--- /globalhome/mol/projects/LOFAR/shlex-32.py	2009-10-09 08:14:40.543753080 +0000
+++ shlex.py	2009-10-09 08:15:55.707647906 +0000
@@ -134,16 +134,24 @@ class shlex:
                 if not nextchar:
                     self.state = None  # end of file
                     break
-                elif nextchar in self.whitespace:
+                elif nextchar in self.commenters:
+                    remainder = self.instream.readline()
+                    self.lineno = self.lineno + 1
+
+                    if not remainder:
+                      self.state = None # end of file
+                      break
+
+                    # continue parsing the newline as any other character       
+                    nextchar = '\n'
+
+                if nextchar in self.whitespace:
                     if self.debug >= 2:
                         print "shlex: I see whitespace in whitespace state"
                     if self.token or (self.posix and quoted):
                         break   # emit current token
                     else:
                         continue
-                elif nextchar in self.commenters:
-                    self.instream.readline()
-                    self.lineno = self.lineno + 1
                 elif self.posix and nextchar in self.escape:
                     escapedstate = 'a'
                     self.state = nextchar