diff --git a/doc/generic/pgf/lib/examplesfinder.lua b/doc/generic/pgf/lib/examplesfinder.lua
index 24eee479a..4818fe1ff 100644
--- a/doc/generic/pgf/lib/examplesfinder.lua
+++ b/doc/generic/pgf/lib/examplesfinder.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-local UNIT_TESTING = true
+local UNIT_TESTING = false
 
 if UNIT_TESTING then
   local function pwd()
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ finder.grammar =
 
 local function preamble(options)
   local p = SP * P "preamble" * SP * "=" * SP * C(P(1) ^ 1)
-  local matches = p:match(options)
+  local matches = p:match(u.get_string(options))
   local table = {}
   if matches then
     table.preamble = matches
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ function finder.get_options(e)
 end
 
 function finder.get_content(e)
-  return e.code or ""
+  return e.code and u.get_string(e.code) or ""
 end
 
 function finder.get_name()
diff --git a/doc/generic/pgf/lib/utils.lua b/doc/generic/pgf/lib/utils.lua
index 9164f8dba..0ce0b80c2 100644
--- a/doc/generic/pgf/lib/utils.lua
+++ b/doc/generic/pgf/lib/utils.lua
@@ -1,17 +1,74 @@
 local lfs = require "lfs"
 local lpeg = require "lpeg"
-local DEBUG = false
+local loc = lpeg.locale()
+
+local UNIT_TESTING = false
 
-if DEBUG then
+if UNIT_TESTING then
     local luarocks_path = os.getenv("HOME") .. "/.luarocks/share/lua/5.3/?.lua"
     package.path = package.path .. ";" .. luarocks_path
 end
-local tostring = DEBUG and require "ml".tstring or nil
+local tostring = UNIT_TESTING and require "ml".tstring or nil
+
+local function pwd()
+    local info = debug.getinfo(1, "S")
+    local path = info.source:match("@(.*)")
+    local dir = path:match("(.*[/\\])") or "./"
+    return dir
+end
+
+package.path = pwd() .. "?.lua;" .. package.path
+local stringmatcher = require "stringmatcher"
 
 -- luacheck:ignore 542 (Empty if branch.)
 local utils = {}
 local u = utils
 
+function u.get_string(s)
+    local inner = s
+    while inner do
+        inner = stringmatcher:match(s)
+        if inner then
+            s = inner
+        end
+    end
+    return s
+end
+
+if UNIT_TESTING then
+    local string_in_string =
+        [=[
+[["
+    \tikz \graph [spring electrical layout, horizontal=0 to 1]
+        { [clique] 1 [electric charge=5], 2, 3, 4 };
+"]]
+    ]=]
+    assert(
+        u.get_string(string_in_string) ==
+            [[
+
+    \tikz \graph [spring electrical layout, horizontal=0 to 1]
+        { [clique] 1 [electric charge=5], 2, 3, 4 };
+]]
+    )
+
+    local string_only =
+        [=[
+[[
+    \tikz \graph [spring electrical layout, horizontal=0 to 1]
+        { [clique] 1 [electric charge=5], 2, 3, 4 };
+]]
+    ]=]
+    -- print(u.get_string(string_only))
+    assert(
+        u.get_string(string_only) ==
+            [[
+
+    \tikz \graph [spring electrical layout, horizontal=0 to 1]
+        { [clique] 1 [electric charge=5], 2, 3, 4 };]]
+    )
+end
+
 utils.pathsep = package.config:sub(1, 1)
 
 -- strip leading and trailing whitespace
@@ -23,15 +80,19 @@ function u.strip_braces(str)
     return str:match "^{?(.-)}?$"
 end
 
-local loc = lpeg.locale()
-
 -- optional whitespace
-u.SP = loc.space ^ 0
+u.SP = (loc.space + lpeg.P "\r") ^ 0
 
 -- for backward compatibility
 -- u.ws = lpeg.S " \t\n\r" ^ 0
 u.ws = u.SP
 
+if UNIT_TESTING then
+    local crlf = "\n\r"
+    assert(loc.space:match(crlf) == 2)
+    assert(u.SP:match(crlf) == 3)
+end
+
 -- match string literal
 function u.lit(str)
     return u.ws * lpeg.P(str) * u.ws
@@ -93,7 +154,7 @@ function u.walk(sourcedir, targetdir, finder)
             -- extract all code examples
             local matches = finder.grammar:match(text) or {}
 
-            if DEBUG then
+            if UNIT_TESTING then
                 print("matches:", matches)
                 print("tostring(matches):", tostring(matches))
             end