diff --git a/hl7/util.py b/hl7/util.py
index 86aac2c..ef5ca31 100644
--- a/hl7/util.py
+++ b/hl7/util.py
@@ -258,4 +258,11 @@ def unescape(container, field, app_map=None):  # noqa: C901
         else:
             rv.append(str(c))
 
+    if in_seq:
+        # The field ended in the middle of an escape sequence (e.g. a trailing
+        # lone escape character). It cannot be decoded, so preserve the
+        # original characters literally rather than dropping them.
+        rv.append(container.esc)
+        rv.extend(collecting)
+
     return "".join(rv)
diff --git a/tests/test_parse.py b/tests/test_parse.py
index 39cc786..0e1c244 100644
--- a/tests/test_parse.py
+++ b/tests/test_parse.py
@@ -376,6 +376,10 @@ def test_unescape(self):
         self.assertEqual(msg.unescape("\\X20202020\\"), "    ")
         self.assertEqual(msg.unescape("\\Xe1\\\\Xe9\\\\Xed\\\\Xf3\\\\Xfa\\"), "áéíóú")
 
+        # Trailing unterminated escape sequence is preserved literally (#84)
+        self.assertEqual(msg.unescape("\\E\\R\\"), "\\R\\")
+        self.assertEqual(msg.unescape("text\\"), "text\\")
+
     def test_escape(self):
         msg = hl7.parse(rep_sample_hl7)