diff --git a/pbx/pbx_spool.c b/pbx/pbx_spool.c
index a3c8cdac631b21237ac5b4a281b76048ba495eff..bcb780deb929549ced1b918905e8a3f2674d5afa 100755
--- a/pbx/pbx_spool.c
+++ b/pbx/pbx_spool.c
@@ -129,9 +129,17 @@ static int apply_outgoing(struct outgoing *o, char *fn, FILE *f)
 			else
 				c++;
 		}
-		c = strchr(buf, ';');
-		if (c)
-			 *c = '\0';
+
+		c = buf;
+		while ((c = strchr(c, ';'))) {
+			if ((c > buf) && (c[-1] == '\\')) {
+				memmove(c - 1, c, strlen(c) + 1);
+				c++;
+			} else {
+				*c = '\0';
+				break;
+			}
+		}
 
 		/* Trim trailing white space */
 		while(!ast_strlen_zero(buf) && buf[strlen(buf) - 1] < 33)
diff --git a/sample.call b/sample.call
index 38fae5fed741badd20035925dae41218c92ca37f..750ef4ddf7e61d43fa7ca184b61005c425357550 100755
--- a/sample.call
+++ b/sample.call
@@ -1,8 +1,16 @@
 #
 # This is a sample file that can be dumped in /var/spool/asterisk/outgoing
-# to generate a call.  Obviously, you MUST specify at least a channel in
-# the same format as you would for the "Dial" application.  Only one
-# channel name is permitted.
+# to generate a call.  
+#
+# Comments are indicated by a '#' character that begins a line, or follows
+# a space or tab character.  To be consistent with the configuration files
+# in Asterisk, comments can also be indicated by a semicolon.  However, the
+# multiline comments (;-- --;) used in Asterisk configuration files are not 
+# supported.  Semicolons can be escaped by a backslash.
+#
+
+# Obviously, you MUST specify at least a channel in the same format as you
+# would for the "Dial" application.  Only one channel name is permitted.
 #
 Channel: Zap/1
 #