diff --git a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result.rs b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result.rs
index ef5eace90b07e..12bfe37a06166 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result.rs
@@ -61,6 +61,36 @@
 //! If you need special handling of individual fallible systems, you can use Bevy's [`system piping
 //! feature`] to capture the `Result` output of the system and handle it accordingly.
 //!
+//! # Conveniently returning `Result`
+//!
+//! The [`Unpack`] and [`Assume`] traits can be used to transform any value into a [`Result`] that
+//! can be handled by Rust's `?` operator. This makes working with fallible systems more ergonomic.
+//!
+//! [`Unpack::unpack`] should be used in place of `unwrap` (to quickly get a value), while
+//! [`Assume::assume`] should be used in place of `expect` (if you want a custom error explaining
+//! the assumption that was violated).
+//!
+//! See: <https://doc.rust-lang.org/reference/expressions/operator-expr.html#the-question-mark-operator>
+//!
+//! By default, these traits are implemented for [`Option`]:
+//!
+//! ```rust
+//! # use bevy_ecs::prelude::*;
+//! # #[derive(Component)]
+//! # struct MyComponent;
+//! use bevy_ecs::result::{Assume, Unpack};
+//!
+//! fn my_system(world: &World) -> Result {
+//!     world.get::<MyComponent>(Entity::PLACEHOLDER).unpack()?;
+//!
+//!     world.get::<MyComponent>(Entity::PLACEHOLDER).assume("MyComponent exists")?;
+//!
+//!     Ok(())
+//! }
+//!
+//! # bevy_ecs::system::assert_is_system(my_system);
+//! ```
+//!
 //! [`Schedule`]: crate::schedule::Schedule
 //! [`panic`]: panic()
 //! [`World`]: crate::world::World
@@ -70,9 +100,15 @@
 //! [`App::set_system_error_handler`]: ../../bevy_app/struct.App.html#method.set_system_error_handler
 //! [`system piping feature`]: crate::system::In
 
+mod assume;
+mod unpack;
+
 use crate::{component::Tick, resource::Resource};
 use alloc::{borrow::Cow, boxed::Box};
 
+pub use assume::Assume;
+pub use unpack::Unpack;
+
 /// A dynamic error type for use in fallible systems.
 pub type Error = Box<dyn core::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>;
 
diff --git a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result/assume.rs b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result/assume.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..fa429fa6c618d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result/assume.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+use super::Error;
+
+/// Assume that `Self<T>` is `T`, otherwise return the provided error.
+///
+/// This can be a drop-in replacement for `expect`, combined with the question mark operator and
+/// [`Result`](super::Result) return type, to get the same ergonomics as `expect` but without the
+/// panicking behavior (when using a non-panicking error handler).
+pub trait Assume<T> {
+    /// The error type returned by [`Assume::assume`].
+    ///
+    /// Typically implements the [`Error`] trait, allowing it to match Bevy's fallible system
+    /// [`Result`](super::Result) return type.
+    type Error;
+
+    /// Convert `Self<T>` to a `Result<T, Self::Error>`.
+    fn assume<E: Into<Self::Error>>(self, err: E) -> Result<T, Self::Error>;
+}
+
+impl<T> Assume<T> for Option<T> {
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn assume<E: Into<Self::Error>>(self, err: E) -> Result<T, Self::Error> {
+        self.ok_or_else(|| err.into())
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::std::string::ToString;
+    use core::{error::Error, fmt};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_assume_some() {
+        let value: Option<i32> = Some(20);
+
+        match value.assume("Error message") {
+            Ok(value) => assert_eq!(value, 20),
+            Err(err) => panic!("Unexpected error: {err}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_assume_none_with_str() {
+        let value: Option<i32> = None;
+        let err = value.assume("index 1 should exist").unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "index 1 should exist");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_assume_none_with_custom_error() {
+        #[derive(Debug)]
+        struct MyError;
+
+        impl fmt::Display for MyError {
+            fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+                write!(f, "My custom error")
+            }
+        }
+        impl Error for MyError {}
+
+        let value: Option<i32> = None;
+        let err = value.assume(MyError).unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "My custom error");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result/unpack.rs b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result/unpack.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..272f23976dce2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/result/unpack.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+use core::{error::Error, fmt};
+
+/// Unpack `Self<T>` to `T`, otherwise return [`Unpack::Error`].
+///
+/// This can be a drop-in replacement for `unwrap`, combined with the question mark operator and
+/// [`Result`](super::Result) return type, to get the same ergonomics as `unwrap` but without the
+/// panicking behavior (when using a non-panicking error handler).
+pub trait Unpack<T> {
+    /// The error type returned by [`Unpack::unpack`].
+    ///
+    /// Typically implements the [`Error`] trait, allowing it to match Bevy's fallible system
+    /// [`Result`](super::Result) return type.
+    type Error;
+
+    /// Convert `Self<T>` to a `Result<T, Self::Error>`.
+    fn unpack(self) -> Result<T, Self::Error>;
+}
+
+impl<T> Unpack<T> for Option<T> {
+    type Error = NoneError;
+
+    fn unpack(self) -> Result<T, Self::Error> {
+        self.ok_or(NoneError)
+    }
+}
+
+/// An [`Error`] which indicates that an [`Option`] was [`None`].
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
+pub struct NoneError;
+
+impl fmt::Display for NoneError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "Unexpected None value.")
+    }
+}
+
+impl Error for NoneError {}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::std::string::ToString;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_unpack_some() {
+        let value: Option<i32> = Some(10);
+        assert_eq!(value.unpack(), Ok(10));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_unpack_none() {
+        let value: Option<i32> = None;
+        let err = value.unpack().unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "Unexpected None value.");
+    }
+}