diff --git a/lib/less/parser.js b/lib/less/parser.js
index 869ff8f5..2a742741 100644
--- a/lib/less/parser.js
+++ b/lib/less/parser.js
@@ -188,21 +188,21 @@ less.Parser = function Parser(env) {
             i = j = current = furthest = 0;
             chunks = [];
             input = str.replace(/\r\n/g, '\n');
-            inputLength = input.length;
 
             // Split the input into chunks,
-            // Either delimited by /\n\n/ or
-            // delmited by '\n}' (see rationale above),
+            // delimited by /\n\n/ and 
+            // removing comments (see rationale above),
             // depending on the level of optimization.
             if (that.optimization > 0) {
                 input = input.replace(/\/\*(?:[^*]|\*+[^\/*])*\*+\//g, function (comment) {
-                    return that.optimization > 1 ? '' : comment.replace(/\n\n+/g, '\n');
+                    return that.optimization > 1 ? '' : comment.replace(/\n(\s*\n)+/g, '\n');
                 });
-                chunks = input.split(/^(?=\n)/mg);
+                chunks = input.split(/^(?=(\s*\n)+)/mg);
             } else {
                 chunks = [input];
             }
 
+            inputLength = input.length;
 
             // Start with the primary rule.
             // The whole syntax tree is held under a Ruleset node,