diff --git a/src/misc2.c b/src/misc2.c
index 1018e4b..397799a 100644
--- a/src/misc2.c
+++ b/src/misc2.c
@@ -2741,8 +2741,10 @@
 		else
 #endif
 		    l = 1;
-		if (bp[l + 1] == '>')
-		    bp += l;	/* anything accepted, like <C-?> */
+		/* Anything accepted, like <C-?>, except <C-">, because the "
+		 * ends the string. */
+		if (bp[l] != '"' && bp[l + 1] == '>')
+		    bp += l;
 	    }
 	}
 	if (bp[0] == 't' && bp[1] == '_' && bp[2] && bp[3])
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_expr.vim b/src/testdir/test_expr.vim
index 7d7870e..f44e216 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_expr.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_expr.vim
@@ -101,3 +101,8 @@
 func Test_set_reg_null_list()
   call setreg('x', test_null_list())
 endfunc
+
+func Test_special_char()
+  " The failure is only visible using valgrind.
+  call assert_fails('echo "\<C-">')
+endfunc
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 89dd5d7..2a3ded7 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -754,6 +754,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1968,
+/**/
     1967,
 /**/
     1966,