diff --git a/spec/compiler/build_tables/rule_transitions_spec.cpp b/spec/compiler/build_tables/rule_transitions_spec.cpp
index b31343e8..54e2b26a 100644
--- a/spec/compiler/build_tables/rule_transitions_spec.cpp
+++ b/spec/compiler/build_tables/rule_transitions_spec.cpp
@@ -141,6 +141,28 @@ describe("rule transitions", []() {
                 })
             }})));
     });
+
+    describe("regression tests (somewhat redundant, should maybe be deleted later)", []() {
+        it("handles sequences that start with repeating characters", [&]() {
+            auto rule = seq({
+                choice({
+                    repeat(character({ '"' }, false)),
+                    blank(),
+                }),
+                character('"'),
+            });
+            
+            AssertThat(rule_transitions(rule), Equals(transition_map<Rule, Rule>({
+                { character({ '"' }, false), seq({
+                    choice({
+                        repeat(character({ '"' }, false)),
+                        blank(),
+                    }),
+                    character('"'), }) },
+                { character('"'), blank() },
+            })));
+        });
+    });
 });
 
 describe("checking if rules can be blank", [&]() {
diff --git a/src/compiler/rules/character.cpp b/src/compiler/rules/character.cpp
index 728623d8..400743db 100644
--- a/src/compiler/rules/character.cpp
+++ b/src/compiler/rules/character.cpp
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ namespace tree_sitter  {
         bool Character::operator==(const Rule &rule) const {
             const Character *other = dynamic_cast<const Character *>(&rule);
             if (!other) return false;
+            if (other->sign != sign) return false;
             auto size = matches.size();
             if (other->matches.size() != size) return false;
             for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ namespace tree_sitter  {
 
         string Character::to_string() const {
             string prefix("#<char");
+            if (!sign) prefix += " (not)";
             for (auto &match : matches)
                 prefix += " " + match.to_string();
             return prefix + ">";