diff --git a/jsmn.c b/jsmn.c
index e22d8a3..412c3c2 100644
--- a/jsmn.c
+++ b/jsmn.c
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ static jsmnerr_t jsmn_parse_string(jsmn_parser *parser, const char *js,
 
 		/* Backslash: Quoted symbol expected */
 		if (c == '\\') {
+			int i = 0;
 			parser->pos++;
 			switch (js[parser->pos]) {
 				/* Allowed escaped symbols */
@@ -123,7 +124,6 @@ static jsmnerr_t jsmn_parse_string(jsmn_parser *parser, const char *js,
 				/* Allows escaped symbol \uXXXX */
 				case 'u':
 					parser->pos++;
-					int i = 0;
 					for(; i < 4 && js[parser->pos] != '\0'; i++) {
 						/* If it isn't a hex character we have an error */
 						if(!((js[parser->pos] >= 48 && js[parser->pos] <= 57) || /* 0-9 */