diff --git a/src/js/codemirror/search.js b/src/js/codemirror/search.js
index 2cb598db7..d21bd4c6d 100644
--- a/src/js/codemirror/search.js
+++ b/src/js/codemirror/search.js
@@ -163,12 +163,12 @@
     // https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uBlock-issues/issues/658
     //   Modified to backslash-escape ONLY widely-used control characters.
     function parseString(string) {
-        return string.replace(/\\(.)/g, function(_, ch) {
-            if (ch === "n") return "\n";
-            if (ch === "r") return "\r";
-            if (ch === 't') return '\t';
-            if (ch === '\\') return '\\';
-            return _;
+        return string.replace(/\\[nrt\\]/g, function(match) {
+            if (match === "\\n") return "\n";
+            if (match === "\\r") return "\r";
+            if (match === '\\t') return '\t';
+            if (match === '\\\\') return '\\';
+            return match;
         });
     }