diff --git a/rtv/docs.py b/rtv/docs.py
index 886a552..4c776fb 100644
--- a/rtv/docs.py
+++ b/rtv/docs.py
@@ -114,37 +114,42 @@ FOOTER_SUBSCRIPTION = """
 [?]Help [q]Quit [h]Return [l]Select
 """
 
-COMMENT_FILE = """
-# Please enter a comment. Lines starting with '#' will be ignored,
-# and an empty message aborts the comment.
-#
-# Replying to {author}'s {type}
-{content}
-"""
+TOKEN = "INSTRUCTIONS"
 
-COMMENT_EDIT_FILE = """{content}
-# Please enter a comment. Lines starting with '#' will be ignored,
-# and an empty message aborts the comment.
-#
-# Editing your comment
-"""
+COMMENT_FILE = """<!--{token}
+Replying to {{author}}'s {{type}}:
+{{content}}
 
-SUBMISSION_FILE = """
-# Please enter your submission. Lines starting with '#' will be ignored,
-# and an empty message aborts the submission.
-#
-# The first line will be interpreted as the title
-# The following lines will be interpreted as the content
-#
-# Posting to {name}
-"""
+Enter your reply below this instruction block,
+an empty message will abort the comment.
+{token}-->
+""".format(token=TOKEN)
 
-SUBMISSION_EDIT_FILE = """{content}
-# Please enter your submission. Lines starting with '#' will be ignored,
-# and an empty message aborts the submission.
-#
-# Editing {name}
-"""
+COMMENT_EDIT_FILE = """<!--{token}
+Editing comment #{{id}}.
+The comment is shown below, update it and save the file.
+{token}-->
+
+{{content}}
+""".format(token=TOKEN)
+
+SUBMISSION_FILE = """<!--{token}
+Submitting a selfpost to {{name}}.
+
+Enter your submission below this instruction block:
+- The first line will be interpreted as the title
+- The following lines will be interpreted as the body
+- An empty message will abort the submission
+{token}-->
+""".format(token=TOKEN)
+
+SUBMISSION_EDIT_FILE = """<!--{token}
+Editing submission #{{id}}.
+The submission is shown below, update it and save the file.
+{token}-->
+
+{{content}}
+""".format(token=TOKEN)
 
 OAUTH_ACCESS_DENIED = """\
         <h1 style="color: red">Access Denied</h1><hr>
diff --git a/rtv/page.py b/rtv/page.py
index 2958b79..21d1da1 100644
--- a/rtv/page.py
+++ b/rtv/page.py
@@ -264,19 +264,19 @@ class Page(object):
             return
 
         if data['type'] == 'Submission':
-            subreddit = self.reddit.get_subreddit(self.content.name)
             content = data['text']
             info = docs.SUBMISSION_EDIT_FILE.format(
-                content=content, name=subreddit)
+                content=content, id=data['object'].id)
         elif data['type'] == 'Comment':
             content = data['body']
-            info = docs.COMMENT_EDIT_FILE.format(content=content)
+            info = docs.COMMENT_EDIT_FILE.format(
+                content=content, id=data['object'].id)
         else:
             self.term.flash()
             return
 
         with self.term.open_editor(info) as text:
-            if text == content:
+            if not text or text == content:
                 self.term.show_notification('Canceled')
                 return
 
diff --git a/rtv/submission_page.py b/rtv/submission_page.py
index 72881ab..5cbc5ad 100644
--- a/rtv/submission_page.py
+++ b/rtv/submission_page.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class SubmissionPage(Page):
 
         # Construct the text that will be displayed in the editor file.
         # The post body will be commented out and added for reference
-        lines = ['#  |' + line for line in body.split('\n')]
+        lines = ['  |' + line for line in body.split('\n')]
         content = '\n'.join(lines)
         comment_info = docs.COMMENT_FILE.format(
             author=data['author'],
diff --git a/rtv/terminal.py b/rtv/terminal.py
index d031bcf..94cd7a7 100644
--- a/rtv/terminal.py
+++ b/rtv/terminal.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import os
+import re
 import sys
 import time
 import shlex
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ import six
 from kitchen.text.display import textual_width_chop
 
 from . import exceptions, mime_parsers, content
+from .docs import TOKEN
 from .theme import Theme, ThemeList
 from .objects import LoadScreen
 
@@ -594,10 +596,11 @@ class Terminal(object):
         """
         Open a file for editing using the system's default editor.
 
