diff --git a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/Emulative.php b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/Emulative.php
index bf4837a..7698abb 100644
--- a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/Emulative.php
+++ b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/Emulative.php
@@ -6,12 +6,13 @@ use PhpParser\Error;
 use PhpParser\ErrorHandler;
 use PhpParser\Lexer;
 use PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator\CoaleseEqualTokenEmulator;
+use PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator\FlexibleDocStringEmulator;
 use PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator\FnTokenEmulator;
 use PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator\MatchTokenEmulator;
 use PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator\NullsafeTokenEmulator;
 use PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator\NumericLiteralSeparatorEmulator;
 use PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator\ReverseEmulator;
-use PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator\TokenEmulatorInterface;
+use PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator\TokenEmulator;
 use PhpParser\Parser\Tokens;
 
 class Emulative extends Lexer
@@ -20,16 +21,10 @@ class Emulative extends Lexer
     const PHP_7_4 = '7.4dev';
     const PHP_8_0 = '8.0dev';
 
-    const FLEXIBLE_DOC_STRING_REGEX = <<<'REGEX'
-/<<<[ \t]*(['"]?)([a-zA-Z_\x80-\xff][a-zA-Z0-9_\x80-\xff]*)\1\r?\n
-(?:.*\r?\n)*?
-(?<indentation>\h*)\2(?![a-zA-Z0-9_\x80-\xff])(?<separator>(?:;?[\r\n])?)/x
-REGEX;
-
     /** @var mixed[] Patches used to reverse changes introduced in the code */
     private $patches = [];
 
-    /** @var TokenEmulatorInterface[] */
+    /** @var TokenEmulator[] */
     private $emulators = [];
 
     /** @var string */
@@ -48,6 +43,7 @@ REGEX;
         parent::__construct($options);
 
         $emulators = [
+            new FlexibleDocStringEmulator(),
             new FnTokenEmulator(),
             new MatchTokenEmulator(),
             new CoaleseEqualTokenEmulator(),
@@ -68,19 +64,23 @@ REGEX;
     }
 
     public function startLexing(string $code, ErrorHandler $errorHandler = null) {
-        $this->patches = [];
+        $emulators = array_filter($this->emulators, function($emulator) use($code) {
+            return $emulator->isEmulationNeeded($code);
+        });
 
-        if ($this->isEmulationNeeded($code) === false) {
+        if (empty($emulators)) {
             // Nothing to emulate, yay
             parent::startLexing($code, $errorHandler);
             return;
         }
 
-        $collector = new ErrorHandler\Collecting();
+        $this->patches = [];
+        foreach ($emulators as $emulator) {
+            $code = $emulator->preprocessCode($code, $this->patches);
+        }
 
-        // 1. emulation of heredoc and nowdoc new syntax
-        $preparedCode = $this->processHeredocNowdoc($code);
-        parent::startLexing($preparedCode, $collector);
+        $collector = new ErrorHandler\Collecting();
+        parent::startLexing($code, $collector);
         $this->fixupTokens();
 
         $errors = $collector->getErrors();
@@ -91,10 +91,8 @@ REGEX;
             }
         }
 
-        foreach ($this->emulators as $emulator) {
-            if ($emulator->isEmulationNeeded($code)) {
-                $this->tokens = $emulator->emulate($code, $this->tokens);
-            }
+        foreach ($emulators as $emulator) {
+            $this->tokens = $emulator->emulate($code, $this->tokens);
         }
     }
 
@@ -108,71 +106,6 @@ REGEX;
             && version_compare($this->targetPhpVersion, $emulatorPhpVersion, '<');
     }
 
