diff --git a/autotests/folding/test.c.fold b/autotests/folding/test.c.fold
--- a/autotests/folding/test.c.fold
+++ b/autotests/folding/test.c.fold
@@ -54,3 +54,15 @@
  <endfold id='7'>*/</endfold id='7'>
 
 <endfold id='1'>#endif</endfold id='1'>
+
+<beginfold id='4'>/*</beginfold id='4'>
+ * Empty lines after a line continuation character (see bug #405903)
+ <endfold id='4'>*/</endfold id='4'>
+#define one \
+two \
+
+int i = 0; // this should not be highlighted as a macro
+char* str = "string \
+
+
+int i = 0; // this should not be highlighted as a string
diff --git a/autotests/html/test.c.html b/autotests/html/test.c.html
--- a/autotests/html/test.c.html
+++ b/autotests/html/test.c.html
@@ -60,4 +60,16 @@
 <span style="color:#898887;"> */</span>
 
 <span style="color:#006e28;">#endif</span>
+
+<span style="color:#898887;">/*</span>
+<span style="color:#898887;"> * Empty lines after a line continuation character (see bug #405903)</span>
+<span style="color:#898887;"> */</span>
+<span style="color:#006e28;">#define one \</span>
+<span style="color:#006e28;">two \</span>
+
+<span style="color:#0057ae;">int</span> i = <span style="color:#b08000;">0</span>; <span style="color:#898887;">// this should not be highlighted as a macro</span>
+<span style="color:#0057ae;">char</span>* str = <span style="color:#bf0303;">&quot;string \</span>
+
+
+<span style="color:#0057ae;">int</span> i = <span style="color:#b08000;">0</span>; <span style="color:#898887;">// this should not be highlighted as a string</span>
 </pre></body></html>
diff --git a/autotests/input/test.c b/autotests/input/test.c
--- a/autotests/input/test.c
+++ b/autotests/input/test.c
@@ -54,3 +54,15 @@
  */
 
 #endif
+
+/*
+ * Empty lines after a line continuation character (see bug #405903)
+ */
+#define one \
+two \
+
+int i = 0; // this should not be highlighted as a macro
+char* str = "string \
+
+
+int i = 0; // this should not be highlighted as a string
diff --git a/autotests/reference/test.c.ref b/autotests/reference/test.c.ref
--- a/autotests/reference/test.c.ref
+++ b/autotests/reference/test.c.ref
@@ -54,3 +54,15 @@
 <Comment> */</Comment><br/>
 <Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
 <Preprocessor>#endif</Preprocessor><br/>
+<Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
+<Comment>/*</Comment><br/>
+<Comment> * Empty lines after a line continuation character (see bug #405903)</Comment><br/>
+<Comment> */</Comment><br/>
+<Preprocessor>#define one \</Preprocessor><br/>
+<Preprocessor>two \</Preprocessor><br/>
+<Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
+<Data Type>int</Data Type><Normal Text> i </Normal Text><Symbol>=</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><Decimal>0</Decimal><Symbol>;</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><Comment>// this should not be highlighted as a macro</Comment><br/>
+<Data Type>char</Data Type><Symbol>*</Symbol><Normal Text> str </Normal Text><Symbol>=</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><String>"string \</String><br/>
+<Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
+<Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
+<Data Type>int</Data Type><Normal Text> i </Normal Text><Symbol>=</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><Decimal>0</Decimal><Symbol>;</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><Comment>// this should not be highlighted as a string</Comment><br/>
diff --git a/src/lib/abstracthighlighter.cpp b/src/lib/abstracthighlighter.cpp
--- a/src/lib/abstracthighlighter.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/abstracthighlighter.cpp
@@ -141,10 +141,30 @@
     if (text.isEmpty()) {
         /**
          * handle line empty context switches
+         * (and line end context switches)
          * guard against endless loops
          * see https://phabricator.kde.org/D18509
          */
         int endlessLoopingCounter = 0;
+
+        /**
+         * line end context switches when lineEmptyContext is #stay.
+         * This avoids skipping empty lines after a line continuation
+         * character (see bug 405903)
+         */
+        while (stateData->topContext()->lineEmptyContext().isStay() && !stateData->topContext()->lineEndContext().isStay()) {
+            if (!d->switchContext(stateData, stateData->topContext()->lineEndContext(), QStringList()))
+                break;
+
+            // guard against endless loops
+            ++endlessLoopingCounter;
+            if (endlessLoopingCounter > 1024) {
+                qCDebug(Log) << "Endless switch context transitions for line end context, aborting highlighting of line.";
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        endlessLoopingCounter = 0;
         while (!stateData->topContext()->lineEmptyContext().isStay()) {
             if (!d->switchContext(stateData, stateData->topContext()->lineEmptyContext(), QStringList()))
                 break;
diff --git a/src/lib/state_p.h b/src/lib/state_p.h
--- a/src/lib/state_p.h
+++ b/src/lib/state_p.h
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@
     Context* topContext() const;
     const QStringList &topCaptures() const;
 
+    /*
+     * if the previous line has a line continuation character
+     */
+    bool lineContinuation = false;
+
 private:
     /**
      * weak reference to the used definition to filter out invalid states