_validity(
+                    Some(&validity_array),
+                    Nullability::Nullable,
+                ))
+            }
+            None => {
+                // The function's validity can only be determined by executing the function
+                // itself (e.g. Kleene logic and/or). Representing that lazily would create a
+                // self-referential array (is_not_null over this very expression), so execute it
+                // eagerly instead.
+                let validity_expr = array.scalar_fn().validity(&expr)?;
+                Ok(Validity::Array(execute_expr(&validity_expr, array.len())?))
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/vortex-array/src/scalar_fn/erased.rs b/vortex-array/src/scalar_fn/erased.rs
index 10e82d25455..5c95a4fa225 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/scalar_fn/erased.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/scalar_fn/erased.rs
@@ -134,12 +134,22 @@ impl ScalarFnRef {
 
     /// Transforms the expression into one representing the validity of this expression.
     pub fn validity(&self, expr: &Expression) -> VortexResult<Expression> {
-        Ok(self.0.validity(expr)?.unwrap_or_else(|| {
+        Ok(self.validity_opt(expr)?.unwrap_or_else(|| {
             // TODO(ngates): make validity a mandatory method on VTable to avoid this fallback.
             IsNotNull.new_expr(EmptyOptions, [expr.clone()])
         }))
     }
 
+    /// Transforms the expression into one representing the validity of this expression,
+    /// returning `None` if the function does not define a validity expression.
+    ///
+    /// When `None` is returned, the validity can only be determined by executing the
+    /// expression itself (e.g. Kleene logic `and`/`or`), and [`Self::validity`] falls back to
+    /// `is_not_null` over the expression.
+    pub fn validity_opt(&self, expr: &Expression) -> VortexResult<Option<Expression>> {
+        self.0.validity(expr)
+    }
+
     /// Execute the expression given the input arguments.
     pub fn execute(
         &self,