diff --git a/src/parser/gjs-gts-parser.js b/src/parser/gjs-gts-parser.js
index cc32a390..96575a2a 100644
--- a/src/parser/gjs-gts-parser.js
+++ b/src/parser/gjs-gts-parser.js
@@ -130,6 +130,20 @@ export function parseForESLint(code, options) {
       }
     }
 
+    // Scope analysis ran on the placeholder JS, so a write of a template
+    // (`const Foo = <template>`, an assignment, a default parameter) still
+    // has the placeholder as its writeExpr. The placeholder is out of the
+    // AST and never gets a `parent`, which rules read (#257).
+    if (result.scopeManager && result.templateInfos?.length) {
+      const templates = new Map(result.templateInfos.map((ti) => [ti.placeholder, ti.ast]));
+      for (const scope of result.scopeManager.scopes) {
+        for (const ref of scope.references) {
+          const template = ref.writeExpr && templates.get(ref.writeExpr);
+          if (template) ref.writeExpr = template;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     // Surface Glimmer template comments in program.comments as type:'Block'
     // so ESLint's inline-config scanner and plugin rules recognise them.
     if (glimmerComments.length > 0) {
diff --git a/test-projects/gjs/.eslintrc.cjs b/test-projects/gjs/.eslintrc.cjs
index ce8370e9..b5c9b3f7 100644
--- a/test-projects/gjs/.eslintrc.cjs
+++ b/test-projects/gjs/.eslintrc.cjs
@@ -21,5 +21,12 @@ module.exports = {
       plugins: ['ember'],
       extends: ['eslint:recommended', 'plugin:ember/recommended', 'plugin:ember/recommended-gjs'],
     },
+    {
+      // ember-tooling/ember-eslint-parser#257
+      files: ['src/require-atomic-updates.gjs'],
+      rules: {
+        'require-atomic-updates': 'error',
+      },
+    },
   ],
 };
diff --git a/test-projects/gjs/package.json b/test-projects/gjs/package.json
index da62882d..80b16843 100644
--- a/test-projects/gjs/package.json
+++ b/test-projects/gjs/package.json
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     "test:check": "pnpm run /test:check:.*/",
     "test:check:correct-handle-syntax-error": "eslint . | grep -q \"26:16  error  Parsing error: × Expected ',', got '<eof>'\"",
     "test:check:only-one-error": "eslint --format compact .  | egrep '^[0-9]+ problem[s]*' | wc -l | grep -q 1",
+    "test:check:require-atomic-updates": "eslint src/require-atomic-updates.gjs --max-warnings=0",
     "test:fix": "eslint --fix --format compact . | egrep '^[0-9]+ problem[s]*' | wc -l | grep -q 1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/test-projects/gjs/src/require-atomic-updates.gjs b/test-projects/gjs/src/require-atomic-updates.gjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9d06d8a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-projects/gjs/src/require-atomic-updates.gjs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+export async function load(store, Fallback = <template>Loading</template>) {
+  const Greeting = <template>Hello</template>;
+  let Farewell;
+  Farewell = <template>Bye</template>;
+  Farewell ??= <template>Later</template>;
+  await store.ready();
+  return [Fallback, Greeting, Farewell];
+}
diff --git a/tests/parser.test.js b/tests/parser.test.js
index b30a859e..26d2b9a9 100644
--- a/tests/parser.test.js
+++ b/tests/parser.test.js
@@ -2577,6 +2577,70 @@ export const NotFound = <template>
       { column: 39, nodeType: 'GlimmerBlockParam' },
     ]);
   });
+
+  // ember-tooling/ember-eslint-parser#257: scope analysis runs on the
+  // placeholder JS, so a write of a template kept the placeholder, which is
+  // not in the AST, as its writeExpr.
+  it.each([
+    { filename: 'example.gjs', useBabel: false },
+    { filename: 'example.gts', useBabel: false },
+    { filename: 'example.gjs', useBabel: true },
+  ])(
+    'points a write of a template at the template ($filename, useBabel: $useBabel)',
+    ({ filename, useBabel }) => {
+      const code = [
+        'let count = 0;',
+        'export async function load(store, Fallback = <template>Fallback</template>) {',
+        '  const Greeting = <template>Hello</template>;',
+        '  let Farewell;',
+        '  Farewell = <template>Bye</template>;',
+        '  Farewell ??= <template>Later</template>;',
+        '  count += await store.fetch();',
+        '  return [Fallback, Greeting, Farewell];',
+        '}',
+      ].join('\n');
+      const parse = (source, options) => parseForESLint(source, { ...options, useBabel });
+
+      const linter = new Linter();
+      linter.defineParser('ember-eslint-parser', { parseForESLint: parse });
+      const messages = linter.verify(
+        code,
+        {
+          parser: 'ember-eslint-parser',
+          parserOptions: { ecmaVersion: 2022, sourceType: 'module' },
+          rules: { 'require-atomic-updates': 'error' },
+        },
+        { filename }
+      );
+      // The deliberate race on `count` is still reported.
+      expect(messages.map(({ line, message }) => ({ line, message }))).toEqual([
+        {
+          line: 7,
+          message:
+            'Possible race condition: `count` might be reassigned based on an outdated value of `count`.',
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const { scopeManager } = parse(code, {
+        filePath: filename,
+        comment: true,
+        loc: true,
+        range: true,
+        tokens: true,
+      });
+      const writes = scopeManager.scopes
+        .flatMap((scope) => scope.references)
+        .filter((ref) => ref.isWrite());
+      expect(writes.map((ref) => [ref.identifier.name, ref.writeExpr.type])).toEqual([
+        ['count', 'Literal'],
+        ['Fallback', 'GlimmerTemplate'],
+        ['Greeting', 'GlimmerTemplate'],
+        ['Farewell', 'GlimmerTemplate'],
+        ['Farewell', 'GlimmerTemplate'],
+        ['count', 'AwaitExpression'],
+      ]);
+    }
+  );
 });
 
 describe('replaceExtensions', () => {