--- a/db.sql.editor/src/org/netbeans/modules/db/sql/lexer/SQLLexer.java	
+++ a/db.sql.editor/src/org/netbeans/modules/db/sql/lexer/SQLLexer.java	
@@ -168,7 +168,20 @@ 
                             state = State.ISA_BACK_SLASH_IN_STRING;
                             break;
                         case '\'': // NOI18N
+                            state = State.ISA_QUOTE_IN_STRING;
+                            //return factory.createToken(SQLTokenId.STRING);
+                            break;
+                    }
+                    break;
+
+                case ISA_QUOTE_IN_STRING:
+                    switch (actChar) {
+                        case '\'':
+                            state = State.ISI_STRING;
+                            break;
+                        default:
                             state = State.INIT;
+                            input.backup(1);
                             return factory.createToken(SQLTokenId.STRING);
                     }
                     break;
@@ -184,6 +197,11 @@ 
                     if (startQuoteChar != -1) {
                         if (!isEndIdentifierQuoteChar(startQuoteChar, actChar)) {
                             break;
+                        } else {
+                            if (actChar == '"') {
+                                state = State.ISA_QUOTE_IN_IDENTIFIER;
+                                break;
+                            }
                         }
                     } else {
                         if (Character.isLetterOrDigit(actChar) || actChar == '_' || actChar == '#') {
@@ -196,6 +214,19 @@ 
                     startQuoteChar = -1;
                     return factory.createToken(testKeyword(input.readText()));
 
+                case ISA_QUOTE_IN_IDENTIFIER:
+                    switch (actChar) {
+                        case '"':
+                            state = State.ISI_IDENTIFIER;
+                            break;
+                        default:
+                            state = State.INIT;
+                            startQuoteChar = -1;
+                            input.backup(1);
+                            return factory.createToken(testKeyword(input.readText()));
+                    }
+                    break;
+
                 // If we are after a slash (/).
                 case ISA_SLASH:
                     switch (actChar) {
@@ -309,6 +340,14 @@ 
         SQLTokenId id = null;
         PartType part = PartType.COMPLETE;
         switch (state) {
+            case ISA_QUOTE_IN_STRING:
+                id = SQLTokenId.STRING;
+                break;
+
+            case ISA_QUOTE_IN_IDENTIFIER:
+                id = SQLTokenId.IDENTIFIER;
+                break;
+                
             case ISI_WHITESPACE:
                 id = SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE;
                 break;
@@ -411,20 +450,22 @@ 
     private static enum State {
 
         INIT,
-        ISI_WHITESPACE, // inside white space
-        ISI_LINE_COMMENT, // inside line comment --
-        ISI_BLOCK_COMMENT, // inside block comment /* ... */
-        ISI_STRING, // inside string constant
-        ISI_IDENTIFIER, // inside identifier
-        ISA_SLASH, // slash char
-        ISA_HASH, // hash char '#'
+        ISI_WHITESPACE,             // inside white space
+        ISI_LINE_COMMENT,           // inside line comment --
+        ISI_BLOCK_COMMENT,          // inside block comment /* ... */
+        ISI_STRING,                 // inside string constant
+        ISI_IDENTIFIER,             // inside identifier
+        ISA_SLASH,                  // slash char
+        ISA_HASH,                   // hash char '#'
         ISA_MINUS,
-        ISA_STAR_IN_BLOCK_COMMENT, // after '*' in a block comment
+        ISA_STAR_IN_BLOCK_COMMENT,  // after '*' in a block comment
         // XXX is ISA_ZERO really needed?
-        ISA_ZERO, // after '0'
-        ISI_INT, // integer number
-        ISI_DOUBLE, // double number
-        ISA_DOT, // after '.'
-        ISA_BACK_SLASH_IN_STRING // after \ in string
+        ISA_ZERO,                   // after '0'
+        ISI_INT,                    // integer number
+        ISI_DOUBLE,                 // double number
+        ISA_DOT,                    // after '.'
+        ISA_BACK_SLASH_IN_STRING,   // after \ in string
+        ISA_QUOTE_IN_STRING,        // encountered quote in string - could be sql99 escape
+        ISA_QUOTE_IN_IDENTIFIER     // encountered quote in identifier - could be sql99 escape
     }
 }
--- a/db.sql.editor/test/unit/src/org/netbeans/modules/db/sql/lexer/SQLLexerTest.java	
+++ a/db.sql.editor/test/unit/src/org/netbeans/modules/db/sql/lexer/SQLLexerTest.java	
@@ -71,6 +71,17 @@ 
                 SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE);
     }
 
+    public void testSimpleSQL99Quoting() throws Exception {
+        TokenSequence<SQLTokenId> seq = getTokenSequence("select -/ from 'a''' + 1, dto");
+        assertTokens(seq, SQLTokenId.KEYWORD, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.OPERATOR,
+                SQLTokenId.OPERATOR, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.KEYWORD,
+                SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.STRING, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE,
+                SQLTokenId.OPERATOR, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.INT_LITERAL,
+                SQLTokenId.COMMA, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.IDENTIFIER,
+                SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE);
+        
+    }
+
     public void testQuotedIdentifiers() throws Exception {
         TokenSequence<SQLTokenId> seq = getTokenSequence("select \"derby\", `mysql`, [mssql], `quo + ted`");
         assertTokens(seq, SQLTokenId.KEYWORD, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.IDENTIFIER,
@@ -80,6 +91,15 @@ 
                 SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE);
     }
 
+    public void testQuotedIdentifiersSQL99Quote() throws Exception {
+        TokenSequence<SQLTokenId> seq = getTokenSequence("select \"\"\"derby\", `mysql`, [mssql], `quo + ted`");
+        assertTokens(seq, SQLTokenId.KEYWORD, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.IDENTIFIER,
+                SQLTokenId.COMMA, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.IDENTIFIER,
+                SQLTokenId.COMMA, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.IDENTIFIER,
+                SQLTokenId.COMMA, SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE, SQLTokenId.IDENTIFIER,
+                SQLTokenId.WHITESPACE);
+    }
+    
     public void testComments() throws Exception {
         TokenSequence<SQLTokenId> seq = getTokenSequence("-- line comment\n# mysql comment\n/* block \ncomment*/\n#notComment");
         assertTokens(seq, SQLTokenId.LINE_COMMENT, SQLTokenId.LINE_COMMENT,