-    private function isHeredocNowdocEmulationNeeded(string $code): bool
-    {
-        if (!$this->isForwardEmulationNeeded(self::PHP_7_3)) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        return strpos($code, '<<<') !== false;
-    }
-
-    private function processHeredocNowdoc(string $code): string
-    {
-        if ($this->isHeredocNowdocEmulationNeeded($code) === false) {
-            return $code;
-        }
-
-        if (!preg_match_all(self::FLEXIBLE_DOC_STRING_REGEX, $code, $matches, PREG_SET_ORDER|PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE)) {
-            // No heredoc/nowdoc found
-            return $code;
-        }
-
-        // Keep track of how much we need to adjust string offsets due to the modifications we
-        // already made
-        $posDelta = 0;
-        foreach ($matches as $match) {
-            $indentation = $match['indentation'][0];
-            $indentationStart = $match['indentation'][1];
-
-            $separator = $match['separator'][0];
-            $separatorStart = $match['separator'][1];
-
-            if ($indentation === '' && $separator !== '') {
-                // Ordinary heredoc/nowdoc
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            if ($indentation !== '') {
-                // Remove indentation
-                $indentationLen = strlen($indentation);
-                $code = substr_replace($code, '', $indentationStart + $posDelta, $indentationLen);
-                $this->patches[] = [$indentationStart + $posDelta, 'add', $indentation];
-                $posDelta -= $indentationLen;
-            }
-
-            if ($separator === '') {
-                // Insert newline as separator
-                $code = substr_replace($code, "\n", $separatorStart + $posDelta, 0);
-                $this->patches[] = [$separatorStart + $posDelta, 'remove', "\n"];
-                $posDelta += 1;
-            }
-        }
-
-        return $code;
-    }
-
-    private function isEmulationNeeded(string $code): bool
-    {
-        foreach ($this->emulators as $emulator) {
-            if ($emulator->isEmulationNeeded($code)) {
-                return true;
-            }
-        }
-
-        return $this->isHeredocNowdocEmulationNeeded($code);
-    }
-
     private function fixupTokens()
     {
         if (\count($this->patches) === 0) {
diff --git a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/CoaleseEqualTokenEmulator.php b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/CoaleseEqualTokenEmulator.php
index a1be8f2..d91da92 100644
--- a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/CoaleseEqualTokenEmulator.php
+++ b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/CoaleseEqualTokenEmulator.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ namespace PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator;
 
 use PhpParser\Lexer\Emulative;
 
-final class CoaleseEqualTokenEmulator implements TokenEmulatorInterface
+final class CoaleseEqualTokenEmulator extends TokenEmulator
 {
     public function getPhpVersion(): string
     {
diff --git a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/FlexibleDocStringEmulator.php b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/FlexibleDocStringEmulator.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c15d627
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/FlexibleDocStringEmulator.php
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+<?php declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator;
+
+use PhpParser\Lexer\Emulative;
+
+final class FlexibleDocStringEmulator extends TokenEmulator
+{
+    const FLEXIBLE_DOC_STRING_REGEX = <<<'REGEX'
+/<<<[ \t]*(['"]?)([a-zA-Z_\x80-\xff][a-zA-Z0-9_\x80-\xff]*)\1\r?\n
+(?:.*\r?\n)*?
+(?<indentation>\h*)\2(?![a-zA-Z0-9_\x80-\xff])(?<separator>(?:;?[\r\n])?)/x
+REGEX;
+
+    public function getPhpVersion(): string
+    {
+        return Emulative::PHP_7_3;
+    }
+
+    public function isEmulationNeeded(string $code) : bool
+    {
+        return strpos($code, '<<<') !== false;
+    }
+
+    public function emulate(string $code, array $tokens): array
+    {
+        // Handled by preprocessing + fixup.
+        return $tokens;
+    }
+
+    public function reverseEmulate(string $code, array $tokens): array
+    {
+        // Not supported.
+        return $tokens;
+    }
+
+    public function preprocessCode(string $code, array &$patches): string {
+        if (!preg_match_all(self::FLEXIBLE_DOC_STRING_REGEX, $code, $matches, PREG_SET_ORDER|PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE)) {
+            // No heredoc/nowdoc found
+            return $code;
+        }
+
+        // Keep track of how much we need to adjust string offsets due to the modifications we
+        // already made
+        $posDelta = 0;
+        foreach ($matches as $match) {
+            $indentation = $match['indentation'][0];
+            $indentationStart = $match['indentation'][1];
+
+            $separator = $match['separator'][0];
+            $separatorStart = $match['separator'][1];
+
+            if ($indentation === '' && $separator !== '') {
+                // Ordinary heredoc/nowdoc
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if ($indentation !== '') {
+                // Remove indentation
+                $indentationLen = strlen($indentation);
+                $code = substr_replace($code, '', $indentationStart + $posDelta, $indentationLen);
+                $patches[] = [$indentationStart + $posDelta, 'add', $indentation];
+                $posDelta -= $indentationLen;
+            }
+
+            if ($separator === '') {
+                // Insert newline as separator
+                $code = substr_replace($code, "\n", $separatorStart + $posDelta, 0);
+                $patches[] = [$separatorStart + $posDelta, 'remove', "\n"];
+                $posDelta += 1;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $code;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/KeywordEmulator.php b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/KeywordEmulator.php
index 62a293b..33bf964 100644
--- a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/KeywordEmulator.php
+++ b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/KeywordEmulator.php
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator;
 
