diff --git a/build_tools/littlecheck.py b/build_tools/littlecheck.py
index ecd486037..9bdf1aa60 100755
--- a/build_tools/littlecheck.py
+++ b/build_tools/littlecheck.py
@@ -14,14 +14,17 @@ import shlex
 import subprocess
 import sys
 
+# Directives can occur at the beginning of a line, or anywhere in a line that does not start with #.
+COMMENT_RE = r'^(?:[^#].*)?#\s*'
+
 # A regex showing how to run the file.
-RUN_RE = re.compile(r"\s*#\s*RUN:\s+(.*)\n")
+RUN_RE = re.compile(COMMENT_RE + r"RUN:\s+(.*)\n")
 
 # A regex capturing lines that should be checked against stdout.
-CHECK_STDOUT_RE = re.compile(r"\s*#\s*CHECK:\s+(.*)\n")
+CHECK_STDOUT_RE = re.compile(COMMENT_RE + r"CHECK:\s+(.*)\n")
 
 # A regex capturing lines that should be checked against stderr.
-CHECK_STDERR_RE = re.compile(r"\s*#\s*CHECKERR:\s+(.*)\n")
+CHECK_STDERR_RE = re.compile(COMMENT_RE + r"CHECKERR:\s+(.*)\n")
 
 
 class Config(object):
diff --git a/tests/checks/wildcard.fish b/tests/checks/wildcard.fish
index 2910ca775..65e7450f6 100644
--- a/tests/checks/wildcard.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/wildcard.fish
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@ mkdir b
 touch ./b/file.txt
 
 set dirs ./a ./b
-echo $dirs/*.txt
-# CHECK: ./b/file.txt
+echo $dirs/*.txt # CHECK: ./b/file.txt
 
 cd $oldpwd
 rm -Rf $dir