diff --git a/src/cfgparse.c b/src/cfgparse.c
index c18628a..7752fc7 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.c
+++ b/src/cfgparse.c
@@ -4712,14 +4712,13 @@
 			l = (struct list *)&curproxy->tcpcheck_rules;
 			if (l->p != l->n) {
 				tcpcheck = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)l->n;
-				while (tcpcheck->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT) {
+				while (&tcpcheck->list != &curproxy->tcpcheck_rules &&
+				       tcpcheck->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT) {
 					tcpcheck = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)tcpcheck->list.n;
 				}
-				/* we've reached the end of the list, and the list is full of comments */
-				if (tcpcheck == (struct tcpcheck_rule *)l)
-					tcpcheck = NULL;
 
-				if (tcpcheck && tcpcheck->action != TCPCHK_ACT_CONNECT) {
+				if (&tcpcheck->list != &curproxy->tcpcheck_rules
+				    && tcpcheck->action != TCPCHK_ACT_CONNECT) {
 					Alert("parsing [%s:%d] : first step MUST also be a 'connect' when there is a 'connect' step in the tcp-check ruleset.\n",
 					      file, linenum);
 					err_code |= ERR_ALERT | ERR_FATAL;
diff --git a/src/checks.c b/src/checks.c
index cc29ac8..78f022f 100644
--- a/src/checks.c
+++ b/src/checks.c
@@ -2522,7 +2522,7 @@
 		next = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)check->current_step->list.n;
 
 		/* bypass all comment rules */
-		while (next->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
+		while (&next->list != head && next->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
 			next = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)next->list.n;
 
 		/* NULL if we're on the last rule */
@@ -2636,9 +2636,13 @@
 			check->current_step = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)check->current_step->list.n;
 
 			/* bypass all comment rules */
-			while (check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
+			while (&check->current_step->list != head &&
+				check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
 				check->current_step = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)check->current_step->list.n;
 
+			if (&check->current_step->list == head)
+				break;
+
 			/* don't do anything until the connection is established */
 			if (!(conn->flags & CO_FL_CONNECTED)) {
 				/* update expire time, should be done by process_chk */
@@ -2694,8 +2698,12 @@
 			check->current_step = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)check->current_step->list.n;
 
 			/* bypass all comment rules */
-			while (check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
+			while (&check->current_step->list != head &&
+				check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
 				check->current_step = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)check->current_step->list.n;
+
+			if (&check->current_step->list == head)
+				break;
 		} /* end 'send' */
 		else if (check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_EXPECT) {
 			if (unlikely(check->result == CHK_RES_FAILED))
@@ -2789,9 +2797,13 @@
 					check->current_step = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)check->current_step->list.n;
 
 					/* bypass all comment rules */
-					while (check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
+					while (&check->current_step->list != head &&
+					       check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
 						check->current_step = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)check->current_step->list.n;
 
+					if (&check->current_step->list == head)
+						break;
+
 					if (check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_EXPECT)
 						goto tcpcheck_expect;
 					__conn_data_stop_recv(conn);
@@ -2805,9 +2817,13 @@
 					check->current_step = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)check->current_step->list.n;
 
 					/* bypass all comment rules */
-					while (check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
+					while (&check->current_step->list != head &&
+					       check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_COMMENT)
 						check->current_step = (struct tcpcheck_rule *)check->current_step->list.n;
 
+					if (&check->current_step->list == head)
+						break;
+
 					if (check->current_step->action == TCPCHK_ACT_EXPECT)
 						goto tcpcheck_expect;
 					__conn_data_stop_recv(conn);