diff --git a/lib/dotenv_parser.ex b/lib/dotenv_parser.ex
index c2ae23b..595e4ec 100644
--- a/lib/dotenv_parser.ex
+++ b/lib/dotenv_parser.ex
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ defmodule DotenvParser do
   Blank lines and lines starting with `#` are ignored. Additionally inline comments can be added after values with a
   `#`, i.e. `FOO=bar # comment`.
 
-  Single quote or double quoted value to prevent trimming of whitespace and allow usage of `#` in value, i.e. `FOO='  bar # not comment ' # comment`.
+  Single quote or double quote value to prevent trimming of whitespace and allow usage of `#` in value, i.e. `FOO='  bar # not comment ' # comment`.
 
   Single quoted values don't do any unescaping. Double quoted values will unescape the following:
 
@@ -19,6 +19,20 @@ defmodule DotenvParser do
   * `\\"` and `\\'` - Quotes
   * `\\\\` - Backslash
   * `\\uFFFF` - Unicode escape (4 hex characters to denote the codepoint)
+  * A backslash at the end of the line in a multiline value will remove the linefeed.
+
+  Values can span multiple lines when single or double quoted:
+
+  ```sh
+  MULTILINE="This is a
+  multiline value."
+  ```
+
+  This will result in the following:
+
+  ```elixir
+  System.fetch_env!("MULTILINE") == "This is a\\nmultiline value."
+  ```
 
   A line can start with `export ` for easier interoperation with regular shell scripts. These lines are treated the
   same as any others.
@@ -42,10 +56,14 @@ defmodule DotenvParser do
 
   @linefeed_re ~R/\r?\n/
   @line_re ~R/^(?:\s*export)?\s*[a-z_][a-z_0-9]*\s*=/i
-  @dquoted_val_re ~R/^\s*"(.*)(?!\\)"\s*(?:#.*)?$/
-  @squoted_val_re ~R/^\s*'(.*)(?!\\)'\s*(?:#.*)?$/
+  @dquoted_val_re ~R/^"([^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*)"\s*(?:#.*)?$/
+  @squoted_val_re ~R/^\s*'(.*)'\s*(?:#.*)?$/
+  @dquoted_multiline_end ~R/^([^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*)"\s*(?:#.*)?$/
+  @squoted_multiline_end ~R/^(.*)'\s*(?:#.*)?$/
   @hex_re ~R/^[0-9a-f]+$/i
 
+  @quote_chars ~w(" ')
+
   @typedoc "Pair of variable name, variable value."
   @type value_pair :: {String.t(), String.t()}
 
@@ -54,6 +72,20 @@ defmodule DotenvParser do
     defexception [:message]
   end
 
+  defmodule Continuation do
+    @typedoc """
+    A multiline value continuation. When a function returns this, it means that a multiline value
+    was started and more needs to be parsed to get the rest of the value.
+    """
+    @type t :: %__MODULE__{
+            name: String.t(),
+            value: String.t(),
+            start_quote: String.t()
+          }
+    @enforce_keys [:name, :value, :start_quote]
+    defstruct [:name, :value, :start_quote]
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Parse given file and load the variables to the environment.
 
@@ -98,39 +130,124 @@ defmodule DotenvParser do
   """
   @spec parse_data(String.t()) :: [value_pair()]
   def parse_data(data) do
-    data
-    |> String.split(@linefeed_re)
-    |> Enum.map(&String.trim/1)
-    |> Enum.reject(&is_comment?/1)
-    |> Enum.reject(&is_blank?/1)
-    |> Enum.map(&parse_line/1)
+    {value_pairs, continuation} =
+      data
+      |> String.split(@linefeed_re)
+      |> Enum.reduce({[], nil}, fn
+        line, {ret, nil} ->
+          trimmed = String.trim(line)
+
+          if not is_comment?(trimmed) and not is_blank?(trimmed) do
+            reduce_line(ret, line, nil)
+          else
+            {ret, nil}
+          end
+
+        line, {ret, continuation} ->
+          reduce_line(ret, line, continuation)
+      end)
+
+    if not is_nil(continuation) do
+      raise ParseError,
+            "Could not find end for quote #{continuation.start_quote} in variable #{continuation.name}"
+    end
+
+    Enum.reverse(value_pairs)
   end
 
   @doc """
-  Parse given single line and return a variable–value tuple.
+  Parse given single line and return a variable–value tuple, or a continuation value if the line
+  started or continued a multiline value.
 
