diff --git a/pkg/util/attributes/parser.go b/pkg/util/attributes/parser.go
index 340443bff..46562a4ca 100644
--- a/pkg/util/attributes/parser.go
+++ b/pkg/util/attributes/parser.go
@@ -59,16 +59,16 @@ func ParseV2Attributes(attrs []string, excl []string) ([]*netmap.NodeAttribute,
 			}
 
 			if !present {
+				attribute = netmap.NewNodeAttribute()
+				cache[key] = attribute
+				result = append(result, attribute)
+
 				// replace non-printable symbols with escaped symbols without escape character
 				key = replaceEscaping(key, true)
 				value = replaceEscaping(value, true)
 
-				attribute = netmap.NewNodeAttribute()
 				attribute.SetKey(key)
 				attribute.SetValue(value)
-
-				cache[key] = attribute
-				result = append(result, attribute)
 			}
 
 			if parentKey != "" {
diff --git a/pkg/util/attributes/parser_test.go b/pkg/util/attributes/parser_test.go
index c9c0c9978..87fcef2a0 100644
--- a/pkg/util/attributes/parser_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/attributes/parser_test.go
@@ -74,6 +74,13 @@ func TestParseV2Attributes(t *testing.T) {
 		attrs, err := attributes.ParseV2Attributes(from, nil)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		require.Len(t, attrs, 1)
+
+		t.Run("with escape characters", func(t *testing.T) {
+			from = []string{`/a\::b\/`, `/a\::b\/`}
+			attrs, err := attributes.ParseV2Attributes(from, nil)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.Len(t, attrs, 1)
+		})
 	})
 
 	t.Run("multiple parents", func(t *testing.T) {