diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index f14b0b0..4292b22 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 ## Unreleased
 
 - Support interpolated seed in the config file (as a reminder, the seed is treated specifically by confit to initialize random generators **before** any object is resolved)
+- Support if/else expressions in interpolation, and only resolve the relevant branch
 
 ## v0.7.2 (2024-11-23)
 
diff --git a/confit/config.py b/confit/config.py
index 16d4765..648cdef 100644
--- a/confit/config.py
+++ b/confit/config.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import collections.abc
+import keyword
 import re
+from collections import UserDict
 from configparser import ConfigParser
 from io import StringIO
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -32,6 +34,30 @@
 PATH = rf"{UNQUOTED_ID}(?:[.]{PATH_PART})*"
 
 
+class DynamicLocals(UserDict):
+    def __init__(self, mapping, root, resolved_locs, get):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.name_to_parts = {v: k for k, v in mapping.items()}
+        self.root = root
+        self.resolved_locs = resolved_locs
+        self.get = get
+
+    def __getitem__(self, item):
+        if not isinstance(item, str):
+            raise KeyError(item)
+        if item.startswith("__"):
+            raise KeyError(item)
+        current = self.root
+        parts = self.name_to_parts[item]
+        for part in parts:
+            current = current[part]
+        if id(current) not in self.resolved_locs:
+            resolved = self.get(current, parts)
+        else:
+            resolved = self.resolved_locs[id(current)]
+        return resolved
+
+
 class Config(dict):
     """
     The configuration system consists of a supercharged dict, the `Config` class,
@@ -341,12 +367,15 @@ def replace(match: re.Match):
 
                 path = match.group()
                 parts = split_path(path.rstrip(":"))
+
+                # Check if part is any special python keyword
+                if len(parts) == 1 and parts[0] in keyword.kwlist:
+                    return match.group()
                 try:
                     return local_names[parts] + ("." if path.endswith(":") else "")
                 except KeyError:
                     raise KeyError(path)
 
-            local_leaves = {}
             local_names = {}
             for match in pat.finditer(ref.value):
                 start = match.start()
@@ -354,15 +383,11 @@ def replace(match: re.Match):
                     continue
                 path = match.group()
                 parts = split_path(path.rstrip(":"))
-                current = root
-                for part in parts:
-                    current = current[part]
-                if id(current) not in resolved_locs:
-                    resolved = rec(current, parts)
-                else:
-                    resolved = resolved_locs[id(current)]
-                local_names[parts] = f"var_{len(local_leaves)}"
-                local_leaves[f"var_{len(local_leaves)}"] = resolved
+                if len(parts) == 1 and parts[0] in keyword.kwlist:
+                    continue
+                local_names.setdefault(parts, f"var_{len(local_names)}")
+
+            local_leaves = DynamicLocals(local_names, root, resolved_locs, rec)
 
             replaced = pat.sub(replace, ref.value)
 
@@ -439,7 +464,7 @@ def rec(obj, loc: Tuple[Union[str, int]] = ()):
                 while resolved is None:
                     try:
                         resolved = resolve_reference(obj)
-                    except KeyError:
+                    except (KeyError, NameError):
                         raise MissingReference(obj)
             else:
                 resolved = obj
diff --git a/confit/utils/eval.py b/confit/utils/eval.py
index ab5594a..67daf03 100644
--- a/confit/utils/eval.py
+++ b/confit/utils/eval.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ class Transformer(ast.NodeTransformer):
         "In",
         "NotIn",
         "Starred",
+        "IfExp",
     }
 
     def generic_visit(self, node):
diff --git a/tests/test_config_instance.py b/tests/test_config_instance.py
index f7c6e0f..90dc6f0 100644
--- a/tests/test_config_instance.py
+++ b/tests/test_config_instance.py
@@ -657,3 +657,31 @@ def test_yaml_str_dump():
     pollution: false
 """
     )
+
+
+def test_if_else():
+    config = Config.from_yaml_str(
+        """\
+params:
+    a: 1
+    cond: true
+    c: ${params.a if params.cond else params.b}
+"""
+    ).resolve()
+    assert config["params"]["c"] == 1
+
+
+def test_if_else_complex():
+    config = Config.from_yaml_str(
+        """\
+model:
+    "@factory": submodel
+    value: 12
+
+params:
+    a: 1
+    cond: true
+    c: ${model:value if model:hidden_value == 5 else params.b}
+"""
+    ).resolve(registry=registry)
+    assert config["params"]["c"] == 12