diff --git a/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.cpp b/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.cpp
index 0cb5b8ad77..b67fcea45b 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.cpp
@@ -1637,26 +1637,23 @@ String String::upToLastOccurrenceOf (StringRef sub,
     return substring (0, includeSubString ? i + sub.length() : i);
 }
 
+static bool isQuoteCharacter (juce_wchar c) noexcept
+{
+    return c == '"' || c == '\'';
+}
+
 bool String::isQuotedString() const
 {
-    const juce_wchar trimmedStart = trimStart()[0];
-
-    return trimmedStart == '"'
-        || trimmedStart == '\'';
+    return isQuoteCharacter (*text.findEndOfWhitespace());
 }
 
 String String::unquoted() const
 {
-    const int len = length();
+    if (! isQuoteCharacter (*text))
+        return *this;
 
-    if (len == 0)
-        return {};
-
-    const juce_wchar lastChar = text [len - 1];
-    const int dropAtStart = (*text == '"' || *text == '\'') ? 1 : 0;
-    const int dropAtEnd = (lastChar == '"' || lastChar == '\'') ? 1 : 0;
-
-    return substring (dropAtStart, len - dropAtEnd);
+    auto len = length();
+    return substring (1, len - (isQuoteCharacter (text[len - 1]) ? 1 : 0));
 }
 
 String String::quoted (const juce_wchar quoteCharacter) const