diff --git a/python/sdist/amici/importers/sbml/__init__.py b/python/sdist/amici/importers/sbml/__init__.py
index 37e2776f8a..d633425d7c 100644
--- a/python/sdist/amici/importers/sbml/__init__.py
+++ b/python/sdist/amici/importers/sbml/__init__.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@
 from amici.logging import get_logger, log_execution_time, set_log_level
 from amici.sympy_utils import (
     _monkeypatch_sympy,
+    _piecewise_to_minmax,
     smart_is_zero_matrix,
     smart_multiply,
 )
@@ -2882,6 +2883,7 @@ def subs_locals(expr: sp.Basic) -> sp.Basic:
         # piecewise to heavisides
         if piecewise_to_heaviside:
             try:
+                expr = expr.replace(sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax)
                 expr = expr.replace(
                     sp.Piecewise,
                     lambda *args: _parse_piecewise_to_heaviside(args),
diff --git a/python/sdist/amici/sympy_utils.py b/python/sdist/amici/sympy_utils.py
index bd3eecc4ac..85a0e986a8 100644
--- a/python/sdist/amici/sympy_utils.py
+++ b/python/sdist/amici/sympy_utils.py
@@ -216,3 +216,19 @@ def _parallel_applyfunc(obj: sp.Matrix, func: Callable) -> sp.Matrix:
                 "to a module-level function or disable parallelization by "
                 "setting `AMICI_IMPORT_NPROCS=1`."
             ) from e
+
+
+def _piecewise_to_minmax(
+    *expr_cond_pairs: tuple[tuple[sp.Basic, sp.Basic], ...],
+) -> sp.Basic:
+    """Replace min/max defined via Piecewise with plain Min/Max.
+
+    To be used in ``expr = expr.replace(sp.Piecewise, pw_to_minmax)``.
+    """
+    if len(expr_cond_pairs) == 2 and expr_cond_pairs[-1][1] == sp.true:
+        (expr1, cond1), (expr2, cond2) = expr_cond_pairs
+        if cond1.args == (expr1, expr2) and cond1.func in (sp.Lt, sp.Le):
+            return sp.Min(expr1, expr2)
+        elif cond1.args == (expr1, expr2) and cond1.func in (sp.Gt, sp.Ge):
+            return sp.Max(expr1, expr2)
+    return sp.Piecewise(*expr_cond_pairs)
diff --git a/python/tests/test_sbml_import.py b/python/tests/test_sbml_import.py
index 574bfcf7b2..4d86496f07 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_sbml_import.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_sbml_import.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import sympy as sp
 from amici import import_model_module
 from amici.gradient_check import check_derivatives
+from amici.importers.antimony import antimony2sbml
 from amici.importers.sbml import SbmlImporter, SymbolId
 from amici.importers.utils import (
     MeasurementChannel as MC,
@@ -1196,3 +1197,21 @@ def test_time_dependent_initial_assignment(compute_conservation_laws: bool):
         symbol_with_assumptions("p0"),
         amici_time_symbol * 1.0 + 3.0,
     ]
+
+
+@skip_on_valgrind
+def test_minmax_piecewise_is_converted_to_minmax():
+    """Test that _piecewise_to_minmax is applied during SBML import."""
+    sbml_str = antimony2sbml("""
+        x' = piecewise(a, a > b, b)
+        y' = piecewise(a, a < b, b)
+    """)
+    sbml_importer = SbmlImporter(sbml_source=sbml_str, from_file=False)
+    de_model = sbml_importer._build_ode_model()
+    # no events should be created for min/max
+    assert not de_model.events()
+    assert len(de_model.sym("h")) == 0
+    # min/max are present in the equations
+    xdot = de_model.eq("xdot")
+    assert xdot.has(sp.Min)
+    assert xdot.has(sp.Max)
diff --git a/python/tests/test_sympy_utils.py b/python/tests/test_sympy_utils.py
index 3f21d0b928..a868cd8f8a 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_sympy_utils.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_sympy_utils.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 """Tests related to the sympy_utils module."""
 
 import sympy as sp
-from amici.sympy_utils import _custom_pow_eval_derivative, _monkeypatched
+from amici.sympy_utils import (
+    _custom_pow_eval_derivative,
+    _monkeypatched,
+    _piecewise_to_minmax,
+)
 from amici.testing import skip_on_valgrind
 
 
@@ -22,3 +26,51 @@ def test_monkeypatch():
 
     # check that the monkeypatch is transient
     assert (t**n).diff(t).subs(vals) is sp.nan
+
+
+@skip_on_valgrind
+def test_rewrite_piecewise_minmax():
+    """Test rewriting of piecewise min/max to sympy Min/Max functions."""
+    x, y, z = sp.symbols("x y z")
+
+    assert sp.Piecewise((x, x < y), (y, True)).replace(
+        sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax
+    ) == sp.Min(x, y)
+    assert sp.Piecewise((x, x <= y), (y, True)).replace(
+        sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax
+    ) == sp.Min(x, y)
+    assert sp.Piecewise((x, x > y), (y, True)).replace(
+        sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax
+    ) == sp.Max(x, y)
+    assert sp.Piecewise((x, x >= y), (y, True)).replace(
+        sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax
+    ) == sp.Max(x, y)
+    assert sp.Piecewise((x, y > x), (y, True)).replace(
+        sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax
+    ) == sp.Min(x, y)
+    assert sp.Piecewise((x, y >= x), (y, True)).replace(
+        sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax
+    ) == sp.Min(x, y)
+    assert sp.Piecewise((x, y < x), (y, True)).replace(
+        sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax
+    ) == sp.Max(x, y)
+    assert sp.Piecewise((x, y <= x), (y, True)).replace(
+        sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax
+    ) == sp.Max(x, y)
+
+    # can't replace
+    assert sp.Piecewise((z, y <= x), (y, True)).replace(
+        sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax
+    ) == sp.Piecewise((z, y <= x), (y, True))
+
+    # replace recursively
+    expr = sp.Piecewise(
+        (sp.Piecewise((x, x < y), (y, True)), x < z),
+        (sp.Piecewise((y, y < z), (z, True)), True),
+    )
+    replaced = expr.replace(sp.Piecewise, _piecewise_to_minmax)
+    expected = sp.Piecewise(
+        (sp.Min(x, y), x < z),
+        (sp.Min(y, z), True),
+    )
+    assert replaced == expected