diff --git a/lib/rouge/lexers/python.rb b/lib/rouge/lexers/python.rb
index 9a718299c4..6eeea88655 100644
--- a/lib/rouge/lexers/python.rb
+++ b/lib/rouge/lexers/python.rb
@@ -186,14 +186,7 @@ def current_string
           end
         end
 
-        rule %r/\\/ do |m|
-          if current_string.type? "r"
-            token Str
-          else
-            token Str::Interpol
-          end
-          push :generic_escape
-        end
+        rule %r/(?=\\)/, Str, :generic_escape
 
         rule %r/{/ do |m|
           if current_string.type? "f"
@@ -206,9 +199,10 @@ def current_string
       end
 
       state :generic_escape do
-        rule %r(
+        rule %r(\\
           ( [\\abfnrtv"']
           | \n
+          | newline
           | N{[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z ]+[a-zA-Z]}
           | u[a-fA-F0-9]{4}
           | U[a-fA-F0-9]{8}
@@ -216,13 +210,11 @@ def current_string
           | [0-7]{1,3}
           )
         )x do
-          if current_string.type? "r"
-            token Str
-          else
-            token Str::Escape
-          end
+          token (current_string.type?("r") ? Str : Str::Escape)
           pop!
         end
+
+        rule %r/\\./, Str, :pop!
       end
 
       state :generic_interpol do
diff --git a/spec/visual/samples/python b/spec/visual/samples/python
index 148e113939..8331581809 100644
--- a/spec/visual/samples/python
+++ b/spec/visual/samples/python
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ def baz():
     '\UaaaaAF09'
     '\xaf\xAF\x09'
     '\007'
+    '.*\[p00t_(d\d{4})\].*' # There are no escape sequences in this string
 
 # escaped characters in raw strings
 def baz():
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ def baz():
     r'\UaaaaAF09'
     r'\xaf\xAF\x09'
     r'\007'
+    r'.*\[p00t_(d\d{4})\].*'
 
 # line continuations
 apple.filter(x, y)