diff --git a/configuration/scripts/tests/report_results.csh b/configuration/scripts/tests/report_results.csh
index a29c218a3..51a465c10 100755
--- a/configuration/scripts/tests/report_results.csh
+++ b/configuration/scripts/tests/report_results.csh
@@ -295,10 +295,11 @@ end
 #=====================
 
 set chk = 0
-if (-e ${hashfile}) set chk = `grep "\*\*${hash}" ${hashfile} | wc -l`
+if (-e ${hashfile}) set chk = `grep "#### ${hash}" ${hashfile} | wc -l`
 if ($chk == 0) then
+# Note: the line '#### ${hash}' is not a comment since it's in the here doc
 cat >! ${hashfile} << EOF
-**${hash}** :
+#### ${hash}
 
 | machine | compiler | version | date | test fail | comp fail | total |
 | ------ | ------ | ------ | ------  | ------ | ------ | ------ |
@@ -318,10 +319,11 @@ endif
 #=====================
 
 set chk = 0
-if (-e ${machfile}) set chk = `grep "\*\*${mach}" ${machfile} | wc -l`
+if (-e ${machfile}) set chk = `grep "#### ${mach}" ${machfile} | wc -l`
 if ($chk == 0) then
+# Note: the line '#### ${mach}' is not a comment since it's in the here doc
 cat >! ${machfile} << EOF
-**${mach}** :
+#### ${mach}
 
 | version | hash | compiler | date | test fail | comp fail | total |
 | ------ | ------ | ------ | ------ | ------  | ------ | ------ |