diff --git a/changelog/62121.fixed b/changelog/62121.fixed
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..927dca23734a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/62121.fixed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix broken file.comment functionality introduced in #62045
diff --git a/salt/states/file.py b/salt/states/file.py
index b27907f8b468..41446f4cf6ea 100644
--- a/salt/states/file.py
+++ b/salt/states/file.py
@@ -6062,7 +6062,7 @@ def comment(name, regex, char="#", backup=".bak", ignore_missing=False):
     # remove (?i)-like flags, ^ and $
     unanchor_regex = re.sub(r"^(\(\?[iLmsux]\))?\^?(.*?)\$?$", r"\2", regex)
 
-    uncomment_regex = "^(?!.*{}).*".format(char) + unanchor_regex
+    uncomment_regex = r"^(?!\s*{}).*".format(char) + unanchor_regex
     comment_regex = char + unanchor_regex
 
     # Make sure the pattern appears in the file before continuing
diff --git a/tests/pytests/functional/states/file/test_comment.py b/tests/pytests/functional/states/file/test_comment.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..de061b9acec3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pytests/functional/states/file/test_comment.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"""
+Tests for file.comment state function
+"""
+import re
+
+import pytest
+import salt.utils.files
+from tests.support.helpers import dedent
+
+pytestmark = [
+    pytest.mark.windows_whitelisted,
+]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def file(states):
+    return states.file
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
+def source():
+    with pytest.helpers.temp_file(
+        name="file.txt",
+        contents=dedent(
+            """
+            things = stuff
+            port = 5432                             # (change requires restart)
+            # commented = something
+            moar = things
+            """
+        ),
+    ) as source:
+        yield source
+
+
+def test_issue_62121(file, source):
+    """
+    Test file.comment when the comment character is
+    later in the line, after the text
+    """
+    regex = r"^port\s*=.+"
+    reg_cmp = re.compile(regex, re.MULTILINE)
+    cmt_regex = r"^#port\s*=.+"
+    cmt_cmp = re.compile(cmt_regex, re.MULTILINE)
+
+    with salt.utils.files.fopen(str(source)) as _fp:
+        assert reg_cmp.findall(_fp.read())
+
+    file.comment(name=str(source), regex=regex)
+
+    with salt.utils.files.fopen(str(source)) as _fp:
+        assert not reg_cmp.findall(_fp.read())
+        _fp.seek(0)
+        assert cmt_cmp.findall(_fp.read())