   If line cannot be parsed, an error is raised.
+
+  The second argument needs to be `nil` or a continuation value returned from parsing the previous
+  line.
   """
-  @spec parse_line(String.t()) :: value_pair()
-  def parse_line(line) do
+  @spec parse_line(String.t(), Continuation.t() | nil) :: value_pair() | Continuation.t()
+  def parse_line(line, state)
+
+  def parse_line(line, nil) do
     if not Regex.match?(@line_re, line) do
       raise ParseError, "Malformed line cannot be parsed: #{line}"
     else
       [var, val] = String.split(line, "=", parts: 2)
       var = var |> String.trim() |> String.replace_leading("export ", "")
-      val = String.trim(val)
+      trimmed = String.trim(val)
 
-      with {:dquoted, nil} <- {:dquoted, Regex.run(@dquoted_val_re, val)},
-           {:squoted, nil} <- {:squoted, Regex.run(@squoted_val_re, val)} do
+      with {:dquoted, nil} <- {:dquoted, Regex.run(@dquoted_val_re, trimmed)},
+           {:squoted, nil} <- {:squoted, Regex.run(@squoted_val_re, trimmed)},
+           trimmed_leading = String.trim_leading(val),
+           {:quoted_start, false} <-
+             {:quoted_start, String.starts_with?(trimmed_leading, @quote_chars)} do
         # Value is plain value
-        {var, val |> remove_comment() |> String.trim()}
+        {var, trimmed |> remove_comment() |> String.trim()}
       else
-        {:dquoted, [_, inner_val]} -> {var, stripslashes(inner_val)}
-        {:squoted, [_, inner_val]} -> {var, inner_val}
+        {:dquoted, [_, inner_val]} ->
+          {var, stripslashes(inner_val)}
+
+        {:squoted, [_, inner_val]} ->
+          {var, inner_val}
+
+        {:quoted_start, _} ->
+          parse_multiline_start(var, val)
       end
     end
   end
 
+  def parse_line(line, %Continuation{} = continuation) do
+    trimmed = String.trim_trailing(line)
+
+    end_match =
+      if continuation.start_quote == "\"" do
+        Regex.run(@dquoted_multiline_end, trimmed)
+      else
+        Regex.run(@squoted_multiline_end, trimmed)
+      end
+
+    with [_, line_content] <- end_match do
+      ret = maybe_stripslashes(continuation, line_content)
+      {continuation.name, continuation.value <> ret}
+    else
+      _ ->
+        next_line = maybe_stripslashes(continuation, line)
+        next_line = maybe_linefeed(continuation, next_line)
+
+        %Continuation{
+          continuation
+          | value: continuation.value <> next_line
+        }
+    end
+  end
+
+  @spec parse_multiline_start(String.t(), String.t()) :: Continuation.t()
+  defp parse_multiline_start(name, input) do
+    {start_quote, rest} = input |> String.trim_leading() |> String.split_at(1)
+
+    continuation = %Continuation{
+      name: name,
+      value: "",
+      start_quote: start_quote
+    }
+
+    value = maybe_stripslashes(continuation, rest)
+    value = maybe_linefeed(continuation, value)
+
+    %Continuation{continuation | value: value}
+  end
+
+  @spec reduce_line([value_pair()], String.t(), Continuation.t() | nil) ::
+          {[value_pair()], Continuation.t() | nil}
+  defp reduce_line(ret, line, continuation) do
+    case parse_line(line, continuation) do
+      %Continuation{} = new_continuation ->
+        {ret, new_continuation}
+
+      result ->
+        {[result | ret], nil}
+    end
+  end
+
   @spec remove_comment(String.t()) :: String.t()
   defp remove_comment(val) do
     case String.split(val, "#", parts: 2) do
@@ -184,4 +301,23 @@ defmodule DotenvParser do
   end
 
