diff --git a/use_existing_torch.py b/use_existing_torch.py
index 319d262898fe3..4138b93e67d42 100644
--- a/use_existing_torch.py
+++ b/use_existing_torch.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
     print(f">>> cleaning {file}")
     with open(file) as f:
         lines = f.readlines()
+    # filter out comments
+    lines = [ line.split(" #")[0] for line in lines ]
     if "torch" in "".join(lines).lower():
         print("removed:")
         with open(file, 'w') as f: