diff --git a/include/inja/config.hpp b/include/inja/config.hpp
index 0a8f9b7f..49341b9d 100644
--- a/include/inja/config.hpp
+++ b/include/inja/config.hpp
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
 namespace inja {
 
+enum class ElementNotation { Dot, Pointer };
+
 /*!
  * \brief Class for lexer configuration.
  */
@@ -28,6 +30,8 @@ struct LexerConfig {
   std::string comment_close_force_rstrip {"-#}"};
   std::string open_chars {"#{"};
 
+  ElementNotation notation {ElementNotation::Dot};
+
   bool trim_blocks {false};
   bool lstrip_blocks {false};
 
@@ -64,6 +68,8 @@ struct LexerConfig {
  * \brief Class for parser configuration.
  */
 struct ParserConfig {
+  ElementNotation notation {ElementNotation::Dot};
+
   bool search_included_templates_in_files {true};
 
   std::function<Template(const std::string&, const std::string&)> include_callback;
diff --git a/include/inja/environment.hpp b/include/inja/environment.hpp
index 9cab39c0..46fbc856 100644
--- a/include/inja/environment.hpp
+++ b/include/inja/environment.hpp
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ class Environment {
   void set_lstrip_blocks(bool lstrip_blocks) {
     lexer_config.lstrip_blocks = lstrip_blocks;
   }
+  /// Sets the element notation syntax
+  void set_element_notation(ElementNotation notation) {
+    parser_config.notation = notation;
+    lexer_config.notation = notation;
+  }
 
   /// Sets the element notation syntax
   void set_search_included_templates_in_files(bool search_in_files) {
diff --git a/include/inja/lexer.hpp b/include/inja/lexer.hpp
index 789c61a1..a8612617 100644
--- a/include/inja/lexer.hpp
+++ b/include/inja/lexer.hpp
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class Lexer {
     }
 
     pos = tok_start + 1;
-    if (std::isalpha(ch)) {
+    if (std::isalpha(ch) || ch == '~') {
       minus_state = MinusState::Operator;
       return scan_id();
     }
@@ -177,12 +177,13 @@ class Lexer {
   }
 
   Token scan_id() {
+    bool isDotNotation = config.notation == ElementNotation::Dot;
     for (;;) {
       if (pos >= m_in.size()) {
         break;
       }
       const char ch = m_in[pos];
-      if (!std::isalnum(ch) && ch != '.' && ch != '/' && ch != '_' && ch != '-') {
+      if (!std::isalnum(ch) && ch != '.' && ch != '/' && ch != '_' && ch != '-' && (isDotNotation || ch != '~')) {
         break;
       }
       pos += 1;
diff --git a/include/inja/node.hpp b/include/inja/node.hpp
index 9ad9ef6e..e783a59d 100644
--- a/include/inja/node.hpp
+++ b/include/inja/node.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@
 
 namespace inja {
 
+enum NotationFlag {
+  Dot = 0x00,
+  Pointer = 0x01,
+};
+
 class NodeVisitor;
 class BlockNode;
 class TextNode;
@@ -110,6 +115,15 @@ class DataNode : public ExpressionNode {
   const std::string name;
   const json::json_pointer ptr;
 
+  static std::string get_ptr(std::string_view ptr_name, NotationFlag notation) {
+    auto ptr = notation == NotationFlag::Dot ? convert_dot_to_ptr(ptr_name) : ptr_name.data();
+    if(ptr.substr(0,1) != "/") {
+      ptr = "/" + ptr;
+    }
+
+    return ptr;
+  }
+
   static std::string convert_dot_to_ptr(std::string_view ptr_name) {
     std::string result;
     do {
@@ -123,6 +137,10 @@ class DataNode : public ExpressionNode {
 
   explicit DataNode(std::string_view ptr_name, size_t pos): ExpressionNode(pos), name(ptr_name), ptr(json::json_pointer(convert_dot_to_ptr(ptr_name))) {}
 
+  explicit DataNode(std::string_view ptr_name, size_t pos, NotationFlag notation)
+      : ExpressionNode(pos), name(ptr_name),
+        ptr(json::json_pointer(get_ptr(ptr_name, notation))) {}
+
   void accept(NodeVisitor& v) const {
     v.visit(*this);
   }
diff --git a/include/inja/parser.hpp b/include/inja/parser.hpp
index 0cd22336..6f35535b 100644
--- a/include/inja/parser.hpp
+++ b/include/inja/parser.hpp
@@ -237,7 +237,8 @@ class Parser {
 
           // Variables
         } else {
-          arguments.emplace_back(std::make_shared<DataNode>(static_cast<std::string>(tok.text), tok.text.data() - tmpl.content.c_str()));
+          auto notation = this->config.notation == ElementNotation::Dot ? NotationFlag::Dot : NotationFlag::Pointer;
+          arguments.emplace_back(std::make_shared<DataNode>(static_cast<std::string>(tok.text), tok.text.data() - tmpl.content.c_str(), notation));
         }
 
         // Operators
diff --git a/single_include/inja/inja.hpp b/single_include/inja/inja.hpp
index 78b431cb..21db7e5a 100644
--- a/single_include/inja/inja.hpp
+++ b/single_include/inja/inja.hpp
@@ -348,6 +348,11 @@ inline void replace_substring(std::string& s, const std::string& f, const std::s
 
 namespace inja {
 
+enum NotationFlag {
+  Dot = 0x00,
+  Pointer = 0x01,
+};
+
 class NodeVisitor;
 class BlockNode;
 class TextNode;
@@ -448,6 +453,15 @@ class DataNode : public ExpressionNode {
   const std::string name;
   const json::json_pointer ptr;
 
