diff --git a/nginxfmt.py b/nginxfmt.py
index 3244b85..24e9160 100755
--- a/nginxfmt.py
+++ b/nginxfmt.py
@@ -37,6 +37,38 @@ def strip_line(single_line):
         within_quotes = not within_quotes
     return '"'.join(parts)
 
+def count_multi_semicolon(single_line):
+    """count multi_semicolon (except when within quotation marks)."""
+    single_line = single_line.strip()
+    if single_line.startswith('#'):
+        return 0, 0
+
+    within_quotes = False
+    q = 0
+    c = 0
+    for part in re.split('"', single_line):
+        if within_quotes:
+            q = 1
+        else:
+            c += part.count(';')
+        within_quotes = not within_quotes
+    return q, c
+
+def multi_semicolon(single_line):
+    """break multi_semicolon into multiline (except when within quotation marks)."""
+    single_line = single_line.strip()
+    if single_line.startswith('#'):
+        return single_line
+
+    within_quotes = False
+    parts = []
+    for part in re.split('"', single_line):
+        if within_quotes:
+            parts.append(part)
+        else:
+            parts.append(part.replace(";", ";\n"))
+        within_quotes = not within_quotes
+    return '"'.join(parts)
 
 def apply_variable_template_tags(line: str) -> str:
     """Replaces variable indicators ${ and } with tags, so subsequent formatting is easier."""
@@ -67,7 +99,11 @@ def clean_lines(orig_lines) -> list:
             if line.startswith("#"):
                 cleaned_lines.append(strip_variable_template_tags(line))
             else:
-                if line.count(";") > 1:
+                q , c = count_multi_semicolon(line)
+                if q == 1 and c > 1:
+                    ml = multi_semicolon(line)
+                    cleaned_lines.extend(clean_lines(ml.splitlines()))
+                elif q != 1 and c > 1:
                     newlines = line.split(";")
                     cleaned_lines.extend(clean_lines(["".join([ln, ";"]) for ln in newlines if ln != ""]))
                 else:
diff --git a/test_nginxfmt.py b/test_nginxfmt.py
index 17c662d..6eb9da7 100644
--- a/test_nginxfmt.py
+++ b/test_nginxfmt.py
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ class TestFormatter(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(["{", "ala", "# ma  {{", "aa last;", "bb to;", "}"],
                         clean_lines(("{", "ala  ", "# ma  {{", " aa last;  bb  to; ", "}")))
 
+        self.assertEqual(["{", "aa;", "b b \"cc;   dd; ee \";", "ssss;", "}"],
+                        clean_lines(("{", "aa; b  b \"cc;   dd; ee \"; ssss;", "}")))
+
         self.assertEqual(["location ~ /\.ht", "{"], clean_lines(["location ~ /\.ht {", ]))
 
     def test_perform_indentation(self):