diff --git a/syntax/fish.vim b/syntax/fish.vim
index 18eccce..112b220 100644
--- a/syntax/fish.vim
+++ b/syntax/fish.vim
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ syntax keyword fishLabel case
 syntax match fishComment /#.*/
 syntax match fishSpecial /\\$/
 syntax match fishIdentifier /\$[[:alnum:]_]\+/
-syntax region fishString start=/'/ skip=/\\'/ end=/'/
-syntax region fishString start=/"/ skip=/\\"/ end=/"/ contains=fishIdentifier
+syntax region fishString start=/'/ skip=/[^\\]\\'/ end=/'/
+syntax region fishString start=/"/ skip=/[^\\]\\"/ end=/"/ contains=fishIdentifier
 syntax match fishCharacter /\v\\[abefnrtv *?~%#(){}\[\]<>&;"']|\\[xX][0-9a-f]{1,2}|\\o[0-7]{1,2}|\\u[0-9a-f]{1,4}|\\U[0-9a-f]{1,8}|\\c[a-z]/
 syntax match fishStatement /\v;\s*\zs\k+>/
 syntax match fishCommandSub /\v\(\s*\zs\k+>/