diff --git a/src/frontend/parser/lexical.c b/src/frontend/parser/lexical.c
index abaa21f5a..e40528da9 100644
--- a/src/frontend/parser/lexical.c
+++ b/src/frontend/parser/lexical.c
@@ -149,11 +149,11 @@ nloop:
 
         c = cp_readchar(&string, cp_inp_cur);
 
-        if (string && (c == ESCAPE))
-            c = '[';
-
     gotchar:
 
+        if (string && (c == ESCAPE))
+            continue;
+
         if ((c != EOF) && (c != ESCAPE))
             linebuf[j++] = (char) c;