diff --git a/mako/lexer.py b/mako/lexer.py
index 8ce3fd6..34f17dc 100644
--- a/mako/lexer.py
+++ b/mako/lexer.py
@@ -357,12 +357,9 @@ def match_text(self):
             r"""
                 (.*?)         # anything, followed by:
                 (
-                 (?<=\n)(?=[ \t]*(?=%(?!%)|\#\#))  # an eval or line-based
-                                            # comment, preceded by a
-                                            # consumed newline and whitespace
-                 |
-                 (?<!%)(?=%%+) # consume the first percent sign
-                               # out of a group of percent signs
+                 (?<=\n)(?=[ \t]*(?=%|\#\#)) # an eval or line-based
+                                             # comment preceded by a
+                                             # consumed newline and whitespace
                  |
                  (?=\${)      # an expression
                  |
diff --git a/mako/testing/helpers.py b/mako/testing/helpers.py
index 5ae9d38..77cca36 100644
--- a/mako/testing/helpers.py
+++ b/mako/testing/helpers.py
@@ -19,10 +19,6 @@ def result_lines(result):
     ]
 
 
-def result_raw_lines(result):
-    return [x for x in re.split(r"\r?\n", result) if x.strip() != ""]
-
-
 def make_path(
     filespec: Union[Path, str],
     make_absolute: bool = True,
diff --git a/test/test_lexer.py b/test/test_lexer.py
index f168f80..f4983a3 100644
--- a/test/test_lexer.py
+++ b/test/test_lexer.py
@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@ def test_percent_escape(self):
                 {},
                 [
                     Text("""\n\n""", (1, 1)),
-                    Text("""% some whatever.\n\n    """, (3, 2)),
-                    Text("% more some whatever\n", (5, 6)),
+                    Text("""% some whatever.\n\n""", (3, 2)),
+                    Text("   %% more some whatever\n", (5, 2)),
                     ControlLine("if", "if foo:", False, (6, 1)),
                     ControlLine("if", "endif", True, (7, 1)),
                     Text("        ", (8, 1)),
@@ -210,50 +210,6 @@ def test_percent_escape(self):
             ),
         )
 
-    def test_percent_escape2(self):
-        template = """%% do something
-%%% do something
-if <some condition>:
-    %%%% do something
-        """
-        node = Lexer(template).parse()
-        self._compare(
-            node,
-            TemplateNode(
-                {},
-                [
-                    Text("% do something\n", (1, 2)),
-                    Text(
-                        "%% do something\nif <some condition>:\n    ", (2, 2)
-                    ),
-                    Text("%%% do something\n        ", (4, 6)),
-                ],
-            ),
-        )
-
-    def test_percent_escape_with_control_block(self):
-        template = """
-% for i in [1, 2, 3]:
-    %% do something ${i}
-% endfor
-"""
-        node = Lexer(template).parse()
-        self._compare(
-            node,
-            TemplateNode(
-                {},
-                [
-                    Text("\n", (1, 1)),
-                    ControlLine("for", "for i in [1, 2, 3]:", False, (2, 1)),
-                    Text("    ", (3, 1)),
-                    Text("% do something ", (3, 6)),
-                    Expression("i", [], (3, 21)),
-                    Text("\n", (3, 25)),
-                    ControlLine("for", "endfor", True, (4, 1)),
-                ],
-            ),
-        )
-
     def test_old_multiline_comment(self):
         template = """#*"""
         node = Lexer(template).parse()
diff --git a/test/test_template.py b/test/test_template.py
index 79017f7..62fd21d 100644
--- a/test/test_template.py
+++ b/test/test_template.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 from mako.testing.fixtures import TemplateTest
 from mako.testing.helpers import flatten_result
 from mako.testing.helpers import result_lines
-from mako.testing.helpers import result_raw_lines
 
 
 class ctx:
@@ -1668,34 +1667,3 @@ class FuturesTest(TemplateTest):
     def test_future_import(self):
         t = Template("${ x / y }", future_imports=["division"])
         assert result_lines(t.render(x=12, y=5)) == ["2.4"]
-
-
-class EscapeTest(TemplateTest):
-    def test_percent_escape(self):
-        t = Template(
-            """%% do something
-%%% do something
-if <some condition>:
-    %%%% do something
-"""
-        )
-        assert result_raw_lines(t.render()) == [
-            "% do something",
-            "%% do something",
-            "if <some condition>:",
-            "    %%% do something",
-        ]
-
-    def test_percent_escape2(self):
-        t = Template(
-            """
-% for i in [1, 2, 3]:
-    %% do something ${i}
-% endfor
-"""
-        )
-        assert result_raw_lines(t.render()) == [
-            "    % do something 1",
-            "    % do something 2",
-            "    % do something 3",
-        ]