diff -u rubber-1.1/debian/changelog rubber-1.1/debian/changelog
--- rubber-1.1/debian/changelog
+++ rubber-1.1/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+rubber (1.1-2.2ubuntu2) lucid; urgency=low
+
+  * src/rules/latex/__init__.py:
+    - Use regexp to look for directives, so that comment mark needn't be at
+        beginning of line (LP: #195258).  Patch by Dan Drake
+
+ -- Alexander Valavanis <valavanisalex@googlemail.com>  Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:51:02 +0000
+
 rubber (1.1-2.2ubuntu1) lucid; urgency=low
 
   * debian/rules: Allow distclean errors to be handled properly
diff -u rubber-1.1/src/rules/latex/__init__.py rubber-1.1/src/rules/latex/__init__.py
--- rubber-1.1/src/rules/latex/__init__.py
+++ rubber-1.1/src/rules/latex/__init__.py
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@
 
 		# the initial hooks:
 
-		self.comment_mark = "%"
+		self.comment_mark = re.compile("^\s*%")
 
 		self.hooks = {
 			"input" : self.h_input,
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@
 			# Lines that start with a comment are the ones where directives
 			# may be found.
 
-			if line[0] == self.comment_mark:
+			if self.comment_mark.match(line):
 				m = re_command.match(string.rstrip(line))
 				if m.group("cmd"):
 					vars['line'] = lineno
@@ -1076,11 +1076,11 @@
 		"""
 		def end_verbatim (dict, self=self, hooks=self.hooks):
 			self.hooks = hooks
-			self.comment_mark = "%"
+			self.comment_mark = re.compile("^\s*%")
 			self.update_seq()
 		self.hooks = { end : end_verbatim }
 		self.update_seq()
-		self.comment_mark = None
+		self.comment_mark = re.compile("$ ")
 
 	def h_endinput (self, dict):
 		"""