diff --git a/rust/datafusion/examples/simple_udf.rs b/rust/datafusion/examples/simple_udf.rs
index a8d9fcef498e..8a8be72ccf43 100644
--- a/rust/datafusion/examples/simple_udf.rs
+++ b/rust/datafusion/examples/simple_udf.rs
@@ -111,20 +111,28 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         pow,
     );
 
-    // finally, register the UDF
-    ctx.register_udf(pow);
+    // at this point, we can use it or register it, depending on the use-case:
+    // * if the UDF is expected to be used throughout the program in different contexts,
+    //   we can register it, and call it later:
+    ctx.register_udf(pow.clone()); // clone is only required in this example because we show both usages
 
-    // at this point, we can use it. Note that the code below can be in a
-    // scope on which we do not have access to `pow`.
+    // * if the UDF is expected to be used directly in the scope, `.call` it directly:
+    let expr = pow.call(vec![col("a"), col("b")]);
 
     // get a DataFrame from the context
     let df = ctx.table("t")?;
 
-    // get the udf registry.
-    let f = df.registry();
-
-    // equivalent to `'SELECT pow(a, b) FROM t'`
-    let df = df.select(vec![f.udf("pow", vec![col("a"), col("b")])?])?;
+    // if we do not have `pow` in the scope and we registered it, we can get it from the registry
+    let pow = df.registry().udf("pow")?;
+    // equivalent to expr
+    let expr1 = pow.call(vec![col("a"), col("b")]);
+
+    // equivalent to `'SELECT pow(a, b), pow(a, b) AS pow1 FROM t'`
+    let df = df.select(vec![
+        expr,
+        // alias so that they have different column names
+        expr1.alias("pow1"),
+    ])?;
 
     // note that "b" is f32, not f64. DataFusion coerces the types to match the UDF's signature.
 
diff --git a/rust/datafusion/src/execution/context.rs b/rust/datafusion/src/execution/context.rs
index 0e886c52031a..c0eb89a07463 100644
--- a/rust/datafusion/src/execution/context.rs
+++ b/rust/datafusion/src/execution/context.rs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ use crate::datasource::parquet::ParquetTable;
 use crate::datasource::TableProvider;
 use crate::error::{ExecutionError, Result};
 use crate::execution::dataframe_impl::DataFrameImpl;
-use crate::logical_plan::{Expr, FunctionRegistry, LogicalPlan, LogicalPlanBuilder};
+use crate::logical_plan::{FunctionRegistry, LogicalPlan, LogicalPlanBuilder};
 use crate::optimizer::filter_push_down::FilterPushDown;
 use crate::optimizer::optimizer::OptimizerRule;
 use crate::optimizer::projection_push_down::ProjectionPushDown;
@@ -481,17 +481,14 @@ impl FunctionRegistry for ExecutionContextState {
         self.scalar_functions.keys().cloned().collect()
     }
 
-    fn udf(&self, name: &str, args: Vec<Expr>) -> Result<Expr> {
+    fn udf(&self, name: &str) -> Result<&ScalarUDF> {
         let result = self.scalar_functions.get(name);
         if result.is_none() {
             Err(ExecutionError::General(
                 format!("There is no UDF named \"{}\" in the registry", name).to_string(),
             ))
         } else {
-            Ok(Expr::ScalarUDF {
-                fun: result.unwrap().clone(),
-                args,
-            })
+            Ok(result.unwrap())
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1051,7 +1048,7 @@ mod tests {
             .project(vec![
                 col("a"),
                 col("b"),
-                ctx.registry().udf("my_add", vec![col("a"), col("b")])?,
+                ctx.registry().udf("my_add")?.call(vec![col("a"), col("b")]),
             ])?
             .build()?;
 
diff --git a/rust/datafusion/src/execution/dataframe_impl.rs b/rust/datafusion/src/execution/dataframe_impl.rs
index bf25d2a142e8..98982127a2f7 100644
--- a/rust/datafusion/src/execution/dataframe_impl.rs
+++ b/rust/datafusion/src/execution/dataframe_impl.rs
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let f = df.registry();
 
-        let df = df.select(vec![f.udf("my_fn", vec![col("c12")])?])?;
+        let df = df.select(vec![f.udf("my_fn")?.call(vec![col("c12")])])?;
         let plan = df.to_logical_plan();
 
         // build query using SQL
diff --git a/rust/datafusion/src/logical_plan/mod.rs b/rust/datafusion/src/logical_plan/mod.rs
index 29ebaa194fac..a8451859cb36 100644
--- a/rust/datafusion/src/logical_plan/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/datafusion/src/logical_plan/mod.rs
@@ -1133,8 +1133,8 @@ pub trait FunctionRegistry {
     /// Set of all available udfs.
     fn udfs(&self) -> HashSet<String>;
 
-    /// Constructs a logical expression with a call to the udf.
-    fn udf(&self, name: &str, args: Vec<Expr>) -> Result<Expr>;
+    /// Returns a reference to the udf named `name`.
+    fn udf(&self, name: &str) -> Result<&ScalarUDF>;
 }
 
 /// Builder for logical plans
diff --git a/rust/datafusion/src/physical_plan/udf.rs b/rust/datafusion/src/physical_plan/udf.rs
index a02b38e0c42d..9ac4134e8bfc 100644
--- a/rust/datafusion/src/physical_plan/udf.rs
+++ b/rust/datafusion/src/physical_plan/udf.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use std::fmt;
 use arrow::datatypes::Schema;
 
 use crate::error::Result;
-use crate::physical_plan::PhysicalExpr;
+use crate::{logical_plan::Expr, physical_plan::PhysicalExpr};
 
 use super::{
     functions::{
@@ -71,6 +71,15 @@ impl ScalarUDF {
             fun: fun.clone(),
         }
     }
+
+    /// creates a logical expression with a call of the UDF
+    /// This utility allows using the UDF without requiring access to the registry.
+    pub fn call(&self, args: Vec<Expr>) -> Expr {
+        Expr::ScalarUDF {
+            fun: Arc::new(self.clone()),
+            args,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /// Create a physical expression of the UDF.