--- a/testing/mozbase/manifestparser/manifestparser/ini.py
+++ b/testing/mozbase/manifestparser/manifestparser/ini.py
@@ -3,17 +3,17 @@
 # You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
 
 import os
 
 __all__ = ['read_ini', 'combine_fields']
 
 
 def read_ini(fp, variables=None, default='DEFAULT', defaults_only=False,
-             comments=';#', separators=('=', ':'), strict=True,
+             comments=(';', '#'), separators=('=', ':'), strict=True,
              handle_defaults=True):
     """
     read an .ini file and return a list of [(section, values)]
     - fp : file pointer or path to read
     - variables : default set of variables
     - default : name of the section for the default section
     - defaults_only : if True, return the default section only
     - comments : characters that if they start a line denote a comment
@@ -37,17 +37,17 @@ def read_ini(fp, variables=None, default
 
         # ignore blank lines
         if not stripped:
             # reset key and value to avoid continuation lines
             key = value = None
             continue
 
         # ignore comment lines
-        if stripped[0] in comments:
+        if any(stripped.startswith(c) for c in comments):
             continue
 
         # check for a new section
         if len(stripped) > 2 and stripped[0] == '[' and stripped[-1] == ']':
             section = stripped[1:-1].strip()
             key = value = None
 
             # deal with DEFAULT section