diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/printer.go b/pkg/yqlib/printer.go
index 71783fe3..a264bd49 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/printer.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/printer.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"container/list"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"strings"
+	"regexp"
 
 	yaml "gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
@@ -132,7 +132,8 @@ func (p *resultsPrinter) PrintResults(matchingNodes *list.List) error {
 			return errorWriting
 		}
 
-		commentStartsWithSeparator := strings.Contains(mappedDoc.LeadingContent, "$yqLeadingContent$\n$yqDocSeperator$")
+		commentsStartWithSepExp := regexp.MustCompile(`^\$yqDocSeperator\$`)
+		commentStartsWithSeparator := commentsStartWithSepExp.MatchString(mappedDoc.LeadingContent)
 
 		if (p.previousDocIndex != mappedDoc.Document || p.previousFileIndex != mappedDoc.FileIndex) && p.printDocSeparators && !commentStartsWithSeparator {
 			log.Debug("-- writing doc sep")
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/printer_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/printer_test.go
index a2fb7152..8c74af87 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/printer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/printer_test.go
@@ -82,15 +82,15 @@ func TestPrinterMultipleDocsInSequenceWithLeadingContent(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	el := inputs.Front()
-	el.Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "$yqLeadingContent$\n# go cats\n$yqDocSeperator$\n"
+	el.Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "# go cats\n$yqDocSeperator$\n"
 	sample1 := nodeToList(el.Value.(*CandidateNode))
 
 	el = el.Next()
-	el.Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "$yqLeadingContent$\n$yqDocSeperator$\n"
+	el.Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "$yqDocSeperator$\n"
 	sample2 := nodeToList(el.Value.(*CandidateNode))
 
 	el = el.Next()
-	el.Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "$yqLeadingContent$\n$yqDocSeperator$\n# cool\n"
+	el.Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "$yqDocSeperator$\n# cool\n"
 	sample3 := nodeToList(el.Value.(*CandidateNode))
 
 	err = printer.PrintResults(sample1)
@@ -174,21 +174,21 @@ func TestPrinterMultipleFilesInSequenceWithLeadingContent(t *testing.T) {
 	elNode := el.Value.(*CandidateNode)
 	elNode.Document = 0
 	elNode.FileIndex = 0
-	elNode.LeadingContent = "$yqLeadingContent$\n# go cats\n$yqDocSeperator$\n"
+	elNode.LeadingContent = "# go cats\n$yqDocSeperator$\n"
 	sample1 := nodeToList(elNode)
 
 	el = el.Next()
 	elNode = el.Value.(*CandidateNode)
 	elNode.Document = 0
 	elNode.FileIndex = 1
-	elNode.LeadingContent = "$yqLeadingContent$\n$yqDocSeperator$\n"
+	elNode.LeadingContent = "$yqDocSeperator$\n"
 	sample2 := nodeToList(elNode)
 
 	el = el.Next()
 	elNode = el.Value.(*CandidateNode)
 	elNode.Document = 0
 	elNode.FileIndex = 2
-	elNode.LeadingContent = "$yqLeadingContent$\n$yqDocSeperator$\n# cool\n"
+	elNode.LeadingContent = "$yqDocSeperator$\n# cool\n"
 	sample3 := nodeToList(elNode)
 
 	err = printer.PrintResults(sample1)
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ func TestPrinterMultipleDocsInSinglePrintWithLeadingDoc(t *testing.T) {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	inputs.Front().Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "$yqLeadingContent$\n# go cats\n$yqDocSeperator$\n"
+	inputs.Front().Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "# go cats\n$yqDocSeperator$\n"
 
 	err = printer.PrintResults(inputs)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ func TestPrinterMultipleDocsInSinglePrintWithLeadingDocTrailing(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
-	inputs.Front().Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "$yqLeadingContent$\n$yqDocSeperator$\n"
+	inputs.Front().Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "$yqDocSeperator$\n"
 	err = printer.PrintResults(inputs)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ func TestPrinterMultipleDocsJson(t *testing.T) {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	inputs.Front().Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "$yqLeadingContent$\n# ignore this\n"
+	inputs.Front().Value.(*CandidateNode).LeadingContent = "# ignore this\n"
 
 	err = printer.PrintResults(inputs)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/utils.go b/pkg/yqlib/utils.go
index c38c3c43..7405f730 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/utils.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/utils.go
@@ -37,52 +37,46 @@ func writeString(writer io.Writer, txt string) error {
 }
 
 func processLeadingContent(mappedDoc *CandidateNode, writer io.Writer, printDocSeparators bool, outputFormat PrinterOutputFormat) error {
-	if strings.Contains(mappedDoc.LeadingContent, "$yqLeadingContent$") {
-		log.Debug("headcommentwas %v", mappedDoc.LeadingContent)
-		log.Debug("finished headcomment")
-		reader := bufio.NewReader(strings.NewReader(mappedDoc.LeadingContent))
-		mappedDoc.Node.HeadComment = ""
+	log.Debug("headcommentwas %v", mappedDoc.LeadingContent)
+	log.Debug("finished headcomment")
+	reader := bufio.NewReader(strings.NewReader(mappedDoc.LeadingContent))
+	mappedDoc.Node.HeadComment = ""
 
-		for {
+	for {
 
-			readline, errReading := reader.ReadString('\n')
-			if errReading != nil && errReading != io.EOF {
-				return errReading
-			}
-			if strings.Contains(readline, "$yqLeadingContent$") {
-				// skip this
-
-			} else if strings.Contains(readline, "$yqDocSeperator$") {
-				if printDocSeparators {
-					if err := writeString(writer, "---\n"); err != nil {
-						return err
-					}
-				}
-			} else if outputFormat == YamlOutputFormat {
-				if err := writeString(writer, readline); err != nil {
+		readline, errReading := reader.ReadString('\n')
+		if errReading != nil && errReading != io.EOF {
+			return errReading
+		}
+		if strings.Contains(readline, "$yqDocSeperator$") {
+			if printDocSeparators {
+				if err := writeString(writer, "---\n"); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
 			}
-
-			if errReading == io.EOF {
-				if readline != "" {
-					// the last comment we read didn't have a new line, put one in
-					if err := writeString(writer, "\n"); err != nil {
-						return err
-					}
-				}
-				break
+		} else if outputFormat == YamlOutputFormat {
+			if err := writeString(writer, readline); err != nil {
+				return err
 			}
 		}
 
+		if errReading == io.EOF {
+			if readline != "" {
+				// the last comment we read didn't have a new line, put one in
+				if err := writeString(writer, "\n"); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+			break
+		}
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
 func processReadStream(reader *bufio.Reader) (io.Reader, string, error) {
 	var commentLineRegEx = regexp.MustCompile(`^\s*#`)
 	var sb strings.Builder
-	sb.WriteString("$yqLeadingContent$\n")
 	for {
 		peekBytes, err := reader.Peek(3)
 		if err == io.EOF {