diff --git a/gallery_dl/__init__.py b/gallery_dl/__init__.py
index 7504fa46..b64fa2f0 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/__init__.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/__init__.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 # published by the Free Software Foundation.
 
 import sys
-import json
 import logging
 from . import version, config, option, output, extractor, job, util, exception
 
@@ -32,81 +31,6 @@ def progress(urls, pformat):
         yield pinfo["url"]
 
 
-def parse_inputfile(file, log):
-    """Filter and process strings from an input file.
-
-    Lines starting with '#' and empty lines will be ignored.
-    Lines starting with '-' will be interpreted as a key-value pair separated
-      by an '='. where 'key' is a dot-separated option name and 'value' is a
-      JSON-parsable value. These configuration options will be applied while
-      processing the next URL.
-    Lines starting with '-G' are the same as above, except these options will
-      be applied for *all* following URLs, i.e. they are Global.
-    Everything else will be used as a potential URL.
-
-    Example input file:
-
-    # settings global options
-    -G base-directory = "/tmp/"
-    -G skip = false
-
-    # setting local options for the next URL
-    -filename="spaces_are_optional.jpg"
-    -skip    = true
-
-    https://example.org/
-
-    # next URL uses default filename and 'skip' is false.
-    https://example.com/index.htm # comment1
-    https://example.com/404.htm   # comment2
-    """
-    gconf = []
-    lconf = []
-
-    for line in file:
-        line = line.strip()
-
-        if not line or line[0] == "#":
-            # empty line or comment
-            continue
-
-        elif line[0] == "-":
-            # config spec
-            if len(line) >= 2 and line[1] == "G":
-                conf = gconf
-                line = line[2:]
-            else:
-                conf = lconf
-                line = line[1:]
-
-            key, sep, value = line.partition("=")
-            if not sep:
-                log.warning("input file: invalid <key>=<value> pair: %s", line)
-                continue
-
-            try:
-                value = json.loads(value.strip())
-            except ValueError as exc:
-                log.warning("input file: unable to parse '%s': %s", value, exc)
-                continue
-
-            key = key.strip().split(".")
-            conf.append((key[:-1], key[-1], value))
-
-        else:
-            # url
-            if " #" in line:
-                line = line.partition(" #")[0].rstrip()
-            elif "\t#" in line:
-                line = line.partition("\t#")[0].rstrip()
-            if gconf or lconf:
-                yield util.ExtendedUrl(line, gconf, lconf)
-                gconf = []
-                lconf = []
-            else:
-                yield line
-
-
 def main():
     try:
         if sys.stdout and sys.stdout.encoding.lower() != "utf-8":
@@ -275,12 +199,12 @@ def main():
                     try:
                         if inputfile == "-":
                             if sys.stdin:
-                                urls += parse_inputfile(sys.stdin, log)
+                                urls += util.parse_inputfile(sys.stdin, log)
                             else:
                                 log.warning("input file: stdin is not readable")
                         else:
                             with open(inputfile, encoding="utf-8") as file:
-                                urls += parse_inputfile(file, log)
+                                urls += util.parse_inputfile(file, log)
                     except OSError as exc:
                         log.warning("input file: %s", exc)
 
diff --git a/gallery_dl/util.py b/gallery_dl/util.py
index 4ba1cbae..1650b0a3 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/util.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/util.py
@@ -418,6 +418,82 @@ CODES = {
 }
 
 
+def parse_inputfile(file, log):
+    """Filter and process strings from an input file.
+
+    Lines starting with '#' and empty lines will be ignored.
+    Lines starting with '-' will be interpreted as a key-value pair separated
+      by an '='. where 'key' is a dot-separated option name and 'value' is a
+      JSON-parsable value. These configuration options will be applied while
+      processing the next URL.
+    Lines starting with '-G' are the same as above, except these options will
+      be applied for *all* following URLs, i.e. they are Global.
+    Everything else will be used as a potential URL.
+
+    Example input file:
+
+    # settings global options
+    -G base-directory = "/tmp/"
+    -G skip = false
+
+    # setting local options for the next URL
+    -filename="spaces_are_optional.jpg"
+    -skip    = true
+
+    https://example.org/
+
+    # next URL uses default filename and 'skip' is false.
+    https://example.com/index.htm # comment1
+    https://example.com/404.htm   # comment2
+    """
+    gconf = []
+    lconf = []
+    strip_comment = None
+
+    for line in file:
+        line = line.strip()
+
+        if not line or line[0] == "#":
+            # empty line or comment
+            continue
+
+        elif line[0] == "-":
+            # config spec
+            if len(line) >= 2 and line[1] == "G":
+                conf = gconf
+                line = line[2:]
+            else:
+                conf = lconf
+                line = line[1:]
+
+            key, sep, value = line.partition("=")
+            if not sep:
+                log.warning("input file: invalid <key>=<value> pair: %s", line)
+                continue
+
+            try:
+                value = json.loads(value.strip())
+            except ValueError as exc:
+                log.warning("input file: unable to parse '%s': %s", value, exc)
+                continue
+
+            key = key.strip().split(".")
+            conf.append((key[:-1], key[-1], value))
+
+        else:
+            # url
+            if " #" in line or "\t#" in line:
+                if strip_comment is None:
+                    strip_comment = re.compile(r"\s+#.*").sub
+                line = strip_comment("", line)
+            if gconf or lconf:
+                yield ExtendedUrl(line, gconf, lconf)
+                gconf = []
+                lconf = []
+            else:
+                yield line
+
+
 class UniversalNone():
     """None-style object that supports more operations than None itself"""
     __slots__ = ()