diff --git a/man/check-os-release.py b/man/check-os-release.py
index 069ca74b20..d009563f02 100644
--- a/man/check-os-release.py
+++ b/man/check-os-release.py
@@ -2,27 +2,34 @@
 
 import ast
 import re
+import sys
 
 def read_os_release():
     try:
-        f = open('/etc/os-release')
+        filename = '/etc/os-release'
+        f = open(filename)
     except FileNotFoundError:
-        f = open('/usr/lib/os-release')
+        filename = '/usr/lib/os-release'
+        f = open(filename)
 
     for line_number, line in enumerate(f):
-        if m := re.match(r'([A-Z][A-Z_0-9]+)=(.*?)\s*$', line):
+        line = line.rstrip()
+        if not line or line.startswith('#'):
+            continue
+        if m := re.match(r'([A-Z][A-Z_0-9]+)=(.*)', line):
             name, val = m.groups()
             if val and val[0] in '"\'':
                 val = ast.literal_eval(val)
             yield name, val
         else:
-            print(f'Warning: bad line {line_number}: {line}', file=sys.stderr)
+            print(f'{filename}:{line_number + 1}: bad line {line!r}',
+                  file=sys.stderr)
 
 os_release = dict(read_os_release())
 
 pretty_name = os_release.get('PRETTY_NAME', 'Linux')
 print(f'Running on {pretty_name}')
 
-if (os_release.get('ID', 'linux') == 'debian' or
-    os_release.get('ID_LIKE', None) == 'debian'):
+if 'debian' in [os_release.get('ID', 'linux'),
+                *os_release.get('ID_LIKE', '').split()]:
     print('Looks like Debian!')
diff --git a/man/check-os-release.sh b/man/check-os-release.sh
index 2a1a057928..d00c0f9268 100644
--- a/man/check-os-release.sh
+++ b/man/check-os-release.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ test -e /etc/os-release && os_release='/etc/os-release' || os_release='/usr/lib/
 
 echo "Running on ${PRETTY_NAME:-Linux}"
 
-if [ "${ID:-linux}" = "debian" ] || [ "${ID_LIKE:-}" = "debian" ]; then
+if [ "${ID:-linux}" = "debian" ] || [ "${ID_LIKE#*debian*}" != "${ID_LIKE}" ]; then
     echo "Looks like Debian!"
 fi