diff --git a/pql/parser_test.go b/pql/parser_test.go
index f63bc3763..e88244f70 100644
--- a/pql/parser_test.go
+++ b/pql/parser_test.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func TestParser_Parse(t *testing.T) {
 					"bool0":  true,
 					"bool1":  false,
 					"x":      nil,
-					"escape": `\" \\escape\n`,
+					"escape": "\" \\escape\n",
 				},
 			},
 		) {
diff --git a/pql/pql.peg b/pql/pql.peg
index 1d07798a2..3f151c334 100644
--- a/pql/pql.peg
+++ b/pql/pql.peg
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ item <- ( 'null' &(comma / sp close) { p.addVal(nil) }
          / < '-'? '.'[0-9]+ > { p.addNumVal(buffer[begin:end]) }
          / < ([[A-Z]] / [0-9] / '-' / '_' / ':')+ > { p.addVal(buffer[begin:end]) }
          / < '"'  doublequotedstring '"' > { s, _ := strconv.Unquote(buffer[begin:end]); p.addVal(s) }
-         / < '\'' singlequotedstring '\'' > { s, _ := strconv.Unquote(buffer[begin:end]); p.addVal(s) }
+         / '\'' < singlequotedstring > '\'' { p.addVal(buffer[begin:end]) }
          )
 
 doublequotedstring <- ( '\\\"' / [^"] )*
diff --git a/pql/pql.peg.go b/pql/pql.peg.go
index a108bc985..7bc7de6fc 100644
--- a/pql/pql.peg.go
+++ b/pql/pql.peg.go
@@ -486,8 +486,7 @@ func (p *PQL) Execute() {
 			s, _ := strconv.Unquote(buffer[begin:end])
 			p.addVal(s)
 		case ruleAction41:
-			s, _ := strconv.Unquote(buffer[begin:end])
-			p.addVal(s)
+			p.addVal(buffer[begin:end])
 		case ruleAction42:
 			p.addField(buffer[begin:end])
 		case ruleAction43:
@@ -1723,7 +1722,7 @@ func (p *PQL) Init() {
 			position, tokenIndex = position136, tokenIndex136
 			return false
 		},
-		/* 13 item <- <(('n' 'u' 'l' 'l' &(comma / (sp close)) Action34) / ('t' 'r' 'u' 'e' &(comma / (sp close)) Action35) / ('f' 'a' 'l' 's' 'e' &(comma / (sp close)) Action36) / (<('-'? [0-9]+ ('.' [0-9]*)?)> Action37) / (<('-'? '.' [0-9]+)> Action38) / (<([a-z] / [A-Z] / [0-9] / '-' / '_' / ':')+> Action39) / (<('"' doublequotedstring '"')> Action40) / (<('\'' singlequotedstring '\'')> Action41))> */
+		/* 13 item <- <(('n' 'u' 'l' 'l' &(comma / (sp close)) Action34) / ('t' 'r' 'u' 'e' &(comma / (sp close)) Action35) / ('f' 'a' 'l' 's' 'e' &(comma / (sp close)) Action36) / (<('-'? [0-9]+ ('.' [0-9]*)?)> Action37) / (<('-'? '.' [0-9]+)> Action38) / (<([a-z] / [A-Z] / [0-9] / '-' / '_' / ':')+> Action39) / (<('"' doublequotedstring '"')> Action40) / ('\'' <singlequotedstring> '\'' Action41))> */
 		func() bool {
 			position140, tokenIndex140 := position, tokenIndex
 			{
@@ -2082,21 +2081,21 @@ func (p *PQL) Init() {
 					goto l142
 				l193:
 					position, tokenIndex = position142, tokenIndex142
+					if buffer[position] != rune('\'') {
+						goto l140
+					}
+					position++
 					{
 						position196 := position
-						if buffer[position] != rune('\'') {
-							goto l140
-						}
-						position++
 						if !_rules[rulesinglequotedstring]() {
 							goto l140
 						}
-						if buffer[position] != rune('\'') {
-							goto l140
-						}
-						position++
 						add(rulePegText, position196)
 					}
+					if buffer[position] != rune('\'') {
+						goto l140
+					}
+					position++
 					{
 						add(ruleAction41, position)
 					}
@@ -2909,7 +2908,7 @@ func (p *PQL) Init() {
 		nil,
 		/* 76 Action40 <- <{ s, _ := strconv.Unquote(buffer[begin:end]); p.addVal(s) }> */
 		nil,
-		/* 77 Action41 <- <{ s, _ := strconv.Unquote(buffer[begin:end]); p.addVal(s) }> */
+		/* 77 Action41 <- <{ p.addVal(buffer[begin:end]) }> */
 		nil,
 		/* 78 Action42 <- <{ p.addField(buffer[begin:end]) }> */
 		nil,