diff --git a/lib/sinatra/base.rb b/lib/sinatra/base.rb
index 1c1c1b3d..c6327533 100644
--- a/lib/sinatra/base.rb
+++ b/lib/sinatra/base.rb
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ module Sinatra
         file ||= caller_files.first
 
         begin
-          data = ::IO.read(file).split('__END__')[1]
+          data = ::IO.read(file).split(/^__END__$/)[1]
         rescue
           data = nil
         end
diff --git a/test/templates_test.rb b/test/templates_test.rb
index 25db7630..2958ef0e 100644
--- a/test/templates_test.rb
+++ b/test/templates_test.rb
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ class TemplatesTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   end
 end
 
+# __END__ : this is not the real end of the script.
+
 __END__
 
 @@ foo