diff --git a/spec/language-mode-spec.coffee b/spec/language-mode-spec.coffee
index 07b875a91..47fa30bdf 100644
--- a/spec/language-mode-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/language-mode-spec.coffee
@@ -124,6 +124,11 @@ describe "LanguageMode", ->
               // lines
               var sort = function(items) {};
               // comment line after fn
+
+              var nosort = function(items) {
+                return item;
+              }
+
             };
           '''
 
@@ -144,6 +149,9 @@ describe "LanguageMode", ->
           range = languageMode.rowRangeForParagraphAtBufferRow(15)
           expect(range).toEqual [[15,0], [15,26]]
 
+          range = languageMode.rowRangeForParagraphAtBufferRow(18)
+          expect(range).toEqual [[17,0], [19,3]]
+
   describe "coffeescript", ->
     beforeEach ->
       waitsForPromise ->
diff --git a/src/language-mode.coffee b/src/language-mode.coffee
index 96c1073c1..b5529a05e 100644
--- a/src/language-mode.coffee
+++ b/src/language-mode.coffee
@@ -24,14 +24,8 @@ class LanguageMode
   # endRow - The row {Number} to end at
   toggleLineCommentsForBufferRows: (start, end) ->
     scope = @editor.scopeDescriptorForBufferPosition([start, 0])
-    commentStartEntry = atom.config.getAll('editor.commentStart', {scope})[0]
-
-    return unless commentStartEntry?
-
-    commentEndEntry = _.find atom.config.getAll('editor.commentEnd', {scope}), (entry) ->
-      entry.scopeSelector is commentStartEntry.scopeSelector
-    commentStartString = commentStartEntry?.value
-    commentEndString = commentEndEntry?.value
+    {commentStartString, commentEndString} = @commentStartAndEndStringsForScope(scope)
+    return unless commentStartString?
 
     buffer = @editor.buffer
     commentStartRegexString = _.escapeRegExp(commentStartString).replace(/(\s+)$/, '(?:$1)?')
@@ -190,11 +184,24 @@ class LanguageMode
     return false unless 0 <= bufferRow <= @editor.getLastBufferRow()
     @editor.displayBuffer.tokenizedBuffer.tokenizedLineForRow(bufferRow).isComment()
 
-  # Find a row range for a 'paragraph' around specified bufferRow.
-  # Right now, a paragraph is a block of text bounded by and empty line or a
-  # block of text that is not the same type (comments next to source code).
+  # Find a row range for a 'paragraph' around specified bufferRow. A paragraph
+  # is a block of text bounded by and empty line or a block of text that is not
+  # the same type (comments next to source code).
   rowRangeForParagraphAtBufferRow: (bufferRow) ->
-    return unless /\w/.test(@editor.lineTextForBufferRow(bufferRow))
+    scope = @editor.scopeDescriptorForBufferPosition([bufferRow, 0])
+    {commentStartString, commentEndString} = @commentStartAndEndStringsForScope(scope)
+    commentStartRegex = null
+    if commentStartString? and not commentEndString?
+      commentStartRegexString = _.escapeRegExp(commentStartString).replace(/(\s+)$/, '(?:$1)?')
+      commentStartRegex = new OnigRegExp("^(\\s*)(#{commentStartRegexString})")
+
+    filterCommentStart = (line) ->
+      if commentStartRegex?
+        matches = commentStartRegex.searchSync(line)
+        line = line.substring(matches[0].end) if matches?.length
+      line
+
+    return unless /\S/.test(filterCommentStart(@editor.lineTextForBufferRow(bufferRow)))
 
     if @isLineCommentedAtBufferRow(bufferRow)
       isOriginalRowComment = true
@@ -207,14 +214,14 @@ class LanguageMode
     startRow = bufferRow
     while startRow > firstRow
       break if @isLineCommentedAtBufferRow(startRow - 1) isnt isOriginalRowComment
-      break unless /\w/.test(@editor.lineTextForBufferRow(startRow - 1))
+      break unless /\S/.test(filterCommentStart(@editor.lineTextForBufferRow(startRow - 1)))
       startRow--
 
     endRow = bufferRow
     lastRow = @editor.getLastBufferRow()
     while endRow < lastRow
       break if @isLineCommentedAtBufferRow(endRow + 1) isnt isOriginalRowComment
-      break unless /\w/.test(@editor.lineTextForBufferRow(endRow + 1))
+      break unless /\S/.test(filterCommentStart(@editor.lineTextForBufferRow(endRow + 1)))
       endRow++
 
     new Range([startRow, 0], [endRow, @editor.lineTextForBufferRow(endRow).length])
@@ -319,3 +326,11 @@ class LanguageMode
 
   foldEndRegexForScopeDescriptor: (scopeDescriptor) ->
     @getRegexForProperty(scopeDescriptor, 'editor.foldEndPattern')
+
+  commentStartAndEndStringsForScope: (scope) ->
+    commentStartEntry = atom.config.getAll('editor.commentStart', {scope})[0]
+    commentEndEntry = _.find atom.config.getAll('editor.commentEnd', {scope}), (entry) ->
+      entry.scopeSelector is commentStartEntry.scopeSelector
+    commentStartString = commentStartEntry?.value
+    commentEndString = commentEndEntry?.value
+    {commentStartString, commentEndString}
diff --git a/src/scope-descriptor.coffee b/src/scope-descriptor.coffee
index d7ec263fd..7940cc630 100644
--- a/src/scope-descriptor.coffee
+++ b/src/scope-descriptor.coffee
@@ -44,3 +44,6 @@ class ScopeDescriptor
         scope = ".#{scope}" unless scope[0] is '.'
         scope
       .join(' ')
+
+  toString: ->
+    @getScopeChain()