diff --git a/core/splitting/splitting.factor b/core/splitting/splitting.factor
index 9cb1d87c07..706db45600 100644
--- a/core/splitting/splitting.factor
+++ b/core/splitting/splitting.factor
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ PRIVATE>
     split dup length 1 = [ first ] [ [ >array ] map ] if ; inline
 
 : split-dashes ( seq -- seq/seq' )
-    { -- } ?split ; inline
+    { \ -- } ?split ; inline
 
 : split-slice ( seq separators -- pieces )
     [ member? ] curry split-when-slice ; inline