diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fbd7da8988a..1f91fe48038 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
 ### New features
 
+* Define `immutable_heads()` revset alias in terms of a new `builtin_immutable_heads()`.
+  This enables users to redefine `immutable_heads()` as they wish, but still
+  have `builtin_immutable_heads()` which can not be redefined.
+
 * External diff tools can now be configured to invoke the tool on each file
   individually instead of being passed a directory by setting
   `merge-tools.$TOOL.diff-invocation-mode="file-by-file"` in config.toml.
diff --git a/cli/src/config.rs b/cli/src/config.rs
index f51c032f5fc..78a8d7bdfec 100644
--- a/cli/src/config.rs
+++ b/cli/src/config.rs
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ pub enum ConfigSource {
     User,
     Repo,
     CommandArg,
+    Builtin,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
@@ -208,6 +209,7 @@ pub struct AnnotatedValue {
 /// 5. TODO: Workspace config `.jj/config.toml`
 /// 6. Override environment variables
 /// 7. Command-line arguments `--config-toml`
+/// 8. Builtins
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct LayeredConfigs {
     default: config::Config,
@@ -216,6 +218,7 @@ pub struct LayeredConfigs {
     repo: Option<config::Config>,
     env_overrides: config::Config,
     arg_overrides: Option<config::Config>,
+    builtin_overrides: config::Config,
 }
 
 impl LayeredConfigs {
@@ -228,6 +231,7 @@ impl LayeredConfigs {
             repo: None,
             env_overrides: env_overrides(),
             arg_overrides: None,
+            builtin_overrides: builtin_overrides(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -284,6 +288,7 @@ impl LayeredConfigs {
             (ConfigSource::Repo, self.repo.as_ref()),
             (ConfigSource::Env, Some(&self.env_overrides)),
             (ConfigSource::CommandArg, self.arg_overrides.as_ref()),
+            (ConfigSource::Builtin, Some(&self.builtin_overrides)),
         ];
         config_sources
             .into_iter()
@@ -499,6 +504,17 @@ pub fn default_config() -> config::Config {
     builder.build().unwrap()
 }
 
+/// Builtin overrides that override all other values.
+pub fn builtin_overrides() -> config::Config {
+    config::Config::builder()
+        .add_source(config::File::from_str(
+            include_str!("config/builtins.toml"),
+            config::FileFormat::Toml,
+        ))
+        .build()
+        .unwrap()
+}
+
 /// Environment variables that override config values
 fn env_overrides() -> config::Config {
     let mut builder = config::Config::builder();
@@ -885,8 +901,9 @@ mod tests {
             env_base: empty_config.to_owned(),
             user: None,
             repo: None,
-            env_overrides: empty_config,
+            env_overrides: empty_config.to_owned(),
             arg_overrides: None,
+            builtin_overrides: empty_config.to_owned(),
         };
         assert_eq!(
             layered_configs
@@ -916,8 +933,9 @@ mod tests {
             env_base: env_base_config,
             user: None,
             repo: Some(repo_config),
-            env_overrides: empty_config,
+            env_overrides: empty_config.to_owned(),
             arg_overrides: None,
+            builtin_overrides: empty_config.to_owned(),
         };
         // Note: "email" is alphabetized, before "name" from same layer.
         insta::assert_debug_snapshot!(
@@ -1039,8 +1057,9 @@ mod tests {
             env_base: empty_config.to_owned(),
             user: Some(user_config),
             repo: Some(repo_config),
-            env_overrides: empty_config,
+            env_overrides: empty_config.to_owned(),
             arg_overrides: None,
+            builtin_overrides: empty_config.to_owned(),
         };
         insta::assert_debug_snapshot!(
             layered_configs
diff --git a/cli/src/config/builtins.toml b/cli/src/config/builtins.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..79235000be8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/src/config/builtins.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[revset-aliases]
+'builtin_immutable_heads()' = 'trunk() | tags() | untracked_remote_branches()'
+
diff --git a/cli/src/config/revsets.toml b/cli/src/config/revsets.toml
index f91b3930933..3e9d9c6057c 100644
--- a/cli/src/config/revsets.toml
+++ b/cli/src/config/revsets.toml
@@ -18,6 +18,6 @@ latest(
 )
 '''
 
-'immutable_heads()' = 'trunk() | tags() | untracked_remote_branches()'
+'immutable_heads()' = 'builtin_immutable_heads()'
 'immutable()' = '::(immutable_heads() | root())'
 'mutable()' = '~immutable()'
diff --git a/cli/src/revset_util.rs b/cli/src/revset_util.rs
index 96d3adeb80b..b1e66c1b9f5 100644
--- a/cli/src/revset_util.rs
+++ b/cli/src/revset_util.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ use jj_lib::settings::ConfigResultExt as _;
 use thiserror::Error;
 
 use crate::command_error::{user_error, CommandError};
-use crate::config::LayeredConfigs;
+use crate::config::{ConfigSource, LayeredConfigs};
 use crate::formatter::Formatter;
 use crate::templater::TemplateRenderer;
 use crate::ui::Ui;
@@ -107,6 +107,32 @@ impl<'repo> RevsetExpressionEvaluator<'repo> {
     }
 }
 
