diff --git a/RELEASES.md b/RELEASES.md
index 6736fe1254..a2d912f10c 100644
--- a/RELEASES.md
+++ b/RELEASES.md
@@ -11,6 +11,15 @@ of each version.
 v4.5.0 (development in progress)
 ---------
 
+* Modify the lexical syntax of string literals to have string gaps, which are escape sequences of the form `"\" newline whitespace*`.
+  These have the interpetation of an empty string and allow a string to flow across multiple lines without introducing additional whitespace.
+  The following is equivalent to `"this is a string"`.
+  ```lean
+  "this is \
+     a string"
+  ```
+  [PR #2821](https://github.com/leanprover/lean4/pull/2821) and [RFC #2838](https://github.com/leanprover/lean4/issues/2838).
+
 v4.4.0
 ---------
 
diff --git a/doc/lexical_structure.md b/doc/lexical_structure.md
index 3b62d226bd..d6d924b419 100644
--- a/doc/lexical_structure.md
+++ b/doc/lexical_structure.md
@@ -79,15 +79,19 @@ special characters:
 [Unicode table](https://unicode-table.com/en/) so "\xA9 Copyright 2021" is "© Copyright 2021".
 - `\uHHHH` puts the character represented by the 4 digit hexadecimal into the string, so the following
 string "\u65e5\u672c" will become "日本" which means "Japan".
+- `\` followed by a newline and then any amount of whitespace is a "gap" that is equivalent to the empty string,
+useful for letting a string literal span across multiple lines. Gaps spanning multiple lines can be confusing,
+so the parser raises an error if the trailing whitespace contains any newlines.
 
 So the complete syntax is:
 
 ```
    string       : '"' string_item '"'
-   string_item  : string_char | string_escape
-   string_char  : [^\\]
-   string_escape: "\" ("\" | '"' | "'" | "n" | "t" | "x" hex_char{2} | "u" hex_char{4} )
+   string_item  : string_char | char_escape | string_gap
+   string_char  : [^"\\]
+   char_escape  : "\" ("\" | '"' | "'" | "n" | "t" | "x" hex_char{2} | "u" hex_char{4})
    hex_char     : [0-9a-fA-F]
+   string_gap   : "\" newline whitespace*
 ```
 
 Char Literals
@@ -96,7 +100,9 @@ Char Literals
 Char literals are enclosed by single quotes (``'``).
 
 ```
-   char: "'" string_item "'"
+   char      : "'" char_item "'"
+   char_item : char_char | char_escape
+   char_char : [^'\\]
 ```
 
 Numeric Literals
diff --git a/src/Init/Meta.lean b/src/Init/Meta.lean
index dee5526ebb..2d6a8a1e3b 100644
--- a/src/Init/Meta.lean
+++ b/src/Init/Meta.lean
@@ -773,6 +773,16 @@ def decodeQuotedChar (s : String) (i : String.Pos) : Option (Char × String.Pos)
   else
     none
 
+/--
+Decodes a valid string gap after the `\`.
+Note that this function matches `"\" whitespace+` rather than
+the more restrictive `"\" newline whitespace*` since this simplifies the implementation.
+Justification: this does not overlap with any other sequences beginning with `\`.
+-/
+def decodeStringGap (s : String) (i : String.Pos) : Option String.Pos := do
+  guard <| (s.get i).isWhitespace
+  s.nextWhile Char.isWhitespace (s.next i)
+
 partial def decodeStrLitAux (s : String) (i : String.Pos) (acc : String) : Option String := do
   let c := s.get i
   let i := s.next i
@@ -781,8 +791,12 @@ partial def decodeStrLitAux (s : String) (i : String.Pos) (acc : String) : Optio
   else if s.atEnd i then
     none
   else if c == '\\' then do
-    let (c, i) ← decodeQuotedChar s i
-    decodeStrLitAux s i (acc.push c)
+    if let some (c, i) := decodeQuotedChar s i then
+      decodeStrLitAux s i (acc.push c)
+    else if let some i := decodeStringGap s i then
+      decodeStrLitAux s i acc
+    else
+      none
   else
     decodeStrLitAux s i (acc.push c)
 
@@ -1162,8 +1176,12 @@ private partial def decodeInterpStrLit (s : String) : Option String :=
     else if s.atEnd i then
       none
     else if c == '\\' then do
-      let (c, i) ← decodeInterpStrQuotedChar s i
-      loop i (acc.push c)
+      if let some (c, i) := decodeInterpStrQuotedChar s i then
+        loop i (acc.push c)
+      else if let some i := decodeStringGap s i then
+        loop i acc
+      else
+        none
     else
       loop i (acc.push c)
   loop ⟨1⟩ ""
diff --git a/src/Lean/Parser/Basic.lean b/src/Lean/Parser/Basic.lean
index d34063e055..03c0b3aa19 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Parser/Basic.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Parser/Basic.lean
@@ -564,7 +564,40 @@ def hexDigitFn : ParserFn := fun c s =>
     if curr.isDigit || ('a' <= curr && curr <= 'f') || ('A' <= curr && curr <= 'F') then s.setPos i
     else s.mkUnexpectedError "invalid hexadecimal numeral"
 
