diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e89c7144..10c65cd3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ Types of changes:
 ### Removed
 
 ### Fixed
+- Fixed bare OpenQASM expression statements raising `AttributeError` or `KeyError`. Their values are now evaluated and discarded, and unknown gate errors name the gate using the original source line. ([#388](https://github.com/qBraid/pyqasm/issues/388))
 - Fixed Clifford+T rebasing for exact `rx`, `ry`, and `rz` rotations at multiples of π/4. These gates now decompose instead of disappearing, while angles outside the exact basis raise `RebaseError` instead of producing an incorrect result. ([#428](https://github.com/qBraid/pyqasm/issues/428))
 
 ### Dependencies
diff --git a/src/pyqasm/pulse/visitor.py b/src/pyqasm/pulse/visitor.py
index 6128aa69..a5da182a 100644
--- a/src/pyqasm/pulse/visitor.py
+++ b/src/pyqasm/pulse/visitor.py
@@ -773,6 +773,41 @@ def _visit_function_call(  # pylint: disable=too-many-branches, too-many-stateme
 
         return _return_value, [statement]
 
+    def _visit_expression_statement(
+        self, statement: qasm3_ast.ExpressionStatement
+    ) -> list[qasm3_ast.Statement]:
+        """Visit an expression statement in an OpenPulse block.
+
+        OpenPulse functions retain their specialized validation and output.
+        Other expressions use the main visitor's evaluator and discard their
+        value.
+
+        Args:
+            statement (ExpressionStatement): The expression statement to visit.
+
+        Returns:
+            list[Statement]: Statements produced while evaluating the expression.
+        """
+        expression = statement.expression
+        pulse_functions = {
+            *OPENPULSE_FRAME_FUNCTION_MAP,
+            *OPENPULSE_WAVEFORM_FUNCTION_MAP,
+            *OPENPULSE_CAPTURE_FUNCTION_MAP,
+            # Keep these names in sync with the special cases in _visit_function_call.
+            "get_phase",
+            "get_frequency",
+            "newframe",
+            "play",
+        }
+        if (
+            isinstance(expression, qasm3_ast.FunctionCall)
+            and expression.name.name in pulse_functions
+        ):
+            _, statements = self._visit_function_call(expression)
+            return statements  # type: ignore[return-value]
+        _, statements = Qasm3ExprEvaluator.evaluate_expression(expression)
+        return statements
+
     def visit_statement(
         self, statement: qasm3_ast.Statement | qasm3_ast.Pragma
     ) -> list[qasm3_ast.Statement]:
@@ -789,7 +824,7 @@ def visit_statement(
         visit_map = {
             qasm3_ast.QuantumBarrier: self._visit_barrier,
             qasm3_ast.ClassicalDeclaration: self._visit_classical_declaration,
-            qasm3_ast.ExpressionStatement: lambda x: self._visit_function_call(x.expression),
+            qasm3_ast.ExpressionStatement: self._visit_expression_statement,
             qasm3_ast.DelayInstruction: self._qasm_visitor._visit_delay_statement,
             qasm3_ast.ClassicalAssignment: self._visit_classical_assignment,
             qasm3_ast.ConstantDeclaration: self._visit_classical_declaration,
@@ -799,12 +834,7 @@ def visit_statement(
         visitor_function = visit_map.get(type(statement))
 
         if visitor_function:
-            if isinstance(statement, qasm3_ast.ExpressionStatement):
-                # these return a tuple of return value and list of statements
-                _, ret_stmts = visitor_function(statement)  # type: ignore[operator]
-                result.extend(ret_stmts)
-            else:
-                result.extend(visitor_function(statement))  # type: ignore[operator]
+            result.extend(visitor_function(statement))  # type: ignore[operator]
         else:
             if isinstance(statement, qasm3_ast.ReturnStatement):
                 if statement.expression:
diff --git a/src/pyqasm/visitor.py b/src/pyqasm/visitor.py
index a1afb6f7..bd9ec999 100644
--- a/src/pyqasm/visitor.py
+++ b/src/pyqasm/visitor.py
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ def _construct_visit_map(self):
             qasm3_ast.SwitchStatement: self._visit_switch_statement,
             qasm3_ast.SubroutineDefinition: self._visit_subroutine_definition,
             qasm3_ast.ExternDeclaration: self._visit_subroutine_definition,
-            qasm3_ast.ExpressionStatement: lambda x: self._visit_function_call(x.expression),
+            qasm3_ast.ExpressionStatement: self._visit_expression_statement,
             qasm3_ast.IODeclaration: lambda x: [],
             qasm3_ast.BreakStatement: self._visit_break,
             qasm3_ast.ContinueStatement: self._visit_continue,
@@ -1638,6 +1638,15 @@ def _visit_generic_gate_operation(  # pylint: disable=too-many-branches, too-man
             )
             return stmts  # type: ignore
 
