diff --git a/lib/rdoc/ruby_lex.rb b/lib/rdoc/ruby_lex.rb
index cc8837637e..43132655bc 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc/ruby_lex.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc/ruby_lex.rb
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ def initialize(content, options)
     @indent_stack = []
     @lex_state = :EXPR_BEG
     @space_seen = false
+    @after_question = false
 
     @continue = false
     @line = ""
@@ -383,6 +384,8 @@ def token
       set_token_position tk.seek, tk.line_no, tk.char_no
       tk = Token(tk1.class, tk.text + tk1.text)
     end
+    @after_question = false if @after_question and !(TkQUESTION === tk)
+
     #      Tracer.off
     tk
   end
@@ -597,6 +600,7 @@ def lex_init()
       |op, io|
       if @lex_state == :EXPR_END
         @lex_state = :EXPR_BEG
+        @after_question = true
         Token(TkQUESTION)
       else
         ch = getc
@@ -1365,7 +1369,10 @@ def identify_string(ltype, quoted = ltype, type = nil)
         end
       end
 
-      if subtype
+      if peek(0) == ':' and !peek_match?(/^::/) and :EXPR_BEG == @lex_state and !@after_question
+        str.concat getc
+        return Token(TkSYMBOL, str)
+      elsif subtype
         Token(DLtype2Token[ltype], str)
       else
         Token(Ltype2Token[ltype], str)
diff --git a/test/test_rdoc_ruby_lex.rb b/test/test_rdoc_ruby_lex.rb
index 5d5d931dff..30134bdfeb 100644
--- a/test/test_rdoc_ruby_lex.rb
+++ b/test/test_rdoc_ruby_lex.rb
@@ -805,6 +805,36 @@ def test_class_tokenize_particular_kind_of_symbols
     assert_equal expected, tokens
   end
 
+  def test_class_tokenize_symbol_with_quote
+    tokens = RDoc::RubyLex.tokenize <<RUBY, nil
+a.include?()?"a":"b"
+{"t":1,'t2':2}
+RUBY
+
+    expected = [
+      @TK::TkIDENTIFIER.new( 0, 1,  0, "a"),
+      @TK::TkDOT       .new( 1, 1,  1, "."),
+      @TK::TkFID       .new( 2, 1,  2, "include?"),
+      @TK::TkLPAREN    .new(10, 1, 10, "("),
+      @TK::TkRPAREN    .new(11, 1, 11, ")"),
+      @TK::TkQUESTION  .new(12, 1, 12, "?"),
+      @TK::TkSTRING    .new(13, 1, 13, "\"a\""),
+      @TK::TkCOLON     .new(16, 1, 16, ":"),
+      @TK::TkSTRING    .new(17, 1, 17, "\"b\""),
+      @TK::TkNL        .new(20, 1, 20, "\n"),
+      @TK::TkLBRACE    .new(21, 2,  0, "{"),
+      @TK::TkSYMBOL    .new(22, 2,  1, "\"t\":"),
+      @TK::TkINTEGER   .new(26, 2,  5, "1"),
+      @TK::TkCOMMA     .new(27, 2,  6, ","),
+      @TK::TkSYMBOL    .new(28, 2,  7, "'t2':"),
+      @TK::TkINTEGER   .new(33, 2, 12, "2"),
+      @TK::TkRBRACE    .new(34, 2, 13, "}"),
+      @TK::TkNL        .new(35, 2, 21, "\n"),
+    ]
+
+    assert_equal expected, tokens
+  end
+
   def test_unary_minus
     ruby_lex = RDoc::RubyLex.new("-1", nil)
     assert_equal("-1", ruby_lex.token.value)