diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/decoder_properties.go b/pkg/yqlib/decoder_properties.go
index e6aa3288..1c7eee14 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/decoder_properties.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/decoder_properties.go
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ func (dec *propertiesDecoder) applyProperty(properties *properties.Properties, c
 	value, _ := properties.Get(key)
 	path := parsePropKey(key)
 
-	log.Debug("comments: %v", properties.GetComments(key))
-	log.Debug("comment: %v", properties.GetComment(key))
+	IMPROVEMENT - target the key node with the comment, set as a header comment instead.
+
 	rhsNode := &yaml.Node{
 		Value:       value,
 		Tag:         "!!str",
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/encoder_properties.go b/pkg/yqlib/encoder_properties.go
index 6b922fd9..dc7c630a 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/encoder_properties.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/encoder_properties.go
@@ -75,7 +75,9 @@ func (pe *propertiesEncoder) Encode(writer io.Writer, node *yaml.Node) error {
 }
 
 func (pe *propertiesEncoder) doEncode(p *properties.Properties, node *yaml.Node, path string) error {
-	p.SetComment(path, strings.ReplaceAll(headAndLineComment(node), "\n", "\n# "))
+
+	commentsWithSpaces := strings.ReplaceAll(headAndLineComment(node), "\n", "\n ")
+	p.SetComments(path, strings.Split(commentsWithSpaces, "\n"))
 	switch node.Kind {
 	case yaml.ScalarNode:
 		var nodeValue string