diff --git a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/Pmupp.cpp b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/Pmupp.cpp
index af247c74..e908a08f 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/Pmupp.cpp
+++ b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/Pmupp.cpp
@@ -594,7 +594,12 @@ PmuppCollection PParamDataHandler::ReadColumnParamFile(const QString fln, bool &
   run.SetName(fln);
 
   // read header information
+  // step over initial comments
   line = in.readLine();
+  while (line.isEmpty() || line.startsWith("%") || line.startsWith("#"))
+      line = in.readLine();
+
+  // handle header
 #if (QT_VERSION < QT_VERSION_CHECK(5, 14, 0))
   token = line.split(QRegExp("\\s+"), QString::SkipEmptyParts);
 #else
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt6/mupp/Pmupp.cpp b/src/musredit_qt6/mupp/Pmupp.cpp
index 41c0924c..3210c7a1 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt6/mupp/Pmupp.cpp
+++ b/src/musredit_qt6/mupp/Pmupp.cpp
@@ -702,7 +702,12 @@ PmuppCollection PParamDataHandler::ReadColumnParamFile(const QString fln, bool &
   run.SetName(fln);
 
   // read header information
+  // step over initial comments
   line = in.readLine();
+  while (line.isEmpty() || line.startsWith("%") || line.startsWith("#"))
+    line = in.readLine();
+
+  // handle header
   token = line.split(QRegularExpression("\\s+"), Qt::SkipEmptyParts);
 
   QVector<QString> headerInfo;