diff --git a/lang/src/compiler/parser/expr/parser_expr_box.hako b/lang/src/compiler/parser/expr/parser_expr_box.hako
index 8e5a67d8..508d11e2 100644
--- a/lang/src/compiler/parser/expr/parser_expr_box.hako
+++ b/lang/src/compiler/parser/expr/parser_expr_box.hako
@@ -39,17 +39,43 @@ static box ParserExprBox {
 
       if ch == "\\" && j + 1 < n {
         local nx = src.substring(j+1, j+2)
-        if nx == "\"" { out = out + "\"" j = j + 2 }
-        else { if nx == "\\" { out = out + "\\" j = j + 2 }
-        else { if nx == "n" { out = out + "\n" j = j + 2 }
-        else { if nx == "r" { out = out + "\r" j = j + 2 }
-        else { if nx == "t" { out = out + "\t" j = j + 2 }
-        else { if nx == "u" && j + 5 < n { out = out + src.substring(j, j+6) j = j + 6 }
-        else { out = out + nx j = j + 2 } } } } } }
-      } else {
-        out = out + ch
-        j = j + 1
+        if nx == "\"" {
+          out = out + "\""
+          j = j + 2
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "\\" {
+          out = out + "\\"
+          j = j + 2
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "n" {
+          out = out + "\n"
+          j = j + 2
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "r" {
+          out = out + "\r"
+          j = j + 2
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "t" {
+          out = out + "\t"
+          j = j + 2
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "u" && j + 5 < n {
+          out = out + src.substring(j, j+6)
+          j = j + 6
+          continue
+        }
+        out = out + nx
+        j = j + 2
+        continue
       }
+
+      out = out + ch
+      j = j + 1
     }
 
     ctx.gpos_set(j)
diff --git a/lang/src/compiler/parser/scan/parser_string_scan_box.hako b/lang/src/compiler/parser/scan/parser_string_scan_box.hako
index 80b60024..748112b7 100644
--- a/lang/src/compiler/parser/scan/parser_string_scan_box.hako
+++ b/lang/src/compiler/parser/scan/parser_string_scan_box.hako
@@ -35,47 +35,66 @@ static box ParserStringScanBox {
         if nx == "\\" {
           out = out + "\\"
           j = j + 2
-        } else { if nx == "\"" {
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "\"" {
           out = out + "\""
           j = j + 2
-        } else { if nx == "'" {
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "'" {
           out = out + "'"
           j = j + 2
-        } else { if nx == "/" {
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "/" {
           out = out + "/"
           j = j + 2
-        } else { if nx == "b" {
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "b" {
           // Backspace (0x08) - for MVP, skip (empty string)
           out = out + ""
           j = j + 2
-        } else { if nx == "f" {
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "f" {
           // Form feed (0x0C) - for MVP, skip (empty string)
           out = out + ""
           j = j + 2
-        } else { if nx == "n" {
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "n" {
           out = out + "\n"
           j = j + 2
-        } else { if nx == "r" {
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "r" {
           // FIX: \r should be CR (0x0D), not LF (0x0A)
           // Keep as "\r" literal for MVP
           out = out + "\r"
           j = j + 2
-        } else { if nx == "t" {
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "t" {
           out = out + "\t"
           j = j + 2
-        } else { if nx == "u" && j + 5 < n {
+          continue
+        }
+        if nx == "u" && j + 5 < n {
           // \uXXXX: MVP - concatenate as-is (6 chars)
           out = out + src.substring(j, j+6)
           j = j + 6
-        } else {
-          // Unknown escape: tolerate (keep backslash + char)
-          out = out + "\\" + nx
-          j = j + 2
-        } } } } } } } } } }
-      } else {
-        out = out + ch
-        j = j + 1
+          continue
+        }
+        // Unknown escape: tolerate (keep backslash + char)
+        out = out + "\\" + nx
+        j = j + 2
+        continue
       }
+
+      out = out + ch
+      j = j + 1
     }
     // if unterminated, return what we have and the last pos to avoid infinite loops
     return out + "@" + ParserCommonUtilsBox.i2s(j)