diff --git a/src/scanner.c b/src/scanner.c
index 219c89600f..200c8950f8 100644
--- a/src/scanner.c
+++ b/src/scanner.c
@@ -711,8 +711,10 @@ static void GetStr(void)
     // check for error conditions
     if (c == '\n')
         SyntaxError("String must not include <newline>");
-    if (c == '\377')
+    if (c == '\377') {
+        *STATE(In) = '\0';
         SyntaxError("String must end with \" before end of file");
+    }
 
     STATE(ValueObj) = string;
     STATE(Symbol) = S_STRING;
@@ -780,8 +782,10 @@ static void GetTripStr(void)
     CSTR_STRING(string)[len] = '\0';
 
     // check for error conditions
-    if (c == '\377')
+    if (c == '\377') {
+        *STATE(In) = '\0';
         SyntaxError("String must end with \"\"\" before end of file");
+    }
 
     STATE(ValueObj) = string;
     STATE(Symbol) = S_STRING;
diff --git a/tst/testinstall/kernel/scanner.tst b/tst/testinstall/kernel/scanner.tst
index 8c37a96d9b..85e5cbb78a 100644
--- a/tst/testinstall/kernel/scanner.tst
+++ b/tst/testinstall/kernel/scanner.tst
@@ -119,5 +119,28 @@ a.x111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111\
                                                                               \
            ^
 
+#
+# test EOF inside a string literal
+#
+gap> EvalString("\"123");
+Syntax error: String must end with " before end of file in stream:1
+^
+Syntax error: ; expected in stream:1
+^
+Error, Could not evaluate string.
+
+gap> EvalString("\"\"\"123");
+Syntax error: String must end with """ before end of file in stream:1
+^
+Syntax error: ; expected in stream:1
+^
+Error, Could not evaluate string.
+
+gap> obj := """
+Syntax error: String must end with """ before end of file in stream:2
+^
+Syntax error: ; expected in stream:2
+^
+
 #
 gap> STOP_TEST("kernel/scanner.tst", 1);