diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 05257da..b24f287 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -242,8 +242,16 @@
     c :: b + 3     # c is constrained to `i32`
     ```
 
-16. for if statements, allow `if (cond) one-line statement` or `if some_func(some_arg) one-line statement` (instead of forcing either `if (cond) { block }` or `if cond { block }`)
+16. for if statements, allow `if (cond) one-line statement` or `if some_func(some_arg) one-line statement` (instead of forcing either `if (cond) { block }` or `if cond { block }`) (implemented)
   - if statements without a bracketed body must wrap the condition in parentheses UNLESS it's a function call
+  - brace-less single-statement bodies apply to the then-body, the `else`-body, and the
+    unwrap/guard forms (`if v |x| stmt`); each branch is independent, so braced and
+    brace-less branches mix freely
+  - the parenthesize-or-call rule constrains only the then-branch condition; `else` and the
+    unwrap `|...|` already delimit, so they need no parentheses
+  - the brace-less statement may sit on the line after the condition
+  - parser-only change (`parse_branch_body` in `compiler/parser/parser.odin`): a brace-less
+    body is just a 1-element statement slice, so the checker and codegen are unchanged
 
 17. add slice-by-range
   - allow the use of a range in slice expressions:
diff --git a/compiler/parser/parser.odin b/compiler/parser/parser.odin
index 63d544a..d680fd1 100644
--- a/compiler/parser/parser.odin
+++ b/compiler/parser/parser.odin
@@ -1184,6 +1184,27 @@ parse_block :: proc(parser: ^Parser) -> []ast.Stmt_Id {
 	return body[:]
 }
 
+// parse_branch_body parses an `if` then/else body: a braced block (possibly on
+// a following line) or a single brace-less statement (milestone 16). For the
+// then-branch (`validate_condition`), a brace-less body requires the condition
+// to be parenthesized unless it is a function call; the `else` keyword and the
+// unwrap `|...|` already delimit, so those positions skip the check.
+parse_branch_body :: proc(parser: ^Parser, validate_condition: bool, condition: ast.Expr_Id, has_captures: bool) -> []ast.Stmt_Id {
+	skip_newlines(parser)
+	if current(parser).kind == .Left_Brace {
+		return parse_block(parser)
+	}
+	if validate_condition && !has_captures && condition != ast.INVALID_EXPR && int(condition) < len(parser.module.exprs) {
+		expr := parser.module.exprs[condition]
+		if !expr.parenthesized && expr.kind != .Call {
+			source.add(parser.diagnostics, expr.span, "a brace-less 'if' body requires the condition to be parenthesized unless it is a function call")
+		}
+	}
+	single := make([]ast.Stmt_Id, 1, parser.module.allocator)
+	single[0] = parse_statement(parser)
+	return single
+}
+
 parse_if :: proc(parser: ^Parser) -> ast.Stmt_Id {
 	start := advance(parser) // consume 'if'
 	skip_newlines(parser)
@@ -1226,8 +1247,7 @@ parse_if :: proc(parser: ^Parser) -> ast.Stmt_Id {
 			source.add(parser.diagnostics, current(parser).span, "expected '|' to close unwrap captures")
 		}
 	}
-	skip_newlines(parser)
-	then_body := parse_block(parser)
+	then_body := parse_branch_body(parser, true, condition, len(captures) > 0)
 	else_body: []ast.Stmt_Id = nil
 	saved_cursor := parser.cursor
 	skip_newlines(parser)
@@ -1240,7 +1260,7 @@ parse_if :: proc(parser: ^Parser) -> ast.Stmt_Id {
 			single[0] = nested
 			else_body = single
 		} else {
-			else_body = parse_block(parser)
+			else_body = parse_branch_body(parser, false, ast.INVALID_EXPR, false)
 		}
 	} else {
 		parser.cursor = saved_cursor
diff --git a/compiler_tests.odin b/compiler_tests.odin
index c71ed67..7ffee13 100644
--- a/compiler_tests.odin
+++ b/compiler_tests.odin
@@ -4084,6 +4084,104 @@ conditional_unwrap_parser_captures_guard_and_parenthesized_chain :: proc(t: ^tes
 	testing.expect_value(t, module.exprs[statement.guard].kind, ast.Expr_Kind.And)
 }
 
