diff --git a/codeflash/languages/java/remove_asserts.py b/codeflash/languages/java/remove_asserts.py
index a9050c7ca..2d01f83d7 100644
--- a/codeflash/languages/java/remove_asserts.py
+++ b/codeflash/languages/java/remove_asserts.py
@@ -193,6 +193,9 @@ def __init__(
         # Precompile the assignment-detection regex to avoid recompiling on each call.
         self._assign_re = re.compile(r"(\w+(?:<[^>]+>)?)\s+(\w+)\s*=\s*$")
 
+        # Precompile regex to find next special character (single-quote, double-quote, brace).
+        self._special_re = re.compile(r"[\"'{}]")
+
     def transform(self, source: str) -> str:
         """Remove assertions from source code, preserving target function calls.
 
@@ -843,30 +846,42 @@ def _find_balanced_braces(self, code: str, open_brace_pos: int) -> tuple[str | N
 
         depth = 1
         pos = open_brace_pos + 1
-        in_string = False
-        string_char = None
-        in_char = False
+        code_len = len(code)
+        special_re = self._special_re
+
+        while pos < code_len and depth > 0:
+            m = special_re.search(code, pos)
+            if m is None:
+                return None, -1
+
+            idx = m.start()
+            char = m.group()
+            prev_char = code[idx - 1] if idx > 0 else ""
+
+            if char == "'" and prev_char != "\\":
+                j = code.find("'", idx + 1)
+                while j != -1 and j > 0 and code[j - 1] == "\\":
+                    j = code.find("'", j + 1)
+                if j == -1:
+                    return None, -1
+                pos = j + 1
+                continue
 
-        while pos < len(code) and depth > 0:
-            char = code[pos]
-            prev_char = code[pos - 1] if pos > 0 else ""
+            if char == '"' and prev_char != "\\":
+                j = code.find('"', idx + 1)
+                while j != -1 and j > 0 and code[j - 1] == "\\":
+                    j = code.find('"', j + 1)
+                if j == -1:
+                    return None, -1
+                pos = j + 1
+                continue
 
-            if char == "'" and not in_string and prev_char != "\\":
-                in_char = not in_char
-            elif char == '"' and not in_char and prev_char != "\\":
-                if not in_string:
-                    in_string = True
-                    string_char = char
-                elif char == string_char:
-                    in_string = False
-                    string_char = None
-            elif not in_string and not in_char:
-                if char == "{":
-                    depth += 1
-                elif char == "}":
-                    depth -= 1
+            if char == "{":
+                depth += 1
+            elif char == "}":
+                depth -= 1
 
-            pos += 1
+            pos = idx + 1
 
         if depth != 0:
             return None, -1