diff --git a/go/vt/sqlparser/comments.go b/go/vt/sqlparser/comments.go
index afffd326c8c..e8cd4b87652 100644
--- a/go/vt/sqlparser/comments.go
+++ b/go/vt/sqlparser/comments.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func leadingCommentEnd(text string) (end int) {
 
 		// Found visible characters. Look for '/*' at the beginning
 		// and '*/' somewhere after that.
-		if len(remainingText) < 4 || remainingText[:2] != "/*" {
+		if len(remainingText) < 4 || remainingText[:2] != "/*" || remainingText[2] == '!' {
 			break
 		}
 		commentLength := 4 + strings.Index(remainingText[2:], "*/")
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ func trailingCommentStart(text string) (start int) {
 
 		// Find the beginning of the comment
 		startCommentPos := strings.LastIndex(text[:reducedLen-2], "/*")
-		if startCommentPos < 0 {
-			// Badly formatted sql :/
+		if startCommentPos < 0 || text[startCommentPos+2] == '!' {
+			// Badly formatted sql, or a special /*! comment
 			break
 		}
 
@@ -164,28 +164,6 @@ func hasCommentPrefix(sql string) bool {
 	return len(sql) > 1 && ((sql[0] == '/' && sql[1] == '*') || (sql[0] == '-' && sql[1] == '-'))
 }
 
-// StripComments removes all comments from the string regardless
-// of where they occur
-func StripComments(sql string) string {
-	sql = StripLeadingComments(sql) // handle -- or /* ... */ at the beginning
-
-	for {
-		start := strings.Index(sql, "/*")
-		if start == -1 {
-			break
-		}
-		end := strings.Index(sql, "*/")
-		if end <= 1 {
-			break
-		}
-		sql = sql[:start] + sql[end+2:]
-	}
-
-	sql = strings.TrimFunc(sql, unicode.IsSpace)
-
-	return sql
-}
-
 // ExtractMysqlComment extracts the version and SQL from a comment-only query
 // such as /*!50708 sql here */
 func ExtractMysqlComment(sql string) (version string, innerSQL string) {
diff --git a/go/vt/sqlparser/comments_test.go b/go/vt/sqlparser/comments_test.go
index bd9c26f9b8d..3d875faf1cb 100644
--- a/go/vt/sqlparser/comments_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/sqlparser/comments_test.go
@@ -119,20 +119,32 @@ func TestSplitComments(t *testing.T) {
 		outSQL:              "foo",
 		outLeadingComments:  "",
 		outTrailingComments: "",
+	}, {
+		input:               "select 1 from t where col = '*//*'",
+		outSQL:              "select 1 from t where col = '*//*'",
+		outLeadingComments:  "",
+		outTrailingComments: "",
+	}, {
+		input:               "/*! select 1 */",
+		outSQL:              "/*! select 1 */",
+		outLeadingComments:  "",
+		outTrailingComments: "",
 	}}
 	for _, testCase := range testCases {
-		gotSQL, gotComments := SplitMarginComments(testCase.input)
-		gotLeadingComments, gotTrailingComments := gotComments.Leading, gotComments.Trailing
+		t.Run(testCase.input, func(t *testing.T) {
+			gotSQL, gotComments := SplitMarginComments(testCase.input)
+			gotLeadingComments, gotTrailingComments := gotComments.Leading, gotComments.Trailing
 
-		if gotSQL != testCase.outSQL {
-			t.Errorf("test input: '%s', got SQL\n%+v, want\n%+v", testCase.input, gotSQL, testCase.outSQL)
-		}
-		if gotLeadingComments != testCase.outLeadingComments {
-			t.Errorf("test input: '%s', got LeadingComments\n%+v, want\n%+v", testCase.input, gotLeadingComments, testCase.outLeadingComments)
-		}
-		if gotTrailingComments != testCase.outTrailingComments {
-			t.Errorf("test input: '%s', got TrailingComments\n%+v, want\n%+v", testCase.input, gotTrailingComments, testCase.outTrailingComments)
-		}
+			if gotSQL != testCase.outSQL {
+				t.Errorf("test input: '%s', got SQL\n%+v, want\n%+v", testCase.input, gotSQL, testCase.outSQL)
+			}
+			if gotLeadingComments != testCase.outLeadingComments {
+				t.Errorf("test input: '%s', got LeadingComments\n%+v, want\n%+v", testCase.input, gotLeadingComments, testCase.outLeadingComments)
+			}
+			if gotTrailingComments != testCase.outTrailingComments {
+				t.Errorf("test input: '%s', got TrailingComments\n%+v, want\n%+v", testCase.input, gotTrailingComments, testCase.outTrailingComments)
+			}
+		})
 	}
 }
 
