diff --git a/caddyhttp/httpserver/condition.go b/caddyhttp/httpserver/condition.go
index 8e33a88eb..233a23ee6 100644
--- a/caddyhttp/httpserver/condition.go
+++ b/caddyhttp/httpserver/condition.go
@@ -6,12 +6,13 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/mholt/caddy/caddyfile"
+	"github.com/mholt/caddy"
 )
 
 // SetupIfMatcher parses `if` or `if_op` in the current dispenser block.
 // It returns a RequestMatcher and an error if any.
-func SetupIfMatcher(c caddyfile.Dispenser) (RequestMatcher, error) {
+func SetupIfMatcher(controller *caddy.Controller) (RequestMatcher, error) {
+	var c = controller.Dispenser // copy the dispenser
 	var matcher IfMatcher
 	for c.NextBlock() {
 		switch c.Val() {
@@ -193,7 +194,13 @@ func (m IfMatcher) Or(r *http.Request) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-// IfMatcherKeyword returns if k is a keyword for 'if' config block.
-func IfMatcherKeyword(k string) bool {
-	return k == "if" || k == "if_op"
+// IfMatcherKeyword checks if the next value in the dispenser is a keyword for 'if' config block.
+// If true, remaining arguments in the dispinser are cleard to keep the dispenser valid for use.
+func IfMatcherKeyword(c *caddy.Controller) bool {
+	if c.Val() == "if" || c.Val() == "if_op" {
+		// clear remainig args
+		c.RemainingArgs()
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
 }
diff --git a/caddyhttp/httpserver/condition_test.go b/caddyhttp/httpserver/condition_test.go
index 6fd42f092..e11cc11ad 100644
--- a/caddyhttp/httpserver/condition_test.go
+++ b/caddyhttp/httpserver/condition_test.go
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ func TestSetupIfMatcher(t *testing.T) {
 	for i, test := range tests {
 		c := caddy.NewTestController("http", test.input)
 		c.Next()
-		matcher, err := SetupIfMatcher(c.Dispenser)
+		matcher, err := SetupIfMatcher(c)
 		if err == nil && test.shouldErr {
 			t.Errorf("Test %d didn't error, but it should have", i)
 		} else if err != nil && !test.shouldErr {
@@ -277,8 +277,11 @@ func TestIfMatcherKeyword(t *testing.T) {
 		{"if_type", false},
 		{"if_cond", false},
 	}
+
 	for i, test := range tests {
-		valid := IfMatcherKeyword(test.keyword)
+		c := caddy.NewTestController("http", test.keyword)
+		c.Next()
+		valid := IfMatcherKeyword(c)
 		if valid != test.expected {
 			t.Errorf("Test %d: expected %v found %v", i, test.expected, valid)
 		}
diff --git a/caddyhttp/redirect/setup.go b/caddyhttp/redirect/setup.go
index a05a7b0cb..0880ddcb1 100644
--- a/caddyhttp/redirect/setup.go
+++ b/caddyhttp/redirect/setup.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func redirParse(c *caddy.Controller) ([]Rule, error) {
 	}
 
 	for c.Next() {
-		matcher, err := httpserver.SetupIfMatcher(c.Dispenser)
+		matcher, err := httpserver.SetupIfMatcher(c)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -71,8 +71,7 @@ func redirParse(c *caddy.Controller) ([]Rule, error) {
 
 		var hadOptionalBlock bool
 		for c.NextBlock() {
-			if httpserver.IfMatcherKeyword(c.Val()) {
-				c.RemainingArgs()
+			if httpserver.IfMatcherKeyword(c) {
 				continue
 			}
 
diff --git a/caddyhttp/rewrite/setup.go b/caddyhttp/rewrite/setup.go
index 4e369baa0..395f6ca39 100644
--- a/caddyhttp/rewrite/setup.go
+++ b/caddyhttp/rewrite/setup.go
@@ -57,12 +57,15 @@ func rewriteParse(c *caddy.Controller) ([]httpserver.HandlerConfig, error) {
 			fallthrough
 		case 0:
 			// Integrate request matcher for 'if' conditions.
-			matcher, err = httpserver.SetupIfMatcher(c.Dispenser)
+			matcher, err = httpserver.SetupIfMatcher(c)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
-		block:
+
 			for c.NextBlock() {
+				if httpserver.IfMatcherKeyword(c) {
+					continue
+				}
 				switch c.Val() {
 				case "r", "regexp":
 					if !c.NextArg() {
@@ -90,10 +93,6 @@ func rewriteParse(c *caddy.Controller) ([]httpserver.HandlerConfig, error) {
 						return nil, c.Err("status must be 2xx or 4xx")
 					}
 				default:
-					if httpserver.IfMatcherKeyword(c.Val()) {
-						c.RemainingArgs()
-						continue block
-					}
 					return nil, c.ArgErr()
 				}
 			}