diff --git a/packages/build_packages.sh b/packages/build_packages.sh
index dde18ce11324..000427cd77c7 100755
--- a/packages/build_packages.sh
+++ b/packages/build_packages.sh
@@ -8,12 +8,17 @@ set -ex
 # Change to packages directory.
 cd "$(dirname "$0")"
 
-# ensure ordered by dependency dag
+# Ensure ordered by dependency dag
 while read -r package_dir; do
+    # Ignore empty lines
     if [ -z "$package_dir" ]; then
-        # Skip empty lines
         continue
     fi
+    # Ignore lines beginning with `#`
+    if  [[ $package_dir =~ ^#.* ]]; then
+        continue
+    fi
+
     printf "\n========= RELEASING PACKAGE %s =========\n\n" "$package_dir"
     
     cd "$package_dir"
diff --git a/packages/test.sh b/packages/test.sh
index 0e41ee922687..5a64061bd51d 100755
--- a/packages/test.sh
+++ b/packages/test.sh
@@ -25,19 +25,25 @@ TEST_PYTHON=${TEST_PYTHON:-"python3"}
 TEST_ENV_DIR=${TEST_ENV_DIR:-$(mktemp -d -t gxpkgtestenvXXXXXX)}
 
 "$TEST_PYTHON" -m venv "$TEST_ENV_DIR"
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
 . "${TEST_ENV_DIR}/bin/activate"
 pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
 if [ $FOR_PULSAR -eq 0 ]; then
     pip install -r../lib/galaxy/dependencies/pinned-typecheck-requirements.txt
 fi
 
-# ensure ordered by dependency DAG
+# Ensure ordered by dependency DAG
 while read -r package_dir || [ -n "$package_dir" ]; do  # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12916352/shell-script-read-missing-last-line
+    # Ignore empty lines
     if [ -z "$package_dir" ]; then
-        # Skip empty lines
         continue
     fi
-    printf "\n========= TESTING PACKAGE ${package_dir} =========\n\n"
+    # Ignore lines beginning with `#`
+    if  [[ $package_dir =~ ^#.* ]]; then
+        continue
+    fi
+
+    printf "\n========= TESTING PACKAGE %s =========\n\n" "$package_dir"
 
     cd "$package_dir"