diff --git a/core/strings/parser/parser.factor b/core/strings/parser/parser.factor
index 99178e9858..fa37340697 100644
--- a/core/strings/parser/parser.factor
+++ b/core/strings/parser/parser.factor
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ name>char-hook [
 
 : next-escape ( str -- ch str' )
     dup first {
-        { CHAR: u [ 1 tail-slice unicode-escape ] }
-        { CHAR: x [ 1 tail-slice hex-escape ] }
+        { CHAR: u [ rest-slice unicode-escape ] }
+        { CHAR: x [ rest-slice hex-escape ] }
         [ drop unclip-slice escape swap ]
     } case ;