diff --git a/System.c b/System.c
index ff1de1eef83e8e2e3b5043a16091e68d62b3b5a8..6c9f54210d2e5ef0fcb022e08bd40f6c15ea7b50 100644
--- a/System.c
+++ b/System.c
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ static char** kwsysSystem__ParseUnixCommand(const char* command, int flags)
         }
       in_escape = 0;
       }
-    else if(*c == '\\' && !in_single)
+    else if(*c == '\\')
       {
       /* The next character should be escaped.  */
       in_escape = 1;