diff --git a/compiler/src/Parse/String.hs b/compiler/src/Parse/String.hs
index 84d60150..d05f9817 100644
--- a/compiler/src/Parse/String.hs
+++ b/compiler/src/Parse/String.hs
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ multiStringBody leadingWhitespace pos end row col initialPos sr sc revChunks =
               if word == 0x27 {- ' -}
                 then
                   let !pos1 = plusPtr pos 1
-                   in dropLeadingWhiteSpaceThenMultiString 0 leadingWhitespace pos1 end row (col + 1) pos1 sr sc $
+                   in multiStringBody leadingWhitespace pos1 end row (col + 1) pos1 sr sc $
                         addEscape singleQuote initialPos pos revChunks
                 else
                   if word == 0x0A {- \n -}
@@ -238,10 +238,10 @@ multiStringBody leadingWhitespace pos end row col initialPos sr sc revChunks =
                           if word == 0x5C {- \ -}
                             then case eatEscape (plusPtr pos 1) end row col of
                               EscapeNormal ->
-                                dropLeadingWhiteSpaceThenMultiString 0 leadingWhitespace (plusPtr pos 2) end row (col + 2) initialPos sr sc revChunks
+                                multiStringBody leadingWhitespace (plusPtr pos 2) end row (col + 2) initialPos sr sc revChunks
                               EscapeUnicode delta code ->
                                 let !newPos = plusPtr pos delta
-                                 in dropLeadingWhiteSpaceThenMultiString 0 leadingWhitespace newPos end row (col + fromIntegral delta) newPos sr sc $
+                                 in multiStringBody leadingWhitespace newPos end row (col + fromIntegral delta) newPos sr sc $
                                       addEscape (ES.CodePoint code) initialPos pos revChunks
                               EscapeProblem r c x ->
                                 Err r c (E.StringEscape x)
diff --git a/tests/Parse/MultilineStringSpec.hs b/tests/Parse/MultilineStringSpec.hs
index a4daef73..0f1be7fa 100644
--- a/tests/Parse/MultilineStringSpec.hs
+++ b/tests/Parse/MultilineStringSpec.hs
@@ -26,6 +26,21 @@ spec = do
         "string with \" in it"
         "\"\"\"\nstring with \" in it\"\"\""
 
+    it "single quotes don't eat spaces" $ do
+      parse
+        "quote followed by spaces: \\'    "
+        "\"\"\"\n  quote followed by spaces: \'    \"\"\""
+
+    it "escapes don't eat spaces" $ do
+      parse
+        "quote followed by spaces: \\'    "
+        "\"\"\"\n  quote followed by spaces: \\'    \"\"\""
+
+    it "unicode escapes don't eat spaces" $ do
+      parse
+        "quote followed by spaces: \\u0020    "
+        "\"\"\"\n  quote followed by spaces: \\u{0020}    \"\"\""
+
     it "first newline, and leading whitespace, is dropped" $ do
       parse
         "this is\\na test"