diff --git a/src/main/java/spoon/support/compiler/jdt/PositionBuilder.java b/src/main/java/spoon/support/compiler/jdt/PositionBuilder.java
index fcd1722cd2b..2120a7ef4d5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/spoon/support/compiler/jdt/PositionBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/spoon/support/compiler/jdt/PositionBuilder.java
@@ -671,6 +671,7 @@ static int findNextChar(char[] contents, int maxOff, int off, char expectedChar)
 	static int findNextNonWhitespace(char[] content, int maxOff, int off) {
 		return findNextNonWhitespace(true, content, maxOff, off);
 	}
+
 	static int findNextNonWhitespace(boolean commentIsWhiteSpace, char[] content, int maxOff, int off) {
 		maxOff = Math.min(maxOff, content.length - 1);
 		while (off >= 0 && off <= maxOff) {
@@ -697,10 +698,16 @@ static int findNextNonWhitespace(boolean commentIsWhiteSpace, char[] content, in
 	 * Note: all kinds of java comments are understood as whitespace too. Then it returns offset of the first character of the comment
 	 */
 	static int findNextWhitespace(char[] content, int maxOff, int off) {
+		boolean inString = false;
 		maxOff = Math.min(maxOff, content.length - 1);
 		while (off >= 0 && off <= maxOff) {
 			char c = content[off];
-			if (Character.isWhitespace(c) || getEndOfComment(content, maxOff, off) >= 0) {
+			if (c == '"' && !inString) {
+				inString = true;
+			} else if (c == '"' && inString) {
+				inString = false;
+			}
+			if (Character.isWhitespace(c) || (!inString && getEndOfComment(content, maxOff, off) >= 0)) {
 				//it is whitespace or comment starts there
 				return off;
 			}
@@ -708,6 +715,7 @@ static int findNextWhitespace(char[] content, int maxOff, int off) {
 		}
 		return -1;
 	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @param minOff the minimal acceptable return value
 	 * @return index of first non whitespace char, searching backward. Can return `off` if it is already a non whitespace.
diff --git a/src/test/java/spoon/test/sourcePosition/SourcePositionTest.java b/src/test/java/spoon/test/sourcePosition/SourcePositionTest.java
index bb119c763ac..38f1b689956 100644
--- a/src/test/java/spoon/test/sourcePosition/SourcePositionTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/spoon/test/sourcePosition/SourcePositionTest.java
@@ -18,20 +18,26 @@
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+import spoon.Launcher;
+import spoon.reflect.CtModel;
 import spoon.reflect.code.CtInvocation;
 import spoon.reflect.cu.CompilationUnit;
 import spoon.reflect.cu.SourcePosition;
+import spoon.reflect.declaration.CtElement;
 import spoon.reflect.declaration.CtMethod;
+import spoon.reflect.declaration.CtModifiable;
 import spoon.reflect.declaration.CtType;
 import spoon.reflect.factory.Factory;
 import spoon.reflect.reference.CtExecutableReference;
 import spoon.reflect.reference.CtTypeReference;
 import spoon.reflect.visitor.Filter;
 import spoon.reflect.visitor.filter.TypeFilter;
+import spoon.support.reflect.CtExtendedModifier;
 import spoon.support.reflect.cu.CompilationUnitImpl;
 import spoon.support.reflect.cu.position.BodyHolderSourcePositionImpl;
 import spoon.support.reflect.cu.position.DeclarationSourcePositionImpl;
 import spoon.support.reflect.cu.position.SourcePositionImpl;
+import spoon.support.reflect.declaration.CtClassImpl;
 import spoon.test.sourcePosition.testclasses.Brambora;
 import spoon.testing.utils.ModelUtils;
 
@@ -112,4 +118,15 @@ public String getOriginalSourceCode() {
 				"name = |4;7|4567|\n" + 
 				"body = |8;9|89|", bhsp.getSourceDetails());
 	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testSourcePositionWhenCommentInAnnotation() {
+		// contract: comment characters as element values in annotations should not break position assignment to modifiers
+		Launcher launcher = new Launcher();
+		launcher.addInputResource("./src/test/resources/spoon/test/sourcePosition/ClassWithAnnotation.java");
+		launcher.addInputResource("./src/test/resources/spoon/test/sourcePosition/TestAnnotation.java");
+		CtModel model = launcher.buildModel();
+		List<CtClassImpl> list = model.getElements(new TypeFilter<>(CtClassImpl.class));
+		assertEquals(4,list.get(0).getPosition().getLine());
+	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/spoon/test/sourcePosition/ClassWithAnnotation.java b/src/test/resources/spoon/test/sourcePosition/ClassWithAnnotation.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b5ec4c1dae1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/spoon/test/sourcePosition/ClassWithAnnotation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+package spoon.test.sourcePosition
+
+@TestAnnotation("/*")
+public class ClassWithAnnotation {  }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/spoon/test/sourcePosition/TestAnnotation.java b/src/test/resources/spoon/test/sourcePosition/TestAnnotation.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a07fb3e95b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/spoon/test/sourcePosition/TestAnnotation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+package spoon.test.sourcePosition;
+
+// resource for https://github.com/INRIA/spoon/issues/3606
+public @interface TestAnnotation {
+    String value() default "";
+}