diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 61c33556..d4f666de 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+ - fixed improper tokenization of certain inline math expressions (boots)
+
 Version 2.6.11 (Dec 14, 2005)
 -----------------------------
 
diff --git a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index e4576384..c4866f99 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -1379,7 +1379,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
                                !in_array($token, $this->security_settings['IF_FUNCS'])) {
                                 $this->_syntax_error("(secure mode) '$token' not allowed in if statement", E_USER_ERROR, __FILE__, __LINE__);
                             }
-                    } elseif(preg_match('~^' . $this->_var_regexp . '$~', $token) && isset($tokens[$i+1]) && $tokens[$i+1] == '(') {
+                    } elseif(preg_match('~^' . $this->_var_regexp . '$~', $token) && (strpos('+-*/^%&|', substr($token, -1)) === false) && isset($tokens[$i+1]) && $tokens[$i+1] == '(') {
                         // variable function call
                         $this->_syntax_error("variable function call '$token' not allowed in if statement", E_USER_ERROR, __FILE__, __LINE__);                      
                     } elseif(preg_match('~^' . $this->_obj_call_regexp . '|' . $this->_var_regexp . '(?:' . $this->_mod_regexp . '*)$~', $token)) {