diff --git a/flang/lib/Parser/prescan.cpp b/flang/lib/Parser/prescan.cpp
index 1d2f1e9766879..8c991678047ec 100644
--- a/flang/lib/Parser/prescan.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Parser/prescan.cpp
@@ -843,7 +843,7 @@ void Prescanner::QuotedCharacterLiteral(
     if (*at_ == '\\') {
       if (escapesEnabled) {
         isEscaped = !isEscaped;
-      } else {
+      } else if (!preprocessingOnly_) {
         // The parser always processes escape sequences, so don't confuse it
         // when escapes are disabled.
         insert('\\');
diff --git a/flang/test/Parser/duplicate-backslashes.f90 b/flang/test/Parser/duplicate-backslashes.f90
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..896a5e864bc93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flang/test/Parser/duplicate-backslashes.f90
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+! RUN: %flang -cpp -E %s -o %t.f90
+! RUN: %flang %t.f90 -o %t
+! RUN: %t | FileCheck %s
+
+program main
+  implicit none
+
+  ! Test single backslash
+  write(*, '(A)') "\"   ! Expected single backslash in output
+  ! CHECK: \
+  ! CHECK-NOT: \\
+
+  ! Test double backslash
+  write(*, '(A)') "\\"   ! Expected double backslashes in output
+  ! CHECK: \\
+  ! CHECK-NOT: \\\\
+
+  ! Test quadruple backslash
+  write(*, '(A)') "\\\\"   ! Expected quadruple backslashes in output
+  ! CHECK: \\\\
+  ! CHECK-NOT: \\\\\\\\
+
+end program main