diff --git a/cJSON.c b/cJSON.c
index 6978f473a943497bd434dc16cb304d1b82fccb19..006ac4486a4919de48bd86b7be0a831be99c3db6 100644
--- a/cJSON.c
+++ b/cJSON.c
@@ -665,6 +665,7 @@ static const unsigned char *parse_string(cJSON *item, const unsigned char *str,
                             /* depending on the length in bytes this determines the
                              * encoding ofthe first UTF8 byte */
                             *--ptr2 = (unsigned char)((uc | firstByteMark[len]) & 0xFF);
+                            break;
                         default:
                             *ep = str;
                             return NULL;