diff --git a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/preprocessCommandLineArguments.kt b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/preprocessCommandLineArguments.kt
index 8b74c559429..e258ef09705 100644
--- a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/preprocessCommandLineArguments.kt
+++ b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/preprocessCommandLineArguments.kt
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ private fun Reader.parseNextArgument(): String? {
 private fun Reader.consumeRestOfQuotedSequence(sb: StringBuilder, quote: Char) {
     var ch = nextChar()
     while (ch != null && ch != quote) {
-        if (ch == BACKSLASH) nextChar()?.apply(sb::append) else sb.append(ch)
+        if (ch == BACKSLASH) nextChar()?.let { sb.append(it) } else sb.append(ch)
         ch = nextChar()
     }
 }