diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/regress/sudoers/test8.toke.ok b/plugins/sudoers/regress/sudoers/test8.toke.ok
index 4b39d04fd..f77564529 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/regress/sudoers/test8.toke.ok
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/regress/sudoers/test8.toke.ok
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ USERALIAS ALIAS = BEGINSTR STRBODY STRBODY ENDSTR WORD(4)
 USERALIAS ALIAS = WORD(6) 
 
 #
-USERALIAS ALIAS = BEGINSTR STRBODY <*> ERROR ERROR 
\ No newline at end of file
+USERALIAS ALIAS = BEGINSTR STRBODY <*> ERROR 
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/toke.c b/plugins/sudoers/toke.c
index 25bb04665..76dde33cb 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/toke.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/toke.c
@@ -3962,6 +3962,9 @@ YY_RULE_SETUP
 #line 760 "toke.l"
 {
 			    if (YY_START == INSTR) {
+				/* re-scan after changing state */
+				BEGIN INITIAL;
+				sudoersless(0);
 				sudoerserror("unexpected line break in string");
 				LEXTRACE("ERROR ");
 				return ERROR;
@@ -3975,7 +3978,7 @@ YY_RULE_SETUP
 	YY_BREAK
 case 77:
 YY_RULE_SETUP
-#line 773 "toke.l"
+#line 776 "toke.l"
 {			/* throw away space/tabs */
 			    sawspace = true;	/* but remember for fill_args */
 			}
@@ -3983,7 +3986,7 @@ YY_RULE_SETUP
 case 78:
 /* rule 78 can match eol */
 YY_RULE_SETUP
-#line 777 "toke.l"
+#line 780 "toke.l"
 {
 			    sawspace = true;	/* remember for fill_args */
 			    sudolineno++;
@@ -3993,7 +3996,7 @@ YY_RULE_SETUP
 case 79:
 /* rule 79 can match eol */
 YY_RULE_SETUP
-#line 783 "toke.l"
+#line 786 "toke.l"
 {
 			    if (sudoerstext[sudoersleng - 1] == '\n') {
 				/* comment ending in a newline */
@@ -4011,7 +4014,7 @@ YY_RULE_SETUP
 	YY_BREAK
 case 80:
 YY_RULE_SETUP
-#line 798 "toke.l"
+#line 801 "toke.l"
 {
 			    LEXTRACE("NOMATCH ");
 			    return NOMATCH;
@@ -4026,9 +4029,13 @@ case YY_STATE_EOF(INSTR):
 case YY_STATE_EOF(WANTDIGEST):
 case YY_STATE_EOF(GOTINC):
 case YY_STATE_EOF(EXPECTPATH):
-#line 803 "toke.l"
+#line 806 "toke.l"
 {
 			    if (YY_START != INITIAL) {
+				if (YY_START == INSTR)
+				    sudoerserror("unterminated string");
+				else
+				    sudoerserror("unexpected state at EOF");
 			    	BEGIN INITIAL;
 				LEXTRACE("ERROR ");
 				return ERROR;
@@ -4039,10 +4046,10 @@ case YY_STATE_EOF(EXPECTPATH):
 	YY_BREAK
 case 81:
 YY_RULE_SETUP
-#line 813 "toke.l"
+#line 820 "toke.l"
 ECHO;
 	YY_BREAK
-#line 4040 "toke.c"
+#line 4047 "toke.c"
 
 	case YY_END_OF_BUFFER:
 		{
@@ -5003,7 +5010,7 @@ void sudoersfree (void * ptr )
 
 #define YYTABLES_NAME "yytables"
 
-#line 813 "toke.l"
+#line 820 "toke.l"
 
 
 struct path_list {
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/toke.l b/plugins/sudoers/toke.l
index 8cda9ab89..4ae3bbf85 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/toke.l
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/toke.l
@@ -759,6 +759,9 @@ sudoedit		{
 
 <*>\r?\n		{
 			    if (YY_START == INSTR) {
+				/* re-scan after changing state */
+				BEGIN INITIAL;
+				sudoersless(0);
 				sudoerserror("unexpected line break in string");
 				LEXTRACE("ERROR ");
 				return ERROR;
@@ -802,6 +805,10 @@ sudoedit		{
 
 <*><<EOF>>		{
 			    if (YY_START != INITIAL) {
+				if (YY_START == INSTR)
+				    sudoerserror("unterminated string");
+				else
+				    sudoerserror("unexpected state at EOF");
 			    	BEGIN INITIAL;
 				LEXTRACE("ERROR ");
 				return ERROR;