-def quotedCharCoreFn (isQuotable : Char → Bool) : ParserFn := fun c s =>
+/--
+Parses the whitespace after the `\` when there is a string gap.
+Raises an error if the whitespace does not contain exactly one newline character.
+Processes `\r\n` as a newline.
+-/
+partial def stringGapFn (seenNewline afterCR : Bool) : ParserFn := fun c s =>
+  let i := s.pos
+  if h : c.input.atEnd i then s -- let strLitFnAux handle the EOI error if !seenNewline
+  else
+    let curr := c.input.get' i h
+    if curr == '\n' then
+      if seenNewline then
+        -- Having more than one newline in a string gap is visually confusing
+        s.mkUnexpectedError "unexpected additional newline in string gap"
+      else
+        stringGapFn true false c (s.next' c.input i h)
+    else if curr == '\r' then
+      stringGapFn seenNewline true c (s.next' c.input i h)
+    else if afterCR then
+      s.mkUnexpectedError "expecting newline after carriage return"
+    else if curr.isWhitespace then
+      stringGapFn seenNewline false c (s.next' c.input i h)
+    else if seenNewline then
+      s
+    else
+      s.mkUnexpectedError "expecting newline in string gap"
+
+/--
+Parses a string quotation after a `\`.
+- `isQuotable` determines which characters are valid escapes
+- `inString` enables features that are only valid within strings,
+  in particular `"\" newline whitespace*` gaps.
+-/
+def quotedCharCoreFn (isQuotable : Char → Bool) (inString : Bool) : ParserFn := fun c s =>
   let input := c.input
   let i     := s.pos
   if h : input.atEnd i then s.mkEOIError
@@ -576,6 +609,8 @@ def quotedCharCoreFn (isQuotable : Char → Bool) : ParserFn := fun c s =>
       andthenFn hexDigitFn hexDigitFn c (s.next' input i h)
     else if curr == 'u' then
       andthenFn hexDigitFn (andthenFn hexDigitFn (andthenFn hexDigitFn hexDigitFn)) c (s.next' input i h)
+    else if inString && (curr == '\n' || curr == '\r') then
+      stringGapFn false false c s
     else
       s.mkUnexpectedError "invalid escape sequence"
 
@@ -583,7 +618,14 @@ def isQuotableCharDefault (c : Char) : Bool :=
   c == '\\' || c == '\"' || c == '\'' || c == 'r' || c == 'n' || c == 't'
 
 def quotedCharFn : ParserFn :=
-  quotedCharCoreFn isQuotableCharDefault
+  quotedCharCoreFn isQuotableCharDefault false
+
+/--
+Like `quotedCharFn` but enables escapes that are only valid inside strings.
+In particular, string gaps (`"\" newline whitespace*`).
+-/
+def quotedStringFn : ParserFn :=
+  quotedCharCoreFn isQuotableCharDefault true
 
 /-- Push `(Syntax.node tk <new-atom>)` onto syntax stack if parse was successful. -/
 def mkNodeToken (n : SyntaxNodeKind) (startPos : String.Pos) : ParserFn := fun c s => Id.run do
@@ -624,7 +666,7 @@ partial def strLitFnAux (startPos : String.Pos) : ParserFn := fun c s =>
     let s    := s.setPos (input.next' i h)
     if curr == '\"' then
       mkNodeToken strLitKind startPos c s
-    else if curr == '\\' then andthenFn quotedCharFn (strLitFnAux startPos) c s
+    else if curr == '\\' then andthenFn quotedStringFn (strLitFnAux startPos) c s
     else strLitFnAux startPos c s
 
