diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/lisp-mode.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/lisp-mode.el
index 220bb5175ea..99980a44ddf 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/lisp-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/lisp-mode.el
@@ -490,14 +490,17 @@ This will generate compile-time constants from BINDINGS."
            (2 font-lock-constant-face nil t))
          ;; Words inside \\[], \\<>, \\{} or \\`' tend to be for
          ;; `substitute-command-keys'.
-         (,(rx "\\\\" (or (seq "[" (group-n 1 lisp-mode-symbol) "]")
+         (,(rx "\\\\" (or (seq "["
+                               (group-n 1 lisp-mode-symbol) (not "\\") "]")
                           (seq "`" (group-n 1
                                      ;; allow multiple words, e.g. "C-x a"
                                      lisp-mode-symbol (* " " lisp-mode-symbol))
                                "'")))
           (1 font-lock-constant-face prepend))
-         (,(rx "\\\\" (or (seq "<" (group-n 1 lisp-mode-symbol) ">")
-                          (seq "{" (group-n 1 lisp-mode-symbol) "}")))
+         (,(rx "\\\\" (or (seq "<"
+                               (group-n 1 lisp-mode-symbol) (not "\\") ">")
+                          (seq "{"
+                               (group-n 1 lisp-mode-symbol) (not "\\") "}")))
           (1 font-lock-variable-name-face prepend))
          ;; Ineffective backslashes (typically in need of doubling).
          ("\\(\\\\\\)\\([^\"\\]\\)"