diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ef1694dfe4da..f75160c1b0c3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Correctly parse custom properties with strings containing semicolons ([#18251](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/18251))
 - Upgrade: migrate arbitrary modifiers with values without percentage sign to bare values `/[0.16]` -> `/16` ([#18184](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/18184))
 - Upgrade: migrate CSS variable shorthand if fallback value contains function call ([#18184](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/18184))
 - Upgrade: Migrate negative arbitrary values to negative bare values, e.g.: `mb-[-32rem]` → `-mb-128` ([#18212](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/18212))
diff --git a/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-parser.test.ts b/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-parser.test.ts
index f7ee47a61145..b477758ae92b 100644
--- a/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-parser.test.ts
+++ b/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-parser.test.ts
@@ -457,6 +457,21 @@ describe.each(['Unix', 'Windows'])('Line endings: %s', (lineEndings) => {
           `),
         ).toEqual([{ kind: 'declaration', property: '--foo', value: 'bar', important: true }])
       })
+
+      it('should parse custom properties with data URL value', () => {
+        expect(
+          parse(css`
+            --foo: 'data:text/plain;base64,SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==';
+          `),
+        ).toEqual([
+          {
+            kind: 'declaration',
+            property: '--foo',
+            value: "'data:text/plain;base64,SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ=='",
+            important: false,
+          },
+        ])
+      })
     })
 
     it('should parse multiple declarations', () => {
@@ -1132,6 +1147,17 @@ describe.each(['Unix', 'Windows'])('Line endings: %s', (lineEndings) => {
       )
     })
 
+    it('should error when an unterminated string is used in a custom property', () => {
+      expect(() =>
+        parse(css`
+          .foo {
+            --bar: "Hello world!
+            /*                  ^ missing " */
+          }
+        `),
+      ).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(`[Error: Unterminated string: "Hello world!"]`)
+    })
+
     it('should error when a declaration is incomplete', () => {
       expect(() => parse('.foo { bar }')).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(
         `[Error: Invalid declaration: \`bar\`]`,
diff --git a/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-parser.ts b/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-parser.ts
index 6a5ce83204bd..a59e34721b86 100644
--- a/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-parser.ts
+++ b/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-parser.ts
@@ -138,74 +138,11 @@ export function parse(input: string, opts?: ParseOptions) {
 
     // Start of a string.
     else if (currentChar === SINGLE_QUOTE || currentChar === DOUBLE_QUOTE) {
-      let start = i
-
-      // We need to ensure that the closing quote is the same as the opening
-      // quote.
-      //
-      // E.g.:
-      //
-      // ```css
-      // .foo {
-      //   content: "This is a string with a 'quote' in it";
-      //                                     ^     ^         -> These are not the end of the string.
-      // }
-      // ```
-      for (let j = i + 1; j < input.length; j++) {
-        peekChar = input.charCodeAt(j)
-        // Current character is a `\` therefore the next character is escaped.
-        if (peekChar === BACKSLASH) {
-          j += 1
-        }
-
-        // End of the string.
-        else if (peekChar === currentChar) {
-          i = j
-          break
-        }
-
-        // End of the line without ending the string but with a `;` at the end.
-        //
-        // E.g.:
-        //
-        // ```css
-        // .foo {
-        //   content: "This is a string with a;
-        //                                    ^ Missing "
-        // }
-        // ```
-        else if (
-          peekChar === SEMICOLON &&
-          (input.charCodeAt(j + 1) === LINE_BREAK ||
-            (input.charCodeAt(j + 1) === CARRIAGE_RETURN && input.charCodeAt(j + 2) === LINE_BREAK))
-        ) {
-          throw new Error(
-            `Unterminated string: ${input.slice(start, j + 1) + String.fromCharCode(currentChar)}`,
-          )
-        }
-
-        // End of the line without ending the string.
-        //
-        // E.g.:
-        //
-        // ```css
-        // .foo {
-        //   content: "This is a string with a
-        //                                    ^ Missing "
-        // }
-        // ```
-        else if (
-          peekChar === LINE_BREAK ||
-          (peekChar === CARRIAGE_RETURN && input.charCodeAt(j + 1) === LINE_BREAK)
-        ) {
-          throw new Error(
-            `Unterminated string: ${input.slice(start, j) + String.fromCharCode(currentChar)}`,
-          )
-        }
-      }
+      let end = parseString(input, i, currentChar)
 
       // Adjust `buffer` to include the string.
-      buffer += input.slice(start, i + 1)
+      buffer += input.slice(i, end + 1)
+      i = end
     }
 
     // Skip whitespace if the next character is also whitespace. This allows us
@@ -253,6 +190,11 @@ export function parse(input: string, opts?: ParseOptions) {
           j += 1
         }
 
+        // Start of a string.
+        else if (peekChar === SINGLE_QUOTE || peekChar === DOUBLE_QUOTE) {
+          j = parseString(input, j, peekChar)
+        }
+
         // Start of a comment.
         else if (peekChar === SLASH && input.charCodeAt(j + 1) === ASTERISK) {
           for (let k = j + 2; k < input.length; k++) {
@@ -651,3 +593,73 @@ function parseDeclaration(
     importantIdx !== -1,
   )
 }
+
+function parseString(input: string, startIdx: number, quoteChar: number): number {
+  let peekChar: number
+
+  // We need to ensure that the closing quote is the same as the opening
+  // quote.
+  //
+  // E.g.:
+  //
+  // ```css
+  // .foo {
+  //   content: "This is a string with a 'quote' in it";
+  //                                     ^     ^         -> These are not the end of the string.
+  // }
+  // ```
+  for (let i = startIdx + 1; i < input.length; i++) {
+    peekChar = input.charCodeAt(i)
+
+    // Current character is a `\` therefore the next character is escaped.
+    if (peekChar === BACKSLASH) {
+      i += 1
+    }
+
+    // End of the string.
+    else if (peekChar === quoteChar) {
+      return i
+    }
+
+    // End of the line without ending the string but with a `;` at the end.
+    //
+    // E.g.:
+    //
+    // ```css
+    // .foo {
+    //   content: "This is a string with a;
+    //                                    ^ Missing "
+    // }
+    // ```
+    else if (
+      peekChar === SEMICOLON &&
+      (input.charCodeAt(i + 1) === LINE_BREAK ||
+        (input.charCodeAt(i + 1) === CARRIAGE_RETURN && input.charCodeAt(i + 2) === LINE_BREAK))
+    ) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Unterminated string: ${input.slice(startIdx, i + 1) + String.fromCharCode(quoteChar)}`,
+      )
+    }
+
+    // End of the line without ending the string.
+    //
+    // E.g.:
+    //
+    // ```css
+    // .foo {
+    //   content: "This is a string with a
+    //                                    ^ Missing "
+    // }
+    // ```
+    else if (
+      peekChar === LINE_BREAK ||
+      (peekChar === CARRIAGE_RETURN && input.charCodeAt(i + 1) === LINE_BREAK)
+    ) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Unterminated string: ${input.slice(startIdx, i) + String.fromCharCode(quoteChar)}`,
+      )
+    }
+  }
+
+  return startIdx
+}