diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index c4608ac9..25f76bce 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -467,18 +467,37 @@ function sortStringLiteral(
   })
   let didChange = result !== node.value
   node.value = result
+
+  // A string literal was escaped if:
+  // - There are backslashes in the raw value; AND
+  // - The raw value is not the same as the value (excluding the surrounding quotes)
+  let wasEscaped = false
+
+  if (node.extra) {
+    // JavaScript (StringLiteral)
+    wasEscaped =
+      node.extra?.rawValue.includes('\\') &&
+      node.extra?.raw.slice(1, -1) !== node.value
+  } else {
+    // TypeScript (Literal)
+    wasEscaped =
+      node.value.includes('\\') && node.raw.slice(1, -1) !== node.value
+  }
+
+  let escaped = wasEscaped ? result.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\') : result
+
   if (node.extra) {
     // JavaScript (StringLiteral)
     let raw = node.extra.raw
     node.extra = {
       ...node.extra,
       rawValue: result,
-      raw: raw[0] + result.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\') + raw.slice(-1),
+      raw: raw[0] + escaped + raw.slice(-1),
     }
   } else {
     // TypeScript (Literal)
     let raw = node.raw
-    node.raw = raw[0] + result.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\') + raw.slice(-1)
+    node.raw = raw[0] + escaped + raw.slice(-1)
   }
   return didChange
 }
diff --git a/tests/format.test.js b/tests/format.test.js
index 76c41e28..bf51f87d 100644
--- a/tests/format.test.js
+++ b/tests/format.test.js
@@ -94,15 +94,10 @@ let javascript = [
     ';<div class={`flex ` + `  ` + `text-red-500`} />',
     ';<div class={`flex ` + ` ` + `text-red-500`} />',
   ],
-  [
-    `;<div class={"before:content-['\\\\2248']"} />`,
-    `;<div class={"before:content-['\\\\2248']"} />`,
-  ],
 
-  [
-    `;<div class={\`before:content-['\\\\2248']\`} />`,
-    `;<div class={\`before:content-['\\\\2248']\`} />`,
-  ],
+  t`;<div class={"before:content-['\\\\2248']"} />`,
+  t`;<div class={\`before:content-['\\\\2248']\`} />`,
+  t`;<div class="before:content-['\\\\2248']" />`,
 
   [
     `;<div class={'object-cover' + (standalone ? ' aspect-square w-full' : ' min-h-0 grow basis-0')}></div>`,