diff --git a/test/test_utils.py b/test/test_utils.py
index a5f164c49..918a7a9ef 100644
--- a/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_utils.py
@@ -495,6 +495,9 @@ class TestUtil(unittest.TestCase):
             "playlist":[{"controls":{"all":null}}]
         }''')
 
+        inp = '''"The CW\\'s \\'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend\\'"'''
+        self.assertEqual(js_to_json(inp), '''"The CW's 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'"''')
+
         inp = '"SAND Number: SAND 2013-7800P\\nPresenter: Tom Russo\\nHabanero Software Training - Xyce Software\\nXyce, Sandia\\u0027s"'
         json_code = js_to_json(inp)
         self.assertEqual(json.loads(json_code), json.loads(inp))
diff --git a/youtube_dl/utils.py b/youtube_dl/utils.py
index db5b3698e..a61e47646 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/utils.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/utils.py
@@ -1701,8 +1701,8 @@ def js_to_json(code):
         if v in ('true', 'false', 'null'):
             return v
         if v.startswith('"'):
-            return v
-        if v.startswith("'"):
+            v = re.sub(r"\\'", "'", v[1:-1])
+        elif v.startswith("'"):
             v = v[1:-1]
             v = re.sub(r"\\\\|\\'|\"", lambda m: {
                 '\\\\': '\\\\',