diff --git a/lib/rdoc/ruby_lex.rb b/lib/rdoc/ruby_lex.rb
index 7488b80773..fd26a0945d 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc/ruby_lex.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc/ruby_lex.rb
@@ -1235,7 +1235,7 @@ def identify_string(ltype, quoted = ltype, type = nil)
         elsif ch == '\\'
           if %w[' /].include? @ltype then
             case ch = getc
-            when "\\", "\n", "'"
+            when "\n", "'"
             when @ltype
               str << ch
             else
diff --git a/test/test_rdoc_ruby_lex.rb b/test/test_rdoc_ruby_lex.rb
index 5ded86fd8c..15367c17a0 100644
--- a/test/test_rdoc_ruby_lex.rb
+++ b/test/test_rdoc_ruby_lex.rb
@@ -339,6 +339,17 @@ def test_class_tokenize_regexp_escape
     assert_equal expected, tokens
   end
 
+  def test_class_tokenize_regexp_continuing_backslash
+    tokens = RDoc::RubyLex.tokenize "/(?<!\\\\)\\n\z/", nil
+
+    expected = [
+      @TK::TkREGEXP.new( 0, 1,  0, "/(?<!\\\\)\\n\z/"),
+      @TK::TkNL    .new(12, 1, 12, "\n"),
+    ]
+
+    assert_equal expected, tokens
+  end
+
   def test_class_tokenize_string
     tokens = RDoc::RubyLex.tokenize "'hi'", nil