diff --git a/bin/reader.js b/bin/reader.js
index b98c64e..b055a3e 100644
--- a/bin/reader.js
+++ b/bin/reader.js
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ read_table[""] = function (s) {
   while (true) {
     var __c3 = peek_char(s);
     if (__c3 && (! whitespace[__c3] && ! delimiters[__c3])) {
+      if (__c3 === "\\") {
+        __str = __str + read_char(s);
+      }
       __str = __str + read_char(s);
     } else {
       break;
diff --git a/bin/reader.lua b/bin/reader.lua
index 6ccf399..ca2a6bf 100644
--- a/bin/reader.lua
+++ b/bin/reader.lua
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ read_table[""] = function (s)
   while true do
     local __c3 = peek_char(s)
     if __c3 and (not whitespace[__c3] and not delimiters[__c3]) then
+      if __c3 == "\\" then
+        __str = __str .. read_char(s)
+      end
       __str = __str .. read_char(s)
     else
       break
diff --git a/reader.l b/reader.l
index 9deb5d1..68240e8 100644
--- a/reader.l
+++ b/reader.l
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@
       (let c (peek-char s)
         (if (and c (and (not (get whitespace c))
                         (not (get delimiters c))))
-            (cat! str (read-char s))
+            (do (when (= c "\\")
+                  (cat! str (read-char s)))
+                (cat! str (read-char s)))
           (break))))
   (if (= str "true") true
       (= str "false") false
diff --git a/test.l b/test.l
index 30a6d0b..c1c5aed 100755
--- a/test.l
+++ b/test.l
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@
     (test= 1 (- -1))
     (test= "0?" (read "0?"))
     (test= "0!" (read "0!"))
-    (test= "0." (read "0."))))
+    (test= "0." (read "0."))
+    (test= "#\\;" (read "#\\;"))
+    (test= "?\\(" (read "?\\("))))
 
 (define-test read-more
   (let read (get reader 'read-string)