diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/ruby-ts-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/ruby-ts-mode.el
index 91d65a2777b..4b951f7606f 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/ruby-ts-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/ruby-ts-mode.el
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ ruby-ts--s-p-query
                               (:match "\\`\\$[#\"'`:?]" @global_var))
                              ;; ?' ?" ?` are character literals.
                              ((character) @char
-                              (:match "\\`?[#\"'`:?]" @char))
+                              (:match "\\`\\?[#\"'`:?]" @char))
                              ;; Symbols like :+, :<=> or :foo=.
                              ((simple_symbol) @symbol
                               (:match "\\s." @symbol))