diff --git a/inference/core/workflows/core_steps/common/query_language/evaluation_engine/core.py b/inference/core/workflows/core_steps/common/query_language/evaluation_engine/core.py
index 6b615f3054..637efa2060 100644
--- a/inference/core/workflows/core_steps/common/query_language/evaluation_engine/core.py
+++ b/inference/core/workflows/core_steps/common/query_language/evaluation_engine/core.py
@@ -63,18 +63,24 @@ def build_eval_function(
     definition: Union[BinaryStatement, UnaryStatement, StatementGroup],
     execution_context: str = "<root>",
 ) -> Callable[[T], bool]:
-    if isinstance(definition, BinaryStatement):
+    # Short-circuit type checks to avoid unnecessary computation/attrlookup.
+    BinaryStatement_type = BinaryStatement
+    UnaryStatement_type = UnaryStatement
+    StatementGroup_type = StatementGroup
+
+    if type(definition) is BinaryStatement_type:
         return build_binary_statement(definition, execution_context=execution_context)
-    if isinstance(definition, UnaryStatement):
+    if type(definition) is UnaryStatement_type:
         return build_unary_statement(definition, execution_context=execution_context)
-    statements_functions = []
-    for statement_id, statement in enumerate(definition.statements):
-        statement_execution_context = f"{execution_context}.statements[{statement_id}]"
-        statements_functions.append(
-            build_eval_function(
-                statement, execution_context=statement_execution_context
-            )
+    # Only reached for StatementGroup; don't repeat isinstance check for each iteration.
+    statements = definition.statements
+    statements_functions = [
+        build_eval_function(
+            statement,
+            execution_context=f"{execution_context}.statements[{statement_id}]",
         )
+        for statement_id, statement in enumerate(statements)
+    ]
     return partial(
         compound_eval,
         statements_functions=statements_functions,
@@ -87,19 +93,19 @@ def build_binary_statement(
     definition: BinaryStatement,
     execution_context: str,
 ) -> Callable[[Dict[str, T]], bool]:
-    operator = BINARY_OPERATORS[definition.comparator.type]
-    operator_parameters_names = [
-        t for t in type(definition.comparator).model_fields if t != TYPE_PARAMETER_NAME
-    ]
-    operator_parameters = {
-        a: getattr(definition.comparator, a) for a in operator_parameters_names
-    }
+    comparator = definition.comparator
+    # Avoid repeated lookups and allocations by using list comprehension directly, avoiding `type()` call multiple times
+    model_fields = type(comparator).model_fields
+    operator_parameters_names = [t for t in model_fields if t != TYPE_PARAMETER_NAME]
+    operator_parameters = {a: getattr(comparator, a) for a in operator_parameters_names}
     left_operand_builder = create_operand_builder(
         definition=definition.left_operand, execution_context=execution_context
     )
     right_operand_builder = create_operand_builder(
         definition=definition.right_operand, execution_context=execution_context
     )
+    operator = BINARY_OPERATORS[comparator.type]  # Single dict lookup
+
     return partial(
         binary_eval,
         left_operand_builder=left_operand_builder,
@@ -225,16 +231,16 @@ def binary_eval(
 def build_unary_statement(
     definition: UnaryStatement, execution_context: str
 ) -> Callable[[Dict[str, T]], bool]:
-    operator = UNARY_OPERATORS[definition.operator.type]
-    operator_parameters_names = [
-        t for t in type(definition.operator).model_fields if t != TYPE_PARAMETER_NAME
-    ]
+    operator_obj = definition.operator
+    model_fields = type(operator_obj).model_fields
+    operator_parameters_names = [t for t in model_fields if t != TYPE_PARAMETER_NAME]
     operator_parameters = {
-        a: getattr(definition.operator, a) for a in operator_parameters_names
+        a: getattr(operator_obj, a) for a in operator_parameters_names
     }
     operand_builder = create_operand_builder(
         definition=definition.operand, execution_context=execution_context
     )
+    operator = UNARY_OPERATORS[operator_obj.type]
     return partial(
         unary_eval,
         operand_builder=operand_builder,