+  static std::string get_ptr(std::string_view ptr_name, NotationFlag notation) {
+    auto ptr = notation == NotationFlag::Dot ? convert_dot_to_ptr(ptr_name) : ptr_name.data();
+    if(ptr.substr(0,1) != "/") {
+      ptr = "/" + ptr;
+    }
+
+    return ptr;
+  }
+
   static std::string convert_dot_to_ptr(std::string_view ptr_name) {
     std::string result;
     do {
@@ -461,6 +475,10 @@ class DataNode : public ExpressionNode {
 
   explicit DataNode(std::string_view ptr_name, size_t pos): ExpressionNode(pos), name(ptr_name), ptr(json::json_pointer(convert_dot_to_ptr(ptr_name))) {}
 
+  explicit DataNode(std::string_view ptr_name, size_t pos, NotationFlag notation)
+      : ExpressionNode(pos), name(ptr_name),
+        ptr(json::json_pointer(get_ptr(ptr_name, notation))) {}
+
   void accept(NodeVisitor& v) const {
     v.visit(*this);
   }
@@ -816,6 +834,8 @@ using TemplateStorage = std::map<std::string, Template>;
 
 namespace inja {
 
+enum class ElementNotation { Dot, Pointer };
+
 /*!
  * \brief Class for lexer configuration.
  */
@@ -836,6 +856,8 @@ struct LexerConfig {
   std::string comment_close_force_rstrip {"-#}"};
   std::string open_chars {"#{"};
 
+  ElementNotation notation {ElementNotation::Dot};
+
   bool trim_blocks {false};
   bool lstrip_blocks {false};
 
@@ -872,6 +894,8 @@ struct LexerConfig {
  * \brief Class for parser configuration.
  */
 struct ParserConfig {
+  ElementNotation notation {ElementNotation::Dot};
+
   bool search_included_templates_in_files {true};
 
   std::function<Template(const std::string&, const std::string&)> include_callback;
@@ -1066,7 +1090,7 @@ class Lexer {
     }
 
     pos = tok_start + 1;
-    if (std::isalpha(ch)) {
+    if (std::isalpha(ch) || ch == '~') {
       minus_state = MinusState::Operator;
       return scan_id();
     }
@@ -1162,12 +1186,13 @@ class Lexer {
   }
 
   Token scan_id() {
+    bool isDotNotation = config.notation == ElementNotation::Dot;
     for (;;) {
       if (pos >= m_in.size()) {
         break;
       }
       const char ch = m_in[pos];
-      if (!std::isalnum(ch) && ch != '.' && ch != '/' && ch != '_' && ch != '-') {
+      if (!std::isalnum(ch) && ch != '.' && ch != '/' && ch != '_' && ch != '-' && (isDotNotation || ch != '~')) {
         break;
       }
       pos += 1;
@@ -1649,7 +1674,8 @@ class Parser {
 
           // Variables
         } else {
-          arguments.emplace_back(std::make_shared<DataNode>(static_cast<std::string>(tok.text), tok.text.data() - tmpl.content.c_str()));
+          auto notation = this->config.notation == ElementNotation::Dot ? NotationFlag::Dot : NotationFlag::Pointer;
+          arguments.emplace_back(std::make_shared<DataNode>(static_cast<std::string>(tok.text), tok.text.data() - tmpl.content.c_str(), notation));
         }
 
         // Operators
@@ -2771,6 +2797,11 @@ class Environment {
   void set_lstrip_blocks(bool lstrip_blocks) {
     lexer_config.lstrip_blocks = lstrip_blocks;
   }
+  /// Sets the element notation syntax
+  void set_element_notation(ElementNotation notation) {
+    parser_config.notation = notation;
+    lexer_config.notation = notation;
+  }
 
   /// Sets the element notation syntax
   void set_search_included_templates_in_files(bool search_in_files) {
diff --git a/test/test-renderer.cpp b/test/test-renderer.cpp
index 9963246a..00f4a16c 100644
--- a/test/test-renderer.cpp
+++ b/test/test-renderer.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ TEST_CASE("types") {
   data["relatives"]["brother"] = "Chris";
   data["relatives"]["sister"] = "Jenny";
   data["vars"] = {2, 3, 4, 0, -1, -2, -3};
+  data["json_pointers"]["example.com"] = "online";
+  data["json_pointers"]["and/or"] = "slash";
+  data["json_pointers"]["and~or"] = "tilde";
 
   SUBCASE("basic") {
     CHECK(env.render("", data) == "");
@@ -39,6 +42,12 @@ TEST_CASE("types") {
     CHECK(env.render("{{ @name }}", data) == "@name");
     CHECK(env.render("{{ $name }}", data) == "$name");
 
+    env.set_element_notation(inja::ElementNotation::Pointer);
+    CHECK(env.render("{{ json_pointers/example.com }}", data) == "online");
+    CHECK(env.render("{{ json_pointers/and~1or }}", data) == "slash");
+    CHECK(env.render("{{ json_pointers/and~0or }}", data) == "tilde");
+    env.set_element_notation(inja::ElementNotation::Dot);
+
     CHECK_THROWS_WITH(env.render("{{unknown}}", data), "[inja.exception.render_error] (at 1:3) variable 'unknown' not found");
   }