diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/integration/crosswalks/ReferCrosswalk.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/integration/crosswalks/ReferCrosswalk.java
index 579fa79b4d71..6c5f3db6b741 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/integration/crosswalks/ReferCrosswalk.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/integration/crosswalks/ReferCrosswalk.java
@@ -238,12 +238,18 @@ private List<TemplateLine> readTemplateLines(File templateFile) throws IOExcepti
         try (BufferedReader templateReader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(templateFile))) {
             return templateReader.lines()
                 .map(this::buildTemplateLine)
+                .filter(Objects::nonNull)
                 .collect(Collectors.toList());
         }
     }
 
     private TemplateLine buildTemplateLine(String templateLine) {
 
+        if (templateLine.trim().startsWith("#")) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+
         Matcher matcher = FIELD_PATTERN.matcher(templateLine);
         if (!matcher.find()) {
             return new TemplateLine(templateLine);