diff --git a/autotests/test_kconfigutils.cpp b/autotests/test_kconfigutils.cpp
index 0946cf8..576ef78 100644
--- a/autotests/test_kconfigutils.cpp
+++ b/autotests/test_kconfigutils.cpp
@@ -57,6 +57,12 @@ void TestKConfigUtils::testParseGroupString_data()
             << QStringList()
             << false
             ;
+
+    QTest::newRow("invalid-escape-string")
+            << "[a\\z]"
+            << QStringList()
+            << false
+            ;
 }
 
 void TestKConfigUtils::testParseGroupString()
diff --git a/src/kconf_update/kconfigutils.cpp b/src/kconf_update/kconfigutils.cpp
index 02b3f0a..0a2741e 100644
--- a/src/kconf_update/kconfigutils.cpp
+++ b/src/kconf_update/kconfigutils.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ KConfigGroup openGroup(KConfig *config, const QStringList &lst)
 QStringList parseGroupString(const QString &_str, bool *ok, QString *error)
 {
     QString str = unescapeString(_str.trimmed(), ok, error);
-    if (!ok) {
+    if (!*ok) {
         return QStringList();
     }