diff --git a/conf/config.go b/conf/config.go
index 685241b0f..f7c95d203 100644
--- a/conf/config.go
+++ b/conf/config.go
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ type Config struct {
 	Builtins     FunctionsTable
 	Disabled     map[string]bool // disabled builtins
 	NtCache      nature.Cache
+	// DisableIfOperator disables the built-in `if ... { } else { }` operator syntax
+	// so that users can use a custom function named `if(...)` without conflicts.
+	// When enabled, the lexer treats `if`/`else` as identifiers and the parser
+	// will not parse `if` statements.
+	DisableIfOperator bool
 }
 
 // CreateNew creates new config with default values.
diff --git a/expr.go b/expr.go
index ff4ae5942..280605e67 100644
--- a/expr.go
+++ b/expr.go
@@ -109,6 +109,14 @@ func AsFloat64() Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// DisableIfOperator disables the `if ... else ...` operator syntax so a custom
+// function named `if(...)` can be used without conflicts.
+func DisableIfOperator() Option {
+	return func(c *conf.Config) {
+		c.DisableIfOperator = true
+	}
+}
+
 // WarnOnAny tells the compiler to warn if expression return any type.
 func WarnOnAny() Option {
 	return func(c *conf.Config) {
diff --git a/expr_test.go b/expr_test.go
index 14715889e..ba1f001ec 100644
--- a/expr_test.go
+++ b/expr_test.go
@@ -70,6 +70,17 @@ func ExampleCompile() {
 	// Output: true
 }
 
+func TestDisableIfOperator_AllowsIfFunction(t *testing.T) {
+	env := map[string]any{
+		"if": func(x int) int { return x + 1 },
+	}
+	program, err := expr.Compile("if(41)", expr.Env(env), expr.DisableIfOperator())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	out, err := expr.Run(program, env)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, 42, out)
+}
+
 func ExampleEnv() {
 	type Segment struct {
 		Origin string
diff --git a/parser/lexer/lexer.go b/parser/lexer/lexer.go
index fe41e824a..5daf95037 100644
--- a/parser/lexer/lexer.go
+++ b/parser/lexer/lexer.go
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ type Lexer struct {
 		byte, rune int
 	}
 	eof bool
+	// When true, keywords `if`/`else` are not treated as operators and
+	// will be emitted as identifiers instead (for compatibility with custom if()).
+	DisableIfOperator bool
 }
 
 func (l *Lexer) Reset(source file.Source) {
diff --git a/parser/lexer/state.go b/parser/lexer/state.go
index e5ad45bcd..91857eade 100644
--- a/parser/lexer/state.go
+++ b/parser/lexer/state.go
@@ -129,8 +129,14 @@ loop:
 			switch l.word() {
 			case "not":
 				return not
-			case "in", "or", "and", "matches", "contains", "startsWith", "endsWith", "let", "if", "else":
+			case "in", "or", "and", "matches", "contains", "startsWith", "endsWith", "let":
 				l.emit(Operator)
+			case "if", "else":
+				if !l.DisableIfOperator {
+					l.emit(Operator)
+				} else {
+					l.emit(Identifier)
+				}
 			default:
 				l.emit(Identifier)
 			}
diff --git a/parser/parser.go b/parser/parser.go
index 5f3ffb362..9ccf47830 100644
--- a/parser/parser.go
+++ b/parser/parser.go
@@ -62,6 +62,14 @@ func (p *Parser) Parse(input string, config *conf.Config) (*Tree, error) {
 		p.lexer = New()
 	}
 	p.config = config
+	// propagate config flags to lexer
+	if p.lexer != nil {
+		if config != nil {
+			p.lexer.DisableIfOperator = config.DisableIfOperator
+		} else {
+			p.lexer.DisableIfOperator = false
+		}
+	}
 	source := file.NewSource(input)
 	p.lexer.Reset(source)
 	p.next()
@@ -218,7 +226,7 @@ func (p *Parser) parseExpression(precedence int) Node {
 		return p.parseVariableDeclaration()
 	}
 
-	if precedence == 0 && p.current.Is(Operator, "if") {
+	if precedence == 0 && (p.config == nil || !p.config.DisableIfOperator) && p.current.Is(Operator, "if") {
 		return p.parseConditionalIf()
 	}