diff --git a/hgext/histedit.py b/hgext/histedit.py
--- a/hgext/histedit.py
+++ b/hgext/histedit.py
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ def _histedit(ui, repo, *freeargs, **opt
             rules = f.read()
             f.close()
         rules = [l for l in (r.strip() for r in rules.splitlines())
-                 if l and not l[0] == '#']
+                 if l and not l.startswith('#')]
         rules = verifyrules(rules, repo, ctxs)
 
         parentctx = repo[root].parents()[0]