diff --git a/compiler/rustc_ast/src/token.rs b/compiler/rustc_ast/src/token.rs
index 4d513797f5f..4dc41a02cb8 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_ast/src/token.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_ast/src/token.rs
@@ -621,6 +621,21 @@ pub fn can_begin_literal_maybe_minus(&self) -> bool {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn can_begin_string_literal(&self) -> bool {
+        match self.uninterpolate().kind {
+            Literal(..) => true,
+            Interpolated(ref nt) => match &**nt {
+                NtLiteral(_) => true,
+                NtExpr(e) => match &e.kind {
+                    ast::ExprKind::Lit(_) => true,
+                    _ => false,
+                },
+                _ => false,
+            },
+            _ => false,
+        }
+    }
+
     /// A convenience function for matching on identifiers during parsing.
     /// Turns interpolated identifier (`$i: ident`) or lifetime (`$l: lifetime`) token
     /// into the regular identifier or lifetime token it refers to,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_parse/src/parser/item.rs b/compiler/rustc_parse/src/parser/item.rs
index 2db777a9f70..3e1ea7b129d 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_parse/src/parser/item.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_parse/src/parser/item.rs
@@ -1259,7 +1259,7 @@ fn is_unsafe_foreign_mod(&self) -> bool {
         self.token.is_keyword(kw::Unsafe)
             && self.is_keyword_ahead(1, &[kw::Extern])
             && self.look_ahead(
-                2 + self.look_ahead(2, |t| t.can_begin_literal_maybe_minus() as usize),
+                2 + self.look_ahead(2, |t| t.can_begin_string_literal() as usize),
                 |t| t.kind == token::OpenDelim(Delimiter::Brace),
             )
     }
@@ -2448,7 +2448,7 @@ pub(super) fn check_fn_front_matter(&mut self, check_pub: bool, case: Case) -> b
                 })
             // `extern ABI fn`
             || self.check_keyword_case(kw::Extern, case)
-                && self.look_ahead(1, |t| t.can_begin_literal_maybe_minus())
+                && self.look_ahead(1, |t| t.can_begin_string_literal())
                 && (self.look_ahead(2, |t| t.is_keyword_case(kw::Fn, case)) ||
                     // this branch is only for better diagnostic in later, `pub` is not allowed here
                     (self.may_recover()