diff --git a/src/search/katesearchbar.cpp b/src/search/katesearchbar.cpp
--- a/src/search/katesearchbar.cpp
+++ b/src/search/katesearchbar.cpp
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@
 
     const SearchOptions enabledOptions = searchOptions(SearchForward);
 
-    const bool regexMode = enabledOptions.testFlag(Regex);
+    const bool regexMode = enabledOptions.testFlag(Regex) || enabledOptions.testFlag(EscapeSequences);
     const bool multiLinePattern = regexMode ? KateRegExp(searchPattern()).isMultiLine() : false;
 
     KTextEditor::MovingRange *workingRange = m_view->doc()->newMovingRange(inputRange);