diff --git a/C/scanner.c b/C/scanner.c
index 3ee69f34a..3d397f948 100644
--- a/C/scanner.c
+++ b/C/scanner.c
@@ -284,6 +284,8 @@ read_quoted_char(int *scan_nextp, IOSTREAM *inp_stream)
   switch (ch) {
   case 10:
     return 0;
+  case '\\':
+    return '\\';
   case 'a':
     return '\a';
   case 'b':