+@(test)
+parser_accepts_braceless_if_bodies :: proc(t: ^testing.T) {
+	text := `ready :: func() bool { return true }
+main :: func() void {
+	x i32 = 0
+	if (x == 0) x = 1
+	if ready() x = 2
+	if (x == 2) x = 3 else x = 4
+	if (x > 0) { x = 10 } else x = 11
+	v ?i32 = 5
+	if v |u| _ = u
+}
+`
+	source_file := source.Source{path="test.bro", text=text}
+	diagnostics := source.init_diagnostics(&source_file)
+	defer source.destroy_diagnostics(&diagnostics)
+	symbols := symbol.init_table()
+	defer symbol.destroy_table(&symbols)
+	stream := lexer.lex(&source_file, &diagnostics, &symbols)
+	defer delete(stream.items)
+	module := parser.parse(&stream, &source_file, &diagnostics)
+	defer ast.destroy_module(&module)
+
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(diagnostics.items), 0)
+	main := module.functions[1]
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(main.body), 7)
+
+	paren_if := module.statements[main.body[1]]
+	testing.expect_value(t, paren_if.kind, ast.Stmt_Kind.If)
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(paren_if.body), 1)
+	testing.expect(t, module.exprs[paren_if.expr].parenthesized)
+
+	call_if := module.statements[main.body[2]]
+	testing.expect_value(t, call_if.kind, ast.Stmt_Kind.If)
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(call_if.body), 1)
+	testing.expect_value(t, module.exprs[call_if.expr].kind, ast.Expr_Kind.Call)
+
+	if_else := module.statements[main.body[3]]
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(if_else.body), 1)
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(if_else.else_body), 1)
+
+	braced_then := module.statements[main.body[4]]
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(braced_then.body), 1)
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(braced_then.else_body), 1)
+
+	unwrap_if := module.statements[main.body[6]]
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(unwrap_if.captures), 1)
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(unwrap_if.body), 1)
+}
+
+@(test)
+parser_diagnoses_braceless_if_without_parens_or_call :: proc(t: ^testing.T) {
+	text := `main :: func() void {
+	x i32 = 0
+	if x == 0 x = 1
+}
+`
+	source_file := source.Source{path="test.bro", text=text}
+	diagnostics := source.init_diagnostics(&source_file)
+	defer source.destroy_diagnostics(&diagnostics)
+	symbols := symbol.init_table()
+	defer symbol.destroy_table(&symbols)
+	stream := lexer.lex(&source_file, &diagnostics, &symbols)
+	defer delete(stream.items)
+	module := parser.parse(&stream, &source_file, &diagnostics)
+	defer ast.destroy_module(&module)
+
+	testing.expect_value(t, len(diagnostics.items), 1)
+	testing.expect(t, strings.contains(diagnostics.items[0].message, "parenthesized"))
+}
+
+@(test)
+braceless_if_compiles_and_runs :: proc(t: ^testing.T) {
+	directory := "/tmp/brolang-test-braceless-if"
+	main_path := "/tmp/brolang-test-braceless-if/main.bro"
+	output := "/tmp/brolang-test-braceless-if-output"
+	text := `ready :: func() bool { return true }
+main :: func() i32 {
+	x i32 = 0
+	if (x == 0) x = 1 else x = 2
+	if ready() x = x + 10
+	y i32 = 5
+	if (y == 0) y = 1 else y = 30
+	x = x + y
+	return x
+}
+`
+	_ = os2.remove_all(directory)
+	defer _ = os2.remove_all(directory)
+	defer _ = os.remove(output)
+	testing.expect(t, os.make_directory(directory) == nil)
+	testing.expect(t, os.write_entire_file(main_path, transmute([]byte)text))
+	status := compiler_core.compile_package(directory, output)
+	testing.expect_value(t, status, 0)
+	state := run_executable(output)
+	testing.expect_value(t, state.exit_code, 41)
+}
+
 @(test)
 conditional_unwrap_allows_sink_captures :: proc(t: ^testing.T) {
 	text := `main :: func() void {