diff --git a/superset/db_engine_specs/athena.py b/superset/db_engine_specs/athena.py
index c62a2455f68..a3abfdf1097 100644
--- a/superset/db_engine_specs/athena.py
+++ b/superset/db_engine_specs/athena.py
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ class AthenaEngineSpec(BaseEngineSpec):
     engine_name = "Amazon Athena"
     allows_escaped_colons = False
     disable_ssh_tunneling = True
+    # Athena doesn't support IS true/false syntax, use = true/false instead
+    use_equality_for_boolean_filters = True
 
     _time_grain_expressions = {
         None: "{col}",
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/db_engine_specs/test_athena.py b/tests/unit_tests/db_engine_specs/test_athena.py
index 8337bfd7a6b..9e571eceb21 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/db_engine_specs/test_athena.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/db_engine_specs/test_athena.py
@@ -87,3 +87,36 @@ def test_get_text_clause_with_colon() -> None:
     )
     text_clause = AthenaEngineSpec.get_text_clause(query)
     assert text_clause.text == query
+
+
+def test_handle_boolean_filter() -> None:
+    """
+    Test that Athena uses equality operators for boolean filters instead of IS.
+    """
+    from sqlalchemy import Boolean, Column
+
+    from superset.db_engine_specs.athena import AthenaEngineSpec
+
+    # Create a mock SQLAlchemy column
+    bool_col = Column("test_col", Boolean)
+
+    # Test IS_TRUE filter - use actual FilterOperator values
+    from superset.utils.core import FilterOperator
+
+    result_true = AthenaEngineSpec.handle_boolean_filter(
+        bool_col, FilterOperator.IS_TRUE, True
+    )
+    # The result should be a equality comparison, not an IS comparison
+    assert (
+        str(result_true.compile(compile_kwargs={"literal_binds": True}))
+        == "test_col = true"
+    )
+
+    # Test IS_FALSE filter
+    result_false = AthenaEngineSpec.handle_boolean_filter(
+        bool_col, FilterOperator.IS_FALSE, False
+    )
+    assert (
+        str(result_false.compile(compile_kwargs={"literal_binds": True}))
+        == "test_col = false"
+    )