diff --git a/lib/less/parser.js b/lib/less/parser.js
index cf353bc0..fd6b1c7d 100644
--- a/lib/less/parser.js
+++ b/lib/less/parser.js
@@ -255,19 +255,18 @@ less.Parser = function Parser(env) {
             var root, start, end, zone, line, lines, buff = [], c, error = null;
 
             i = j = current = furthest = 0;
-            chunks = [];
             input = str.replace(/\r\n/g, '\n');
 
             // Split the input into chunks.
             chunks = (function (chunks) {
                 var j = 0,
-                    skip = /[^"'`\{\}\/\(\)]+/g,
+                    skip = /[^"'`\{\}\/\(\)\\]+/g,
                     comment = /\/\*(?:[^*]|\*+[^\/*])*\*+\/|\/\/.*/g,
+                    string = /"((?:[^"\\\r\n]|\\.)*)"|'((?:[^'\\\r\n]|\\.)*)'|`((?:[^`\\\r\n]|\\.)*)`/g,
                     level = 0,
                     match,
                     chunk = chunks[0],
-                    inParam,
-                    inString;
+                    inParam;
 
                 for (var i = 0, c, cc; i < input.length; i++) {
                     skip.lastIndex = i;
@@ -278,9 +277,17 @@ less.Parser = function Parser(env) {
                         }
                     }
                     c = input.charAt(i);
-                    comment.lastIndex = i;
+                    comment.lastIndex = string.lastIndex = i;
 
-                    if (!inString && !inParam && c === '/') {
+                    if (match = string.exec(input)) {
+                        if (match.index === i) {
+                            i += match[0].length;
+                            chunk.push(match[0]);
+                            c = input.charAt(i);
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    if (!inParam && c === '/') {
                         cc = input.charAt(i + 1);
                         if (cc === '/' || cc === '*') {
                             if (match = comment.exec(input)) {
@@ -293,26 +300,12 @@ less.Parser = function Parser(env) {
                         }
                     }
 
-                    if        (c === '{' && !inString && !inParam) { level ++;
-                        chunk.push(c);
-                    } else if (c === '}' && !inString && !inParam) { level --;
-                        chunk.push(c);
-                        chunks[++j] = chunk = [];
-                    } else if (c === '(' && !inString && !inParam) {
-                        chunk.push(c);
-                        inParam = true;
-                    } else if (c === ')' && !inString && inParam) {
-                        chunk.push(c);
-                        inParam = false;
-                    } else {
-                        if (c === '"' || c === "'" || c === '`') {
-                            if (! inString) {
-                                inString = c;
-                            } else {
-                                inString = inString === c ? false : inString;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        chunk.push(c);
+                    switch (c) {
+                        case '{': if (! inParam) { level ++;        chunk.push(c);                           break }
+                        case '}': if (! inParam) { level --;        chunk.push(c); chunks[++j] = chunk = []; break }
+                        case '(': if (! inParam) { inParam = true;  chunk.push(c);                           break }
+                        case ')': if (  inParam) { inParam = false; chunk.push(c);                           break }
+                        default:                                    chunk.push(c);
                     }
                 }
                 if (level > 0) {