diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/lexer.py b/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/lexer.py
index d790dcc87..1362eed5d 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/lexer.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/lexer.py
@@ -142,10 +142,12 @@ class Lexer(object):
             return (Lexer.SYMBOL, cur_char, location)
         if cur_char == '"':
             self.pos_ += 1
-            self.scan_until_('"\r\n')
+            self.scan_until_('"')
             if self.pos_ < self.text_length_ and self.text_[self.pos_] == '"':
                 self.pos_ += 1
-                return (Lexer.STRING, text[start + 1:self.pos_ - 1], location)
+                # strip newlines embedded within a string
+                string = re.sub("[\r\n]", "", text[start + 1:self.pos_ - 1])
+                return (Lexer.STRING, string, location)
             else:
                 raise FeatureLibError("Expected '\"' to terminate string",
                                       location)
diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/lexer_test.py b/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/lexer_test.py
index e6055e826..adc700487 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/lexer_test.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/lexer_test.py
@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@ class LexerTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_string(self):
         self.assertEqual(lex('"foo" "bar"'),
                          [(Lexer.STRING, "foo"), (Lexer.STRING, "bar")])
-        self.assertRaises(FeatureLibError, lambda: lex('"foo\n bar"'))
+        self.assertEqual(lex('"foo \nbar\r baz \r\nqux\n\n "'),
+                         [(Lexer.STRING, "foo bar baz qux ")])
+        self.assertRaises(FeatureLibError, lambda: lex('"foo\n bar'))
 
     def test_bad_character(self):
         self.assertRaises(FeatureLibError, lambda: lex("123 \u0001"))