diff --git a/jinja2/lexer.py b/jinja2/lexer.py
index 8f63932..3a925bb 100644
--- a/jinja2/lexer.py
+++ b/jinja2/lexer.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@
         (len(environment.block_start_string), 'block',
          e(environment.block_start_string)),
         (len(environment.variable_start_string), 'variable',
-         e(environment.variable_start_string)),
+         e(environment.variable_start_string))
     ]
 
     if environment.line_statement_prefix is not None:
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
                       r'^\s*' + e(environment.line_statement_prefix)))
     if environment.line_comment_prefix is not None:
         rules.append((len(environment.line_comment_prefix), 'linecomment',
-                      r'(?:^|(?<!\S))\s*' + e(environment.line_comment_prefix)))
+                      r'(?:^|(?<=\S))[^\S\r\n]*' + e(environment.line_comment_prefix)))
 
     return [x[1:] for x in sorted(rules, reverse=True)]
 
diff --git a/tests/test_parser.py b/tests/test_parser.py
index 9ee6003..8d39ab0 100644
--- a/tests/test_parser.py
+++ b/tests/test_parser.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
     # XXX: why is the whitespace there in front of the newline?
     env = Environment('{%', '%}', '${', '}', '/*', '*/', '##', '#')
     tmpl = env.from_string(LINE_SYNTAX_PRIORITY1)
-    assert tmpl.render(seq=[1, 2]).strip() == '* 1 \n* 2'
+    assert tmpl.render(seq=[1, 2]).strip() == '* 1\n* 2'
     env = Environment('{%', '%}', '${', '}', '/*', '*/', '#', '##')
     tmpl = env.from_string(LINE_SYNTAX_PRIORITY2)
-    assert tmpl.render(seq=[1, 2]).strip() == '* 1 \n* 2'
+    assert tmpl.render(seq=[1, 2]).strip() == '* 1\n* 2'