diff --git a/mesonbuild/mformat.py b/mesonbuild/mformat.py
index bb93f47ef50c..b7c7885cb6c0 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mformat.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mformat.py
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ def visit_StringNode(self, node: mparser.StringNode) -> None:
         self.enter_node(node)
 
         if self.config.simplify_string_literals:
-            if node.is_multiline and '\n' not in node.value:
+            if node.is_multiline and not any(x in node.value for x in ['\n', "'"]):
                 node.is_multiline = False
                 node.value = node.escape()
 
diff --git a/test cases/format/5 transform/default.expected.meson b/test cases/format/5 transform/default.expected.meson
index 4201053e1f18..18af2f8afa79 100644
--- a/test cases/format/5 transform/default.expected.meson	
+++ b/test cases/format/5 transform/default.expected.meson	
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ d = {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3}
 # string conversion
 'This is not a multiline'
 'This is not a fstring'
+'''This isn't convertible'''
 
 # group arg value
 arguments = [
diff --git a/test cases/format/5 transform/muon.expected.meson b/test cases/format/5 transform/muon.expected.meson
index 871ce27d722d..0e6309c7f722 100644
--- a/test cases/format/5 transform/muon.expected.meson	
+++ b/test cases/format/5 transform/muon.expected.meson	
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ d = {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3}
 # string conversion
 '''This is not a multiline'''
 f'This is not a fstring'
+'''This isn't convertible'''
 
 # group arg value
 arguments = [
diff --git a/test cases/format/5 transform/source.meson b/test cases/format/5 transform/source.meson
index 7274d4802699..4482884052d6 100644
--- a/test cases/format/5 transform/source.meson	
+++ b/test cases/format/5 transform/source.meson	
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ d = {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3}
 # string conversion
 '''This is not a multiline'''
 f'This is not a fstring'
+'''This isn't convertible'''
 
 # group arg value
 arguments = ['a', '--opt_a', 'opt_a_value', 'b', 'c', '--opt_d', '--opt_e', 'opt_e_value',