diff --git a/pkg/runner/run_context.go b/pkg/runner/run_context.go
index 94af75f..fcd86f6 100755
--- a/pkg/runner/run_context.go
+++ b/pkg/runner/run_context.go
@@ -212,6 +212,23 @@ func (rc *RunContext) newStepExecutor(step *model.Step) common.Executor {
 			Success: true,
 			Outputs: make(map[string]string),
 		}
+		runStep, err := rc.EvalBool(sc.Step.If)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			common.Logger(ctx).Errorf("  \u274C  Error in if: expression - %s", sc.Step)
+			exprEval, err := sc.setupEnv(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			rc.ExprEval = exprEval
+			rc.StepResults[rc.CurrentStep].Success = false
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if !runStep {
+			log.Debugf("Skipping step '%s' due to '%s'", sc.Step.String(), sc.Step.If)
+			return nil
+		}
 
 		exprEval, err := sc.setupEnv(ctx)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -219,17 +236,6 @@ func (rc *RunContext) newStepExecutor(step *model.Step) common.Executor {
 		}
 		rc.ExprEval = exprEval
 
-		runStep, err := rc.EvalBool(sc.Step.If)
-		if err != nil {
-			common.Logger(ctx).Errorf("  \u274C  Error in if: expression - %s", sc.Step)
-			rc.StepResults[rc.CurrentStep].Success = false
-			return err
-		}
-		if !runStep {
-			log.Debugf("Skipping step '%s' due to '%s'", sc.Step.String(), sc.Step.If)
-			return nil
-		}
-
 		common.Logger(ctx).Infof("\u2B50  Run %s", sc.Step)
 		err = sc.Executor()(ctx)
 		if err == nil {
diff --git a/pkg/runner/runner_test.go b/pkg/runner/runner_test.go
index f58d5a3..30fcf3e 100755
--- a/pkg/runner/runner_test.go
+++ b/pkg/runner/runner_test.go
@@ -96,11 +96,13 @@ func TestRunEvent(t *testing.T) {
 		{"testdata", "workdir", "push", "", platforms, ""},
 		{"testdata", "defaults-run", "push", "", platforms, ""},
 		{"testdata", "uses-composite", "push", "", platforms, ""},
+    {"testdata", "issue-597", "push", "", platforms, ""},
 		// {"testdata", "powershell", "push", "", platforms, ""}, // Powershell is not available on default act test runner (yet) but preserving here for posterity
 		// {"testdata", "issue-228", "push", "", platforms, ""}, // TODO [igni]: Remove this once everything passes
 
 		// single test for different architecture: linux/arm64
 		{"testdata", "basic", "push", "", platforms, "linux/arm64"},
+
 	}
 	log.SetLevel(log.DebugLevel)
 
diff --git a/pkg/runner/testdata/issue-597/spelling.yaml b/pkg/runner/testdata/issue-597/spelling.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..280bdbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/runner/testdata/issue-597/spelling.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+name: issue-597
+on: push
+  
+
+jobs:
+  my_first_job:
+    
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: My first false step
+        if: "endsWith('Should not', 'o1')"
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2.0.0
+        with:
+          ref: refs/pull/${{github.event.pull_request.number}}/merge
+          fetch-depth: 5
+      - name: My first true step
+        if: ${{"endsWith('Hello world', 'ld')"}}
+        uses: actions/hello-world-javascript-action@main
+        with:
+          who-to-greet: "Renst the Octocat"
+      - name: My second false step
+        if: "endsWith('Should not evaluate', 'o2')"
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2.0.0
+        with:
+          ref: refs/pull/${{github.event.pull_request.number}}/merge
+          fetch-depth: 5
+      - name: My third false step
+        if: ${{endsWith('Should not evaluate', 'o3')}}
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2.0.0
+        with:
+          ref: refs/pull/${{github.event.pull_request.number}}/merge
+          fetch-depth: 5