diff --git a/drools-core/src/main/java/org/drools/core/util/StringUtils.java b/drools-core/src/main/java/org/drools/core/util/StringUtils.java
index 78794ddb1be..f4435231745 100644
--- a/drools-core/src/main/java/org/drools/core/util/StringUtils.java
+++ b/drools-core/src/main/java/org/drools/core/util/StringUtils.java
@@ -976,8 +976,23 @@ public static String extractFirstIdentifier(String string, int start) {
         return builder.toString();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Method that tries to extract <b>identifiers</b> from a Srting.
+     * First, it tries to identify "quoted" part, that should be ignored.
+     * Then, it tries to extract a String that is valid as java identifier.
+     * If an identifier is found, returns the last index of the identifier itself, otherwise the length of the string itself
+     *
+     * {@link Character#isJavaIdentifierStart}
+     * {@link Character#isJavaIdentifierPart}
+     * @param string
+     * @param builder
+     * @param start
+     * @return
+     */
     public static int extractFirstIdentifier(String string, StringBuilder builder, int start) {
         boolean isQuoted = false;
+        boolean isDoubleQuoted = false;
+        boolean isSingleQuoted = false;
         boolean started = false;
         int i = start;
         for (; i < string.length(); i++) {
@@ -985,13 +1000,16 @@ public static int extractFirstIdentifier(String string, StringBuilder builder, i
             if (!isQuoted && Character.isJavaIdentifierStart(ch)) {
                 builder.append(ch);
                 started = true;
-            } else if (ch == '"' || ch == '\'') {
-                isQuoted = !isQuoted;
+            } else if (ch == '"') {
+                isDoubleQuoted = !isQuoted && !isDoubleQuoted;
+            } else if (ch == '\'') {
+                isSingleQuoted = !isQuoted && !isSingleQuoted;
             } else if (started && Character.isJavaIdentifierPart(ch)) {
                 builder.append(ch);
             } else if (started) {
                 break;
             }
+            isQuoted = isDoubleQuoted || isSingleQuoted;
         }
         return i;
     }
diff --git a/drools-core/src/test/java/org/drools/core/util/StringUtilsTest.java b/drools-core/src/test/java/org/drools/core/util/StringUtilsTest.java
index 60edd44f677..ebacf27a9ae 100644
--- a/drools-core/src/test/java/org/drools/core/util/StringUtilsTest.java
+++ b/drools-core/src/test/java/org/drools/core/util/StringUtilsTest.java
@@ -298,6 +298,111 @@ public boolean isSnapshot() {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testExtractFirstIdentifierWithStringBuilder() {
+        // Not-quoted string, interpreted as identifier
+        String string = "IDENTIFIER";
+        String expected = string;
+        StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
+        int start = 0;
+        int retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length()); // retrieved size is equals to the length of given string
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        // Quoted string, not interpreted as identifier
+        string = "\"IDENTIFIER\"";
+        expected = "";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length());
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        // Only the not-quoted string, and its size, is returned
+        string = "IDENTIFIER \"";
+        expected = "IDENTIFIER";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(expected.length()); // it returns the index where the identifier ends
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        string = "IDENTIFIER \"the_identifier";
+        expected = "IDENTIFIER";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(expected.length()); // it returns the index where the identifier ends
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        string = "\"the_identifier\" IDENTIFIER";
+        expected = "IDENTIFIER";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length()); // it returns the index where the identifier ends
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        // Quoted string, not interpreted as identifier, starting at arbitrary position
+        string = "THIS IS BEFORE \"IDENTIFIER\"";
+        expected = "";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        start = 14;
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length());
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        // Only the not-quoted string, and its size, is returned, starting at arbitrary position
+        string = "THIS IS BEFORE IDENTIFIER \"";
+        expected = "IDENTIFIER";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(25); // it returns the index where the identifier ends
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        string = "IDENTIFIER \"the_identifier";
+        expected = "";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        start = 10;
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length()); // it returns the index where the identifier ends
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        string = "IDENTIFIER \"the_identifier";
+        expected = "";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        start = 10;
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length()); // it returns the index where the identifier ends
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        string = "\"not an ' identifier\"";
+        expected = "";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        start = 0;
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length()); // it returns the whole string length
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        string = "'not an \" identifier'";
+        expected = "";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length()); // it returns the whole string length
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        string = "'not an \" identifier\"'";
+        expected = "";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length()); // it returns the whole string length
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+        string = "\"an \" IDENTIFIER";
+        expected = "IDENTIFIER";
+        builder = new StringBuilder();
+        retrieved = StringUtils.extractFirstIdentifier(string, builder, start);
+        assertThat(retrieved).isEqualTo(string.length()); // it returns the index where the identifier ends
+        assertThat(builder.toString()).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testSplitStatements() {
         String text =