+fn warn_user_redefined_builtin(
+    ui: &Ui,
+    source: &ConfigSource,
+    name: &str,
+) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
+    match source {
+        ConfigSource::Default
+        | ConfigSource::Env
+        | ConfigSource::User
+        | ConfigSource::Repo
+        | ConfigSource::CommandArg => {
+            if name.starts_with("builtin") {
+                writeln!(
+                    ui.warning_default(),
+                    "`revset-aliases.{}` may be overridden; aliases starting with `builtin` are \
+                     reserved",
+                    name
+                )?;
+            }
+        }
+        ConfigSource::Builtin => (),
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 pub fn load_revset_aliases(
     ui: &Ui,
     layered_configs: &LayeredConfigs,
@@ -115,17 +141,20 @@ pub fn load_revset_aliases(
     let mut aliases_map = RevsetAliasesMap::new();
     // Load from all config layers in order. 'f(x)' in default layer should be
     // overridden by 'f(a)' in user.
-    for (_, config) in layered_configs.sources() {
+    for (source, config) in layered_configs.sources() {
         let table = if let Some(table) = config.get_table(TABLE_KEY).optional()? {
             table
         } else {
             continue;
         };
         for (decl, value) in table.into_iter().sorted_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0)) {
+            warn_user_redefined_builtin(ui, &source, &decl)?;
+
             let r = value
                 .into_string()
                 .map_err(|e| e.to_string())
                 .and_then(|v| aliases_map.insert(&decl, v).map_err(|e| e.to_string()));
+
             if let Err(s) = r {
                 writeln!(
                     ui.warning_default(),
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_builtin_aliases.rs b/cli/tests/test_builtin_aliases.rs
index 30dbe48dc6d..a86be988630 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_builtin_aliases.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_builtin_aliases.rs
@@ -136,3 +136,20 @@ fn test_builtin_alias_trunk_no_match_only_exact() {
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
     "###);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn test_builtin_user_redefines_builtin_immutable_heads() {
+    let (test_env, workspace_root) = set_up("main");
+
+    test_env.add_config(r#"revset-aliases.'builtin_immutable_heads()' = '@'"#);
+
+    let (stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(&workspace_root, &["log", "-r", "trunk()"]);
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
+    ◆  xtvrqkyv test.user@example.com 2001-02-03 08:05:08 main d13ecdbd
+    │  (empty) description 1
+    ~
+    "###);
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
+    Warning: `revset-aliases.builtin_immutable_heads()` may be overridden; aliases starting with `builtin` are reserved
+    "###);
+}
diff --git a/docs/revsets.md b/docs/revsets.md
index 2b99e9689e1..3d03fb0072c 100644
--- a/docs/revsets.md
+++ b/docs/revsets.md
@@ -404,10 +404,11 @@ For example:
 
 ### Built-in Aliases
 
-The following aliases are built-in and used for certain operations. These functions
+The following aliases are built-in and used for certain operations. Most of these functions
 are defined as aliases in order to allow you to overwrite them as needed. 
 See [revsets.toml](https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/blob/main/cli/src/config/revsets.toml)
-for a comprehensive list.
+for a comprehensive list. There are however [builtins](https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/blob/main/cli/src/config/builtins.toml)
+that can not be overridden nor redefined.
 
 * `trunk()`: Resolves to the head commit for the trunk branch of the remote
   named `origin` or `upstream`. The branches `main`, `master`, and `trunk` are
@@ -426,9 +427,14 @@ for a comprehensive list.
   'trunk()' = 'your-branch@your-remote'
   ```
 
+* `builtin_immutable_heads()`: Resolves to `trunk() | tags() | untracked_remote_branches()`.
+   This builtin **can not** be overridden. It is used as the default definition for
+   `immutable_heads()` below.
+
 * `immutable_heads()`: Resolves to `trunk() | tags() |
-  untracked_remote_branches()` by default. See
-  [here](config.md#set-of-immutable-commits) for details.
+  untracked_remote_branches()` by default. It is actually defined as `builtin_immutable_heads()`,
+  and can be overridden as required.
+  See [here](config.md#set-of-immutable-commits) for details.
 
 * `immutable()`: The set of commits that `jj` treats as immutable. This is
   equivalent to `::(immutable_heads() | root())`. Note that modifying this will