 def decimalNumberFn (startPos : String.Pos) (c : ParserContext) : ParserState → ParserState := fun s =>
diff --git a/src/Lean/Parser/StrInterpolation.lean b/src/Lean/Parser/StrInterpolation.lean
index 421a22341a..dc9ff6d92d 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Parser/StrInterpolation.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Parser/StrInterpolation.lean
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ partial def interpolatedStrFn (p : ParserFn) : ParserFn := fun c s =>
         let s := mkNodeToken interpolatedStrLitKind startPos c s
         s.mkNode interpolatedStrKind stackSize
       else if curr == '\\' then
-        andthenFn (quotedCharCoreFn isQuotableCharForStrInterpolant) (parse startPos) c s
+        andthenFn (quotedCharCoreFn isQuotableCharForStrInterpolant true) (parse startPos) c s
       else if curr == '{' then
         let s := mkNodeToken interpolatedStrLitKind startPos c s
         let s := p c s
diff --git a/tests/lean/string_gaps.lean b/tests/lean/string_gaps.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b6aadbe09c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/string_gaps.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+import Lean.Parser.Extension
+import Lean.Elab.Term
+
+/-!
+# Testing string gaps in string literals
+
+String gaps are described in RFC #2838
+-/
+
+/-!
+A string gap with no trailing space.
+-/
+#eval "a\
+b"
+
+/-!
+A string gap with trailing space before the `b`, which is consumed.
+-/
+#eval "a\
+       b"
+
+/-!
+A string gap with space before the gap, which is not consumed.
+-/
+#eval "a \
+       b"
+
+/-!
+Multiple string gaps in a row.
+-/
+#eval "a \
+         \
+         \
+         b"
+
+/-!
+Two tests from the RFC.
+-/
+#eval "this is \
+       a string"
+#eval "this is \
+        a string"
+
+/-!
+Two examples of how spaces are accounted for in string gaps. `\x20` is a way to force a leading space.
+-/
+#eval "there are three spaces between the brackets <   \
+                         >"
+#eval "there are three spaces between the brackets <\
+         \x20  >"
+
+/-!
+Using `\n` to terminate a string gap, which is a technique suggested by Mario for using string gaps to write
+multiline literals in an indented context.
+-/
+#eval "this is\
+       \n  a string with two space indent"
+
+/-!
+Similar tests but for interpolated strings.
+-/
+#eval s!"a\
+b"
+#eval s!"a\
+         b"
+#eval s!"a\
+         b"
+
+/-!
+The `{` terminates the string gap.
+-/
+#eval s!"a\
+         {"b"}\
+        "
+
+open Lean
+
+/-!
+## Testing whitespace handling with specific line terminators
+-/
+
+/-!
+Standard string gap, with LF
+-/
+#eval show MetaM String from do
+  let stx ← ofExcept <| Parser.runParserCategory (← getEnv) `term "\"a\\\n b\""
+  let some s := stx.isStrLit? | failure
+  return s
+
+/-!
+Standard string gap, with CRLF
+-/
+#eval show MetaM String from do
+  let stx ← ofExcept <| Parser.runParserCategory (← getEnv) `term "\"a\\\r\n b\""
+  let some s := stx.isStrLit? | failure
+  return s
+
+/-!
+Isolated CR, which is an error
+-/
+#eval show MetaM String from do
+  let stx ← ofExcept <| Parser.runParserCategory (← getEnv) `term "\"a\\\r b\""
+  let some s := stx.isStrLit? | failure
+  return s
+
+/-!
+Not a string gap since there's no end-of-line.
+-/
+#eval show MetaM String from do
+  let stx ← ofExcept <| Parser.runParserCategory (← getEnv) `term "\"a\\ b\""
+  let some s := stx.isStrLit? | failure
+  return s
+
+/-!
+## Scala-style stripMargin
+
+This is a test that string gaps could be paired with a new string elaboration syntax
+for indented multiline string literals.
+-/
+
+def String.dedent (s : String) : Option String :=
+  let parts := s.split (· == '\n') |>.map String.trimLeft
+  match parts with
+  | [] => ""
+  | [p] => p
+  | p₀ :: parts =>
+    if !parts.all (·.startsWith "|") then
+      none
+    else
+      p₀ ++ "\n" ++ String.intercalate "\n" (parts.map fun p => p.drop 1)
+
+elab "d!" s:str : term => do
+  let some s := s.raw.isStrLit? | Lean.Elab.throwIllFormedSyntax
+  let some s := String.dedent s | Lean.Elab.throwIllFormedSyntax
+  pure $ Lean.mkStrLit s
+
+#eval d!"this is \
+            line 1
+        |  line 2, indented
+        |line 3"
diff --git a/tests/lean/string_gaps.lean.expected.out b/tests/lean/string_gaps.lean.expected.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..386346a9ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/string_gaps.lean.expected.out
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+"ab"
+"ab"
+"a b"
+"a b"
+"this is a string"
+"this is a string"
+"there are three spaces between the brackets <   >"
+"there are three spaces between the brackets <   >"
+"this is\n  a string with two space indent"
+"ab"
+"ab"
+"ab"
+"ab"
+"ab"
+"ab"
+
+string_gaps.lean:101:0-104:10: error: <input>:1:4: expecting newline after carriage return
+
+string_gaps.lean:109:0-112:10: error: <input>:1:3: invalid escape sequence
+"this is line 1\n  line 2, indented\nline 3"
diff --git a/tests/lean/string_gaps_err_newline.lean b/tests/lean/string_gaps_err_newline.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..14820ef488
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/string_gaps_err_newline.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/-!
+# String gaps error test
+
+A string gap shouldn't have more than one trailing newline according to RFC #2838
+-/
+
+#eval "a\
+
+b"
diff --git a/tests/lean/string_gaps_err_newline.lean.expected.out b/tests/lean/string_gaps_err_newline.lean.expected.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a5d95aa550
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/string_gaps_err_newline.lean.expected.out
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+string_gaps_err_newline.lean:8:0: error: unexpected additional newline in string gap