diff --git a/rc/core/c-family.kak b/rc/core/c-family.kak
index 362f9af95..003f3ddec 100644
--- a/rc/core/c-family.kak
+++ b/rc/core/c-family.kak
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ define-command -hidden c-family-insert-on-newline %[ evaluate-commands -draft %[
 
         printf %s\\n '
             add-highlighter shared/ regions -default code -match-capture FT \
-                string %{MAYBEAT(?<!QUOTE)"} %{(?<!\\)(?:\\\\)*"} "" \
+                string %{MAYBEAT(?<!QUOTE)(?<!QUOTE\\)"} %{(?<!\\)(?:\\\\)*"} "" \
                 string %{R"([^(]*)\(} %{\)([^)]*)"} "" \
                 comment /\* \*/ "" \
                 comment // $ "" \