-abstract class KeywordEmulator implements TokenEmulatorInterface
+abstract class KeywordEmulator extends TokenEmulator
 {
     abstract function getKeywordString(): string;
     abstract function getKeywordToken(): int;
diff --git a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/NullsafeTokenEmulator.php b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/NullsafeTokenEmulator.php
index 4a7fcb7..686f305 100644
--- a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/NullsafeTokenEmulator.php
+++ b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/NullsafeTokenEmulator.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ namespace PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator;
 
 use PhpParser\Lexer\Emulative;
 
-final class NullsafeTokenEmulator implements TokenEmulatorInterface
+final class NullsafeTokenEmulator extends TokenEmulator
 {
     public function getPhpVersion(): string
     {
diff --git a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/NumericLiteralSeparatorEmulator.php b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/NumericLiteralSeparatorEmulator.php
index 2cee130..cdf793e 100644
--- a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/NumericLiteralSeparatorEmulator.php
+++ b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/NumericLiteralSeparatorEmulator.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ namespace PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator;
 
 use PhpParser\Lexer\Emulative;
 
-final class NumericLiteralSeparatorEmulator implements TokenEmulatorInterface
+final class NumericLiteralSeparatorEmulator extends TokenEmulator
 {
     const BIN = '(?:0b[01]+(?:_[01]+)*)';
     const HEX = '(?:0x[0-9a-f]+(?:_[0-9a-f]+)*)';
diff --git a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/ReverseEmulator.php b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/ReverseEmulator.php
index d324f63..90093f6 100644
--- a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/ReverseEmulator.php
+++ b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/ReverseEmulator.php
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ namespace PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator;
 /**
  * Reverses emulation direction of the inner emulator.
  */
-final class ReverseEmulator implements TokenEmulatorInterface
+final class ReverseEmulator extends TokenEmulator
 {
-    /** @var TokenEmulatorInterface Inner emulator */
+    /** @var TokenEmulator Inner emulator */
     private $emulator;
 
-    public function __construct(TokenEmulatorInterface $emulator) {
+    public function __construct(TokenEmulator $emulator) {
         $this->emulator = $emulator;
     }
 
@@ -29,4 +29,8 @@ final class ReverseEmulator implements TokenEmulatorInterface
     public function reverseEmulate(string $code, array $tokens): array {
         return $this->emulator->emulate($code, $tokens);
     }
+
+    public function preprocessCode(string $code, array &$patches): string {
+        return $code;
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/TokenEmulator.php b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/TokenEmulator.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a020bc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/TokenEmulator.php
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+<?php declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator;
+
+/** @internal */
+abstract class TokenEmulator
+{
+    abstract public function getPhpVersion(): string;
+
+    abstract public function isEmulationNeeded(string $code): bool;
+
+    /**
+     * @return array Modified Tokens
+     */
+    abstract public function emulate(string $code, array $tokens): array;
+
+    /**
+     * @return array Modified Tokens
+     */
+    abstract public function reverseEmulate(string $code, array $tokens): array;
+
+    public function preprocessCode(string $code, array &$patches): string {
+        return $code;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/TokenEmulatorInterface.php b/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/TokenEmulatorInterface.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 2620513..0000000
--- a/lib/PhpParser/Lexer/TokenEmulator/TokenEmulatorInterface.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-<?php declare(strict_types=1);
-
-namespace PhpParser\Lexer\TokenEmulator;
-
-/** @internal */
-interface TokenEmulatorInterface
-{
-    public function getPhpVersion(): string;
-
-    public function isEmulationNeeded(string $code): bool;
-
-    /**
-     * @return array Modified Tokens
-     */
-    public function emulate(string $code, array $tokens): array;
-
-    /**
-     * @return array Modified Tokens
-     */
-    public function reverseEmulate(string $code, array $tokens): array;
-}