diff --git a/src/parser2.ts b/src/parser2.ts
index fb7131d..bb0a2ca 100644
--- a/src/parser2.ts
+++ b/src/parser2.ts
@@ -217,43 +217,7 @@ class Parser {
 
         case "backslash": {
           this.advance();
-          const [type, chars, pos] = this.next;
-          switch (type) {
-            case "newline":
-              wip.finishWord();
-              break;
-
-            case "whitespace":
-            case "semicolon":
-            case "{":
-            case "}":
-            case "[":
-            case "]":
-            case "quote":
-            case "backslash":
-            case "comment":
-              wip.addWordPiece({ text: chars }, pos);
-              break;
-            case "text":
-              switch (chars) {
-                case "n":
-                  wip.addWordPiece({ text: "\n" }, pos);
-                  break;
-                default:
-                  throw new Error(`Unknown backslash escape: ${chars}`);
-              }
-              break;
-            case "EOF":
-              throw new Error(
-                "Reached end of input while parsing a backslash escape"
-              );
-            case "ERROR":
-              throw new Error(chars);
-            default:
-              throw new Error(
-                `Unhandled case: ${type satisfies never} (${chars})`
-              );
-          }
+          this.parseBackslashEscape(wip, "bare");
           break;
         }
 
@@ -269,6 +233,48 @@ class Parser {
     }
   }
 
+  parseBackslashEscape(wip: WipScript, wordType: "bare" | "quote") {
+    const [type, chars, pos] = this.next;
+    switch (type) {
+      case "newline":
+        if (wordType == "bare") {
+          wip.finishWord();
+        } else {
+          // ignore newline
+        }
+        break;
+
+      case "whitespace":
+      case "semicolon":
+      case "{":
+      case "}":
+      case "[":
+      case "]":
+      case "quote":
+      case "backslash":
+      case "comment":
+        wip.addWordPiece({ text: chars }, pos);
+        break;
+      case "text":
+        switch (chars) {
+          case "n":
+            wip.addWordPiece({ text: "\n" }, pos);
+            break;
+          default:
+            throw new Error(`Unknown backslash escape: ${chars}`);
+        }
+        break;
+      case "EOF":
+        throw new Error(
+          "Reached end of input while parsing a backslash escape"
+        );
+      case "ERROR":
+        throw new Error(chars);
+      default:
+        throw new Error(`Unhandled case: ${type satisfies never} (${chars})`);
+    }
+  }
+
   parseBrace(): string {
     let wip = "";