diff --git a/Source/cmListFileLexer.c b/Source/cmListFileLexer.c
index 3b08b03c1..be27884a5 100644
--- a/Source/cmListFileLexer.c
+++ b/Source/cmListFileLexer.c
@@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ case 17:
 YY_RULE_SETUP
 #line 224 "cmListFileLexer.in.l"
 {
-  cmListFileLexerAppend(lexer, yytext, yyleng);
+  /* Continuation: text is not part of string */
   ++lexer->line;
   lexer->column = 1;
 }
diff --git a/Source/cmListFileLexer.in.l b/Source/cmListFileLexer.in.l
index ecaf156e9..d45a8ea50 100644
--- a/Source/cmListFileLexer.in.l
+++ b/Source/cmListFileLexer.in.l
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ LEGACY {MAKEVAR}|{UNQUOTED}|\"({MAKEVAR}|{UNQUOTED}|[ \t[=])*\"
 }
 
 <STRING>\\\n {
-  cmListFileLexerAppend(lexer, yytext, yyleng);
+  /* Continuation: text is not part of string */
   ++lexer->line;
   lexer->column = 1;
 }
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/RunCMakeTest.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/RunCMakeTest.cmake
index f5e0d11e0..2d49f7684 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/RunCMakeTest.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/RunCMakeTest.cmake
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ run_cmake(CommandError1)
 run_cmake(CommandError2)
 run_cmake(String0)
 run_cmake(String1)
+run_cmake(StringBackslash)
 run_cmake(StringCRLF)
+run_cmake(StringContinuation1)
+run_cmake(StringContinuation2)
 run_cmake(StringNoSpace)
 run_cmake(OneLetter)
 run_cmake(Unquoted0)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringBackslash-result.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringBackslash-result.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d00491fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringBackslash-result.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringBackslash-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringBackslash-stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..214f91439
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringBackslash-stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+CMake Error at StringBackslash.cmake:1 \(message\):
+  a\\
+
+  b
+Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
+  CMakeLists.txt:3 \(include\)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringBackslash.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringBackslash.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..066be965d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringBackslash.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+message(FATAL_ERROR "a\\
+b")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation1-result.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation1-result.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d00491fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation1-result.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation1-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation1-stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..05771da2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation1-stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+CMake Error at StringContinuation1.cmake:1 \(message\):
+  ab
+Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
+  CMakeLists.txt:3 \(include\)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation1.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation1.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ae86bb22c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation1.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+message(FATAL_ERROR "a\
+b")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation2-result.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation2-result.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d00491fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation2-result.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation2-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation2-stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2f4964ca9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation2-stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+CMake Error at StringContinuation2.cmake:1 \(message\):
+  a\\b
+Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
+  CMakeLists.txt:3 \(include\)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation2.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation2.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..490a40890
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/Syntax/StringContinuation2.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+message(FATAL_ERROR "a\\\
+b")