diff --git a/lib/liquid/expression.rb b/lib/liquid/expression.rb
index b3e0b36e..32f357e7 100644
--- a/lib/liquid/expression.rb
+++ b/lib/liquid/expression.rb
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ module Liquid
       'false' => false,
       'blank' => '',
       'empty' => '',
-      '-' => VariableLookup.parse("-", nil),
+      # in lax mode, minus sign can be a VariableLookup
+      # For simplicity and performace, we treat it like a literal
+      '-' => VariableLookup.parse("-", nil).freeze,
     }.freeze
 
     DOT = ".".ord