+        if (
+            isinstance(operation, qasm3_ast.QuantumGate)
+            and operation.name.name not in self._custom_gates
+            and not self._is_black_box_gate(operation.name.name)
+        ):
+            # Resolve the operation before its operands so an unknown gate is
+            # reported even when one of its qubits is also undeclared.
+            map_qasm_op_to_callable(operation)
+
         self._in_generic_gate_op_scope += 1
 
         # only needs to be done once for a gate operation
@@ -3522,6 +3531,24 @@ def _visit_include(self, include: qasm3_ast.Include) -> list[qasm3_ast.Statement
 
         return [include]
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _visit_expression_statement(
+        statement: qasm3_ast.ExpressionStatement,
+    ) -> list[qasm3_ast.Statement]:
+        """Evaluate an expression statement and discard its value.
+
+        Statements produced while evaluating the expression are retained so
+        that calls to user-defined and external functions keep their effects.
+
+        Args:
+            statement (ExpressionStatement): The expression statement to visit.
+
+        Returns:
+            list[Statement]: Statements produced while evaluating the expression.
+        """
+        _, statements = Qasm3ExprEvaluator.evaluate_expression(statement.expression)
+        return statements
+
     def _visit_end_statement(
         self, statement: qasm3_ast.EndStatement
     ) -> list[qasm3_ast.EndStatement]:
@@ -3560,12 +3587,7 @@ def visit_statement(
 
         visitor_function = self._visit_map.get(type(statement))
         if visitor_function:
-            if isinstance(statement, qasm3_ast.ExpressionStatement):
-                # these return a tuple of return value and list of statements
-                _, ret_stmts = visitor_function(statement)  # type: ignore[operator]
-                result.extend(ret_stmts)
-            else:
-                result.extend(visitor_function(statement))  # type: ignore[operator]
+            result.extend(visitor_function(statement))  # type: ignore[operator]
         else:
             raise_qasm3_error(
                 f"Unsupported statement of type {type(statement)}",
diff --git a/tests/qasm3/openpulse/test_general.py b/tests/qasm3/openpulse/test_general.py
index 2d06a116..978f171d 100644
--- a/tests/qasm3/openpulse/test_general.py
+++ b/tests/qasm3/openpulse/test_general.py
@@ -17,12 +17,55 @@
 
 """
 
