diff --git a/src/string.cpp b/src/string.cpp
index 6d533e6d9..412889e0f 100644
--- a/src/string.cpp
+++ b/src/string.cpp
@@ -415,7 +415,12 @@ gb_internal String concatenate4_strings(gbAllocator a, String const &x, String c
 #if defined(GB_SYSTEM_WINDOWS)
 gb_internal String escape_char(gbAllocator a, String s, char cte) {
 	isize buf_len = s.len;
-	u8 *buf = gb_alloc_array(a, u8, buf_len);
+	isize cte_count = 0;
+	for (isize j = 0; j < s.len; j++)
+		if (s.text[j] == cte)
+			cte_count++;
+
+	u8 *buf = gb_alloc_array(a, u8, buf_len+cte_count);
 	isize i = 0;
 	for (isize j = 0; j < s.len; j++) {
 		u8 c = s.text[j];