   defp stripslashes(input, :slash, acc), do: stripslashes(input, :no_slash, acc <> "\\")
+
+  @spec maybe_stripslashes(Continuation.t(), String.t()) :: String.t()
+  defp maybe_stripslashes(continuation, input)
+
+  defp maybe_stripslashes(%Continuation{start_quote: "\""}, input), do: stripslashes(input)
+  defp maybe_stripslashes(_, input), do: input
+
+  @spec maybe_linefeed(Continuation.t(), String.t()) :: String.t()
+  defp maybe_linefeed(continuation, input)
+
+  defp maybe_linefeed(%Continuation{start_quote: "\""}, input) do
+    if String.ends_with?(input, "\\") do
+      String.slice(input, 0..-2)
+    else
+      input <> "\n"
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp maybe_linefeed(_, input), do: input <> "\n"
 end
diff --git a/test/data/.env b/test/data/.env
index 3201250..3d37819 100644
--- a/test/data/.env
+++ b/test/data/.env
@@ -17,16 +17,30 @@ DONT_EXPAND_SQUOTED='dontexpand\nnewlines'
 # COMMENTS=work
 EQUAL_SIGNS=equals==
 RETAIN_INNER_QUOTES={"foo": "bar"}
-RETAIN_LEADING_DQUOTE="retained
-RETAIN_LEADING_SQUOTE='retained
-RETAIN_TRAILING_DQUOTE=retained"
-RETAIN_TRAILING_SQUOTE=retained'
 RETAIN_INNER_QUOTES_AS_STRING='{"foo": "bar"}'
 TRIM_SPACE_FROM_UNQUOTED=    some spaced out string
 USERNAME=therealnerdybeast@example.tld
     SPACED_KEY = parsed
 INLINE_COMMENT="foo#bar" # Bark Bark
 INLINE_COMMENT_PLAIN=foo bar # Bark Bark
-END_BACKSLASH="something\" # Comment
+END_BACKSLASH="something\" # Comment"
+END_DOUBLE_BACKSLASH="foo\\" # Comment
 lowercased_var=foo
 export FOO="exports are supported"
+
+MULTILINE="There are
+many\u1234lines
+in this var!"
+    SPACED_MULTILINE = "    
+    <-- Note: Indentation preserved"
+MULTILINE_SINGLE_QUOTE='Now also
+with single quotes! "_"'
+export MULTILINE_ESCAPED_QUOTE="Not stopping here --> \\\\\\\"
+but \"\" here" # Comment for multiline
+MULTILINE_ESCAPED_LINEFEED="No linefeed --> \
+nope"
+export MULTILINE_NON_ESCAPED_LINEFEED='Linefeed not escaped in single quotes \
+'
+
+RETAIN_TRAILING_DQUOTE=retained"
+RETAIN_TRAILING_SQUOTE=retained'
diff --git a/test/data/.invalid_multiline_end b/test/data/.invalid_multiline_end
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d55f90d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/.invalid_multiline_end
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# No end found for multiline string
+
+ENV=Cool
+BEANS="I like beans
+MULTILINE_ESCAPED=\"
+PEAS=0
diff --git a/test/dotenv_parser_test.exs b/test/dotenv_parser_test.exs
index a2cc554..3831a91 100644
--- a/test/dotenv_parser_test.exs
+++ b/test/dotenv_parser_test.exs
@@ -53,19 +53,24 @@ defmodule DotenvParserTest do
              {"DONT_EXPAND_SQUOTED", "dontexpand\\nnewlines"},
              {"EQUAL_SIGNS", "equals=="},
              {"RETAIN_INNER_QUOTES", "{\"foo\": \"bar\"}"},
-             {"RETAIN_LEADING_DQUOTE", "\"retained"},
-             {"RETAIN_LEADING_SQUOTE", "'retained"},
-             {"RETAIN_TRAILING_DQUOTE", "retained\""},
-             {"RETAIN_TRAILING_SQUOTE", "retained'"},
              {"RETAIN_INNER_QUOTES_AS_STRING", "{\"foo\": \"bar\"}"},
              {"TRIM_SPACE_FROM_UNQUOTED", "some spaced out string"},
              {"USERNAME", "therealnerdybeast@example.tld"},
              {"SPACED_KEY", "parsed"},
              {"INLINE_COMMENT", "foo#bar"},
              {"INLINE_COMMENT_PLAIN", "foo bar"},
-             {"END_BACKSLASH", "something\\"},
+             {"END_BACKSLASH", "something\" # Comment"},
+             {"END_DOUBLE_BACKSLASH", "foo\\"},
              {"lowercased_var", "foo"},
-             {"FOO", "exports are supported"}
+             {"FOO", "exports are supported"},
+             {"MULTILINE", "There are\nmanyሴlines\nin this var!"},
+             {"SPACED_MULTILINE", "    \n    <-- Note: Indentation preserved"},
+             {"MULTILINE_SINGLE_QUOTE", "Now also\nwith single quotes! \"_\""},
+             {"MULTILINE_ESCAPED_QUOTE", "Not stopping here --> \\\\\\\"\nbut \"\" here"},
+             {"MULTILINE_ESCAPED_LINEFEED", "No linefeed --> nope"},
+             {"MULTILINE_NON_ESCAPED_LINEFEED", "Linefeed not escaped in single quotes \\\n"},
+             {"RETAIN_TRAILING_DQUOTE", "retained\""},
+             {"RETAIN_TRAILING_SQUOTE", "retained'"}
            ]
   end
 
@@ -93,4 +98,10 @@ defmodule DotenvParserTest do
       DotenvParser.parse_file("test/data/.invalid_var_name_chars")
     end)
   end
+
+  test "fails with invalid multiline variable" do
+    assert_raise(DotenvParser.ParseError, fn ->
+      DotenvParser.parse_file("test/data/.invalid_multiline_end")
+    end)
+  end
 end