diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index f1de6080d..d4871babf 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, bool is_active) {
 	while (!feof(file)) {
 		int _;
 		char *line = read_line(file);
-		line = strip_comments(line);
 		line = strip_whitespace(line, &_);
+		line = strip_comments(line);
 		if (!line[0]) {
 			goto _continue;
 		}