+import openqasm3.ast as qasm3_ast
 import pytest
 
 from pyqasm.entrypoint import loads
 from pyqasm.exceptions import ValidationError
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("expression", ["1 + 2;", "i;", "sin(1.0);"])
+def test_pure_expression_statements_are_discarded(expression: str):
+    """Pure expressions in calibration blocks do not emit statements.
+
+    Args:
+        expression (str): The expression statement to evaluate.
+    """
+    module = loads(f"""
+        OPENQASM 3.0;
+        defcalgrammar "openpulse";
+        cal {{
+            int i = 1;
+            {expression}
+        }}
+        """)
+
+    module.validate()
+    module.unroll()
+
+    calibration = next(
+        statement
+        for statement in module.unrolled_ast.statements
+        if isinstance(statement, qasm3_ast.CalibrationStatement)
+    )
+    assert [line.strip() for line in calibration.body.splitlines() if line.strip()] == [
+        "int i = 1;"
+    ]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("operation", ["validate", "unroll"])
+def test_unknown_expression_statement_call_raises_validation_error(operation: str):
+    """Unknown calls in calibration blocks use the public error type.
+
+    Args:
+        operation (str): The module method to call.
+    """
+    module = loads('OPENQASM 3.0; defcalgrammar "openpulse"; cal { unknown(); }')
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError, match="Undefined subroutine 'unknown'"):
+        getattr(module, operation)()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "qasm_code,error_message,error_span",
     [
diff --git a/tests/qasm3/resources/gates.py b/tests/qasm3/resources/gates.py
index 73fd6565..626b2a00 100644
--- a/tests/qasm3/resources/gates.py
+++ b/tests/qasm3/resources/gates.py
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ def test_fixture():
         "Unsupported / undeclared QASM operation: custom_gate",
         6,
         8,
-        "custom_gate q1[0], q1[1];",  # expanded line
+        "custom_gate q1;",
     ),
     "parameter_mismatch_1": (
         """
diff --git a/tests/qasm3/test_expressions.py b/tests/qasm3/test_expressions.py
index ef549f51..b0c9cb04 100644
--- a/tests/qasm3/test_expressions.py
+++ b/tests/qasm3/test_expressions.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 """
 
+import openqasm3.ast as qasm3_ast
 import pytest
 
 from pyqasm.entrypoint import loads
@@ -105,3 +106,102 @@ def test_incorrect_expressions(caplog):
             loads("OPENQASM 3; qubit q; int x; rx(x) q;").validate()
     assert "Error at line 1" in caplog.text
     assert "x" in caplog.text
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "expression",
+    [
+        "1;",
+        "value;",
+        "value + 2;",
+        "-value;",
+        "values[0];",
+        "sin(1.0);",
+    ],
+)
+def test_expression_statements_are_evaluated_and_discarded(expression: str):
+    """Pure expression statements are valid but do not emit operations.
+
+    Args:
+        expression (str): The expression statement to evaluate.
+    """
+    module = loads(f"""
+        OPENQASM 3.0;
+        include "stdgates.inc";
+        int value = 1;
+        array[int[32], 2] values = {{1, 2}};
+        qubit q;
+        {expression}
+        x q;
+        """)
+
+    module.validate()
+    module.unroll()
+
+    assert not any(
+        isinstance(statement, qasm3_ast.ExpressionStatement)
+        for statement in module.unrolled_ast.statements
+    )
+    check_single_qubit_gate_op(module.unrolled_ast, 1, [0], "x")
+
+
+def test_subroutine_expression_statement_retains_operations():
+    """Statements produced by evaluating a subroutine call are retained."""
+    module = loads("""
+        OPENQASM 3.0;
+        include "stdgates.inc";
+        def apply_x(qubit target) {
+            x target;
+        }
+        qubit q;
+        apply_x(q);
+        """)
+
+    module.validate()
+    module.unroll()
+
+    check_single_qubit_gate_op(module.unrolled_ast, 1, [0], "x")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("operation", ["validate", "unroll"])
+def test_unknown_expression_statement_call_raises_validation_error(operation: str):
+    """Unknown calls in expression statements use the public error type.
+
+    Args:
+        operation (str): The module method to call.
+    """
+    module = loads("OPENQASM 3.0; unknown();")
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError, match="Undefined subroutine 'unknown'"):
+        getattr(module, operation)()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "source,error",
+    [
+        ("OPENQASM 3.0; unknown;", "Undefined identifier 'unknown'"),
+        (
+            "OPENQASM 3.0; unknown missing_qubit;",
+            "Unsupported / undeclared QASM operation: unknown",
+        ),
+        (
+            "OPENQASM 3.0; qubit q; unknown q;",
+            "Unsupported / undeclared QASM operation: unknown",
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("operation", ["validate", "unroll"])
+def test_unknown_gate_reports_its_name_before_checking_operands(
+    source: str, error: str, operation: str
+):
+    """Unknown gate names are reported even when an operand is undeclared.
+
+    Args:
+        source (str): The OpenQASM program to validate or unroll.
+        error (str): The expected error message.
+        operation (str): The module method to call.
+    """
+    module = loads(source)
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError, match=error):
+        getattr(module, operation)()