diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index d10bdfd87d..c2e1ddfd8e 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+8.1.0-dev.540 | 2025-09-16 10:52:44 -0700
+
+  * fix for '?' operator precedence when compiling scripts to C++ (Vern Paxson, Corelight)
+
 8.1.0-dev.538 | 2025-09-12 09:24:51 -0700
 
   * for -O gen-standalone-C++, make the presence of uncompilable functions fatal unless -O allow-cond is used (Vern Paxson, Corelight)
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index ebb0cc0988..6cb17b4f06 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.1.0-dev.538
+8.1.0-dev.540
diff --git a/src/script_opt/CPP/Exprs.cc b/src/script_opt/CPP/Exprs.cc
index 57ac8b66c6..0f9fbc3cde 100644
--- a/src/script_opt/CPP/Exprs.cc
+++ b/src/script_opt/CPP/Exprs.cc
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ string CPPCompile::GenCondExpr(const Expr* e, GenType gt) {
     if ( op1->GetType()->Tag() == TYPE_VECTOR )
         return string("vector_select__CPP(") + gen1 + ", " + gen2 + ", " + gen3 + ")";
 
-    return string("(") + gen1 + ") ? (" + gen2 + ") : (" + gen3 + ")";
+    return string("((") + gen1 + ") ? (" + gen2 + ") : (" + gen3 + "))";
 }
 
 string CPPCompile::GenCallExpr(const CallExpr* c, GenType gt, bool top_level) {