-        After the file has been altered, the text will be read back and lines
-        starting with '#' will be stripped. If an error occurs inside of the
-        context manager, the file will be preserved. Otherwise, the file will
-        be deleted when the context manager closes.
+        After the file has been altered, the text will be read back and the
+        HTML comment tag <!--INSRUCTIONS --> will be stripped. If an error
+        occurs inside of the context manager, the file will be preserved so
+        users can recover their data. Otherwise, the file will be deleted when
+        the context manager closes.
 
         Params:
             data (str): If provided, text will be written to the file before
@@ -634,8 +637,8 @@ class Terminal(object):
             self.show_notification('Could not open file with %s' % editor)
 
         with codecs.open(filepath, 'r', 'utf-8') as fp:
-            text = ''.join(line for line in fp if not line.startswith('#'))
-            text = text.rstrip()
+            text = fp.read()
+            text = self.strip_instructions(text)
 
         try:
             yield text
@@ -829,6 +832,19 @@ class Terminal(object):
         out = '\n'.join(stack)
         return out
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def strip_instructions(text):
+        """
+        Remove instructional HTML comment tags inserted by RTV.
+
+        We used to use # to annotate comments, but it conflicted with the
+        header tag for markdown, which some people use to format their posts.
+        """
+        # Pattern can span multiple lines, allows dot to match newline chars
+        flags = re.MULTILINE | re.DOTALL
+        pattern = '<!--{token}(.*?){token}-->'.format(token=TOKEN)
+        return re.sub(pattern, '', text, flags=flags).strip()
+
     def clear_screen(self):
         """
         In the beginning this always called touchwin(). However, a bug
diff --git a/tests/test_terminal.py b/tests/test_terminal.py
index 831de36..c76b0f0 100644
--- a/tests/test_terminal.py
+++ b/tests/test_terminal.py
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ import six
 import pytest
 
 from rtv.theme import Theme
-from rtv.docs import HELP, COMMENT_EDIT_FILE
+from rtv.docs import (HELP, COMMENT_FILE, COMMENT_EDIT_FILE, TOKEN,
+                      SUBMISSION_FILE, SUBMISSION_EDIT_FILE)
 from rtv.exceptions import TemporaryFileError, BrowserError
 
 try:
@@ -289,21 +290,21 @@ def test_open_editor(terminal, use_ascii):
 
     terminal.config['ascii'] = use_ascii
 
-    comment = COMMENT_EDIT_FILE.format(content='#| This is a comment! ❤')
+    comment = COMMENT_EDIT_FILE.format(id=1, content='Comment 1 ❤')
     data = {'filename': None}
 
     def side_effect(args):
         data['filename'] = args[1]
         with codecs.open(data['filename'], 'r+', 'utf-8') as fp:
             assert fp.read() == comment
-            fp.write('This is an amended comment! ❤')
+            fp.write('Comment 2 ❤')
         return mock.Mock()
 
     with mock.patch('subprocess.Popen', autospec=True) as Popen:
         Popen.side_effect = side_effect
 
         with terminal.open_editor(comment) as reply_text:
-            assert reply_text == 'This is an amended comment! ❤'
+            assert reply_text == 'Comment 1 ❤\nComment 2 ❤'
             assert os.path.isfile(data['filename'])
             assert curses.endwin.called
             assert curses.doupdate.called
@@ -670,3 +671,31 @@ def test_set_theme_no_colors(terminal, stdscr):
 
         terminal.set_theme(Theme(use_color=True))
         assert not terminal.theme.use_color
+
+
+def test_strip_instructions(terminal):
+
+    # These templates only contain instructions, so they should be empty
+    assert terminal.strip_instructions(SUBMISSION_FILE) == ''
+    assert terminal.strip_instructions(COMMENT_FILE) == ''
+
+    # These templates should strip everything but the {content} tag,
+    # which will be replaced with the submission/content to be edited
+    assert terminal.strip_instructions(SUBMISSION_EDIT_FILE) == '{content}'
+    assert terminal.strip_instructions(COMMENT_EDIT_FILE) == '{content}'
+
+    # Comments without the INSTRUCTIONS marker shouldn't be stripped
+    text = '<!-- A normal HTML comment -->'
+    assert terminal.strip_instructions(text) == text
+
+    # Hashes shouldn't be stripped anymore
+    text = '# This is no longer interpreted as a comment!'
+    assert terminal.strip_instructions(text) == text
+
+    # Nested HTML comment tags shouldn't be shown
+    text = '<!--{0} <!-- A nested HTML comment --> {0}-->'.format(TOKEN)
+    assert terminal.strip_instructions(text) == ''
+
+    # Another edge case
+    text = '<!--{0} instructions {0}--><!-- An HTML comment -->'.format(TOKEN)
+    assert terminal.strip_instructions(text) == '<!-- An HTML comment -->'