diff --git a/builds/reference/src/index.ts b/builds/reference/src/index.ts
index 7b815a5a..07ee5803 100644
--- a/builds/reference/src/index.ts
+++ b/builds/reference/src/index.ts
@@ -24,14 +24,8 @@ import components from '@tko/utils.component'
 import { createElement, Fragment } from '@tko/utils.jsx'
 import { JsxObserver } from '@tko/utils.jsx'
 
-import { overloadOperator } from '@tko/utils.parser'
-
 declare const BUILD_VERSION: string
 
-/** Overload "evil twins" with strict equivalents */
-overloadOperator('==', (a, b) => a === b)
-overloadOperator('!=', (a, b) => a !== b)
-
 const builder = new Builder({
   filters,
   extenders: {},
diff --git a/packages/utils.parser/src/index.ts b/packages/utils.parser/src/index.ts
index 89d83310..911c38e4 100644
--- a/packages/utils.parser/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/utils.parser/src/index.ts
@@ -7,10 +7,3 @@ export { default as Ternary } from './Ternary'
 export { default as Node } from './Node'
 
 export { default as parseObjectLiteral } from './preparse'
-
-export function overloadOperator(op: string, fn: (a, b) => any, precedence?: number) {
-  operators[op] = fn
-  if (Number.isInteger(precedence)) {
-    operators[op].precedence = precedence
-  }
-}
diff --git a/packages/utils.parser/src/operators.ts b/packages/utils.parser/src/operators.ts
index ad27531a..07c11328 100644
--- a/packages/utils.parser/src/operators.ts
+++ b/packages/utils.parser/src/operators.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { unwrap } from '@tko/observable'
+import { options } from '@tko/utils'
 
 export function LAMBDA() {}
 
@@ -84,10 +85,18 @@ const operators: Operators = {
   //    TODO: 'typeof': function (a, b) { return typeof b; },
   // equality
   '==': function equal(a, b) {
-    return a == b
+    if (options.overloadEvilTwins) {
+      return a === b
+    } else {
+      return a == b
+    }
   },
   '!=': function ne(a, b) {
-    return a != b
+    if (options.overloadEvilTwins) {
+      return a !== b
+    } else {
+      return a != b
+    }
   },
   '===': function sequal(a, b) {
     return a === b
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/options.ts b/packages/utils/src/options.ts
index 2080149e..8b7b6df7 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/options.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/src/options.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ export class Options {
   // Modify the default attribute from `data-bind`.
   defaultBindingAttribute: string = 'data-bind'
 
+  // When true, == and != in binding expressions use === and !== (strict equality).
+  // Default true to preserve existing @tko/build.reference behavior.
+  overloadEvilTwins: boolean = true
+
   // Enable/disable <!-- ko binding: ... -> style bindings
   allowVirtualElements: boolean = true