diff --git a/src/frontend/cpitf.c b/src/frontend/cpitf.c
index 9f4a99add..9cd85ae56 100644
--- a/src/frontend/cpitf.c
+++ b/src/frontend/cpitf.c
@@ -220,9 +220,6 @@ ft_cpinit(void)
         }
     }
 
-    /* Reset this for the front end. */
-    cp_hash = '*';
-
     /* set variables to read program configuration into special spinit for VS */
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
 #ifdef CONFIG64
diff --git a/src/frontend/parser/lexical.c b/src/frontend/parser/lexical.c
index 1de18b67d..32fae3767 100644
--- a/src/frontend/parser/lexical.c
+++ b/src/frontend/parser/lexical.c
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ bool cp_interactive = TRUE;
 bool cp_bqflag = FALSE;
 char *cp_promptstring = NULL;
 char *cp_altprompt = NULL;
-char cp_hash = '#';
 
 static int numeofs = 0;
 
@@ -199,9 +198,9 @@ nloop:
         if ((c == EOF) && cp_bqflag)
             c = '\n';
 
-        /* '#' as the first character in a line,
+        /* '#' or '*' as the first character in a line,
            starts a comment line, drop it */
-        if ((c == cp_hash) && !cp_interactive && (linebuf.i == 1)) {
+        if ((c == '#' || c == '*') && (linebuf.i == 1)) {
             if (string) {
                 wl_free(wlist);
                 tfree(buf.s);
diff --git a/src/include/ngspice/cpextern.h b/src/include/ngspice/cpextern.h
index 7e2ab2542..70a69fccf 100644
--- a/src/include/ngspice/cpextern.h
+++ b/src/include/ngspice/cpextern.h
@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@ extern bool cp_bqflag;
 extern bool cp_interactive;
 extern char *cp_altprompt;
 extern char *cp_promptstring;
-extern char cp_hash;
 extern int cp_event;
 extern wordlist *cp_lexer(char *string);
 extern int inchar(FILE *fp);