diff --git a/include/nlohmann/detail/input/json_sax.hpp b/include/nlohmann/detail/input/json_sax.hpp
index 4c5f24a7b..8a98ee728 100644
--- a/include/nlohmann/detail/input/json_sax.hpp
+++ b/include/nlohmann/detail/input/json_sax.hpp
@@ -370,8 +370,10 @@ class json_sax_dom_parser
 
                 case value_t::string:
                 {
-                    // include the length of the quotes, which is 2
-                    v.start_position = v.end_position - v.m_data.m_value.string->size() - 2;
+                    // escape sequences make the token longer than the value it
+                    // parses to, so the start position cannot be derived from
+                    // the value; use the offset the lexer recorded instead
+                    v.start_position = m_lexer_ref->get_token_start_position();
                     break;
                 }
 
@@ -769,8 +771,10 @@ class json_sax_dom_callback_parser
 
                 case value_t::string:
                 {
-                    // include the length of the quotes, which is 2
-                    v.start_position = v.end_position - v.m_data.m_value.string->size() - 2;
+                    // escape sequences make the token longer than the value it
+                    // parses to, so the start position cannot be derived from
+                    // the value; use the offset the lexer recorded instead
+                    v.start_position = m_lexer_ref->get_token_start_position();
                     break;
                 }
 
diff --git a/include/nlohmann/detail/input/lexer.hpp b/include/nlohmann/detail/input/lexer.hpp
index 6318994e6..641d93fa4 100644
--- a/include/nlohmann/detail/input/lexer.hpp
+++ b/include/nlohmann/detail/input/lexer.hpp
@@ -1357,6 +1357,11 @@ scan_number_done:
         token_buffer.clear();
         decimal_point_position = std::string::npos;
 
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTIC_POSITIONS
+        // the first character of the token has already been read, hence the -1
+        token_start_position = position.chars_read_total - 1;
+#endif
+
         note_token_start(std::integral_constant<bool, lazy_token_string> {});
     }
 
@@ -1519,6 +1524,15 @@ scan_number_done:
         return position;
     }
 
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTIC_POSITIONS
+    /// return the offset of the first character of the last read token; unlike
+    /// the token's parsed value, this accounts for escape sequences
+    constexpr std::size_t get_token_start_position() const noexcept
+    {
+        return token_start_position;
+    }
+#endif
+
     /// seekable adapter: rebuild the last read token from the input on demand
     const std::vector<char_type>& collect_token_chars(std::vector<char_type>& out, std::true_type /*lazy*/) const
     {
@@ -1719,6 +1733,12 @@ scan_number_done:
     /// the last read token on error for seekable adapters (see collect_token_chars)
     std::size_t token_string_start = 0;
 
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTIC_POSITIONS
+    /// start offset of the current token within the input, used to report
+    /// diagnostic positions (see reset())
+    std::size_t token_start_position = 0;
+#endif
+
     /// buffer for variable-length tokens (numbers, strings)
     string_t token_buffer {};
 
diff --git a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index c1b178038..fa6199da1 100644
--- a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -9075,6 +9075,11 @@ scan_number_done:
         token_buffer.clear();
         decimal_point_position = std::string::npos;
 
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTIC_POSITIONS
+        // the first character of the token has already been read, hence the -1
+        token_start_position = position.chars_read_total - 1;
+#endif
+
         note_token_start(std::integral_constant<bool, lazy_token_string> {});
     }
 
@@ -9237,6 +9242,15 @@ scan_number_done:
         return position;
     }
 
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTIC_POSITIONS
+    /// return the offset of the first character of the last read token; unlike
+    /// the token's parsed value, this accounts for escape sequences
+    constexpr std::size_t get_token_start_position() const noexcept
+    {
+        return token_start_position;
+    }
+#endif
+
     /// seekable adapter: rebuild the last read token from the input on demand
     const std::vector<char_type>& collect_token_chars(std::vector<char_type>& out, std::true_type /*lazy*/) const
     {
@@ -9437,6 +9451,12 @@ scan_number_done:
     /// the last read token on error for seekable adapters (see collect_token_chars)
     std::size_t token_string_start = 0;
 
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTIC_POSITIONS
+    /// start offset of the current token within the input, used to report
+    /// diagnostic positions (see reset())
+    std::size_t token_start_position = 0;
+#endif
+
     /// buffer for variable-length tokens (numbers, strings)
     string_t token_buffer {};
 
@@ -9813,8 +9833,10 @@ class json_sax_dom_parser
 
                 case value_t::string:
                 {
-                    // include the length of the quotes, which is 2
-                    v.start_position = v.end_position - v.m_data.m_value.string->size() - 2;
+                    // escape sequences make the token longer than the value it
+                    // parses to, so the start position cannot be derived from
+                    // the value; use the offset the lexer recorded instead
+                    v.start_position = m_lexer_ref->get_token_start_position();
                     break;
                 }
 
@@ -10212,8 +10234,10 @@ class json_sax_dom_callback_parser
 
                 case value_t::string:
                 {
-                    // include the length of the quotes, which is 2
-                    v.start_position = v.end_position - v.m_data.m_value.string->size() - 2;
+                    // escape sequences make the token longer than the value it
+                    // parses to, so the start position cannot be derived from
+                    // the value; use the offset the lexer recorded instead
+                    v.start_position = m_lexer_ref->get_token_start_position();
                     break;
                 }
 
diff --git a/tests/src/unit-diagnostic-positions.cpp b/tests/src/unit-diagnostic-positions.cpp
index 59c21dc59..ad9527540 100644
--- a/tests/src/unit-diagnostic-positions.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/unit-diagnostic-positions.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,36 @@ TEST_CASE("Better diagnostics with positions")
                              "[json.exception.type_error.302] type must be number, but is string", json::type_error);
     }
 
+    SECTION("positions of strings containing escape sequences")
+    {
+        // escape sequences make the token longer than the string it parses to,
+        // so the positions must not be derived from the parsed value's length
+        const auto check = [](const std::string & text, const std::string & token)
+        {
+            CAPTURE(text)
+            CAPTURE(token)
+            const json j = json::parse(text);
+            const json& v = j.at("a");
+            CHECK(text.substr(v.start_pos(), v.end_pos() - v.start_pos()) == token);
+        };
+
+        check(R"({"a":"plain"})", R"("plain")");
+        check(R"({"a":"tab\there"})", R"("tab\there")");
+        check(R"({"a":"\n\n\n\n\n\n"})", R"("\n\n\n\n\n\n")");
+        check(R"({"a":"\""})", R"("\"")");
+        check(R"({"a":"\\"})", R"("\\")");
+        check(R"({"a":"é"})", R"("é")");
+        check(R"({"a":"🌞"})", R"("🌞")");
+        check("{\"a\":\"\xc3\xa9\"}", "\"\xc3\xa9\"");  // multi-byte UTF-8, no escapes
+
+        // a string at the root, where an escape would otherwise push the
+        // reported start position past the opening quote
+        const std::string root = R"("a\tb")";
+        const json j = json::parse(root);
+        CHECK(j.start_pos() == 0);
+        CHECK(j.end_pos() == root.size());
+    }
+
     SECTION("JSON patch add to primitive parent (#4292)")
     {
         // the JSON Patch "add" target /foo/bar/baz has a string parent