diff --git a/scdoc.1.scd b/scdoc.1.scd
index 5dd124e..9f48596 100644
--- a/scdoc.1.scd
+++ b/scdoc.1.scd
@@ -169,6 +169,14 @@ literally in the man viewer - that is, it's not a means for inserting your own
 roff macros into the output. Note that \\ is still interpreted within literal
 blocks, which for example can be useful to output \``` inside of a literal block.
 
+## COMMENTS
+
+Lines beginning with ; and a space are ignored.
+
+```
+; This is a comment
+```
+
 # AUTHORS
 
 Maintained by Drew DeVault <sir@cmpwn.com>. Up-to-date sources can be found at
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 1417986..2431eb1 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -491,6 +491,14 @@ static void parse_document(struct parser *p) {
 			break;
 		}
 		switch (ch) {
+		case ';':
+			if ((ch = parser_getch(p)) != ' ') {
+				parser_fatal(p, "Expected space after ; to begin comment");
+			}
+			do {
+				ch = parser_getch(p);
+			} while (ch != UTF8_INVALID && ch != '\n');
+			break;
 		case '#':
 			if (indent != 0) {
 				parser_pushch(p, ch);
diff --git a/test/comments b/test/comments
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..179ac40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/comments
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+. test/lib.sh
+
+begin "Ignore comments"
+scdoc <<EOF | grep "this is a comment" >/dev/null
+test(8)
+
+; this is a comment
+
+Hello world!
+EOF
+end 1
+
+begin "Fail on invalid comments"
+scdoc <<EOF >/dev/null
+test(8)
+
+;this is an invalid comment
+
+Hello world!
+EOF
+end 1