@@ -283,28 +283,9 @@
 			return parseTableSetAfterBrace(e);
 		}
 		if( tryEat("if") )
 		{
-			eat("(", "after if");
-			auto cond = E(0);
-			eat(")", "after if condition");
-			auto thenPos = lex.front.pos;
-			eat("{", "after if condition");
-			auto th = Body();
-			eat("}", "after if-then body");
-			auto el = doNothingExpression();
-			auto elsePos = (lex.empty ? LexPosition.dummy : lex.front.pos);
-			if( tryEat("else") ) {
-				eat("{", "after else");
-				el = Body();
-				eat("}", "after else body");
-			}
-			return new App(pos, 
-				new Var(pos, "if"),
-				cond,
-				new Fun(thenPos, [], th),
-				new Fun(elsePos, [], el)
-			);
+			return parseIfAfterIf(pos);
 		}
 		if( tryEat("case") )
 		{
 			return parsePatternMatch(pos);
@@ -316,8 +297,33 @@
 		}
 		scope(exit) lex.popFront;
 		return new Var(pos, lex.front.str);
 	}
+
+	AST parseIfAfterIf(LexPosition pos)
+	{
+		eat("(", "after if");
+		auto cond = E(0);
+		eat(")", "after if condition");
+		auto thenPos = lex.front.pos;
+		AST th;
+		if( tryEat("{") ) {
+			th = Body();
+			eat("}", "after if-then body");
+		} else {
+			th = E(0);
+		}
+		auto el = doNothingExpression();
+		auto elsePos = (lex.empty ? LexPosition.dummy : lex.front.pos);
+		if( tryEat("else") )
+			if( tryEat("{") ) {
+				el = Body();
+				eat("}", "after else body");
+			} else {
+				el = E(0);
+			}
+		return new App(pos, new Var(pos,"if"), cond, new Fun(thenPos,[],th), new Fun(elsePos,[],el));
+	}
 
 	AST parsePatternMatch(LexPosition pos)
 	{
 		//   case "(" pmExpr ")" CASES
@@ -667,5 +673,16 @@
 		case( 1 )
 			when({aaaa:@value(x)}){1}
 			when({aaaa:{bbb:_}, ccc:123}){1}
 	`));
-}
+}
+
+unittest
+{
+	// test for omitting { .. }
+	assert_nothrow(parseString(`
+		if(1) 2 else 3
+	`));
+	assert_nothrow(parseString(`
+		if(1) x{y:z} else 3
+	`));
+}