diff --git a/guix/import/cabal.scm b/guix/import/cabal.scm
index 45d644a..0dd329c 100644
--- a/guix/import/cabal.scm
+++ b/guix/import/cabal.scm
@@ -259,10 +259,11 @@ otherwise return BOL (beginning-of-line)."
              (bol bol))
     (cond
      ((and (not (eof-object? c))
-           (or (char=? c #\space) (char=? c #\tab)))
+           (or (char-set-contains? char-set:whitespace c)))
       (read-char port)
       (loop (peek-char port) bol))
-     ((and (not (eof-object? c)) (char=? c #\newline))
+     ((and (not (eof-object? c))
+           (or (char=? c #\newline) (char=? c #\return)))
       (read-char port)
       (loop (peek-char port) #t))
      ((comment-line port c)