@@ -212,85 +224,6 @@ a`,
 	}
 }
 
-func TestRemoveComments(t *testing.T) {
-	var testCases = []struct {
-		input, outSQL string
-	}{{
-		input:  "/",
-		outSQL: "/",
-	}, {
-		input:  "*/",
-		outSQL: "*/",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/*/",
-		outSQL: "/*/",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/*a",
-		outSQL: "/*a",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/*a*",
-		outSQL: "/*a*",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/*a**",
-		outSQL: "/*a**",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/*b**a*/",
-		outSQL: "",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/*a*/",
-		outSQL: "",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/**/",
-		outSQL: "",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/*!*/",
-		outSQL: "",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/*!a*/",
-		outSQL: "",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/*b*/ /*a*/",
-		outSQL: "",
-	}, {
-		input: `/*b*/ --foo
-bar`,
-		outSQL: "bar",
-	}, {
-		input:  "foo /* bar */",
-		outSQL: "foo",
-	}, {
-		input:  "foo /* bar */ baz",
-		outSQL: "foo  baz",
-	}, {
-		input:  "/* foo */ bar",
-		outSQL: "bar",
-	}, {
-		input:  "-- /* foo */ bar",
-		outSQL: "",
-	}, {
-		input:  "foo -- bar */",
-		outSQL: "foo -- bar */",
-	}, {
-		input: `/*
-foo */ bar`,
-		outSQL: "bar",
-	}, {
-		input: `-- foo bar
-a`,
-		outSQL: "a",
-	}, {
-		input:  `-- foo bar`,
-		outSQL: "",
-	}}
-	for _, testCase := range testCases {
-		gotSQL := StripComments(testCase.input)
-
-		if gotSQL != testCase.outSQL {
-			t.Errorf("test input: '%s', got SQL\n%+v, want\n%+v", testCase.input, gotSQL, testCase.outSQL)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 func TestExtractMysqlComment(t *testing.T) {
 	var testCases = []struct {
 		input, outSQL, outVersion string
diff --git a/go/vt/vtexplain/testdata/test-schema.sql b/go/vt/vtexplain/testdata/test-schema.sql
index e89714a474e..b901cceb25e 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtexplain/testdata/test-schema.sql
+++ b/go/vt/vtexplain/testdata/test-schema.sql
@@ -60,10 +60,4 @@ create table test_partitioned (
 	date_create int,
 	primary key(id)
 ) Engine=InnoDB
-/*!50100 PARTITION BY RANGE (date_create)
-(PARTITION p2018_06_14 VALUES LESS THAN (1528959600) ENGINE = InnoDB,
- PARTITION p2018_06_15 VALUES LESS THAN (1529046000) ENGINE = InnoDB,
- PARTITION p2018_06_16 VALUES LESS THAN (1529132400) ENGINE = InnoDB,
- PARTITION p2018_06_17 VALUES LESS THAN (1529218800) ENGINE = InnoDB)
-*/
 ;
diff --git a/go/vt/vtexplain/vtexplain.go b/go/vt/vtexplain/vtexplain.go
index 1887fb241a0..d1db8cea0e7 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtexplain/vtexplain.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtexplain/vtexplain.go
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ func parseSchema(sqlSchema string, opts *Options) ([]*sqlparser.DDL, error) {
 		if sql == "" {
 			break
 		}
-		sql = sqlparser.StripComments(sql)
+		sql, _ = sqlparser.SplitMarginComments(sql)
 		if sql == "" {
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/go/vt/vtexplain/vtexplain_flaky_test.go b/go/vt/vtexplain/vtexplain_flaky_test.go
index 59a1efb2fcf..36b84ba9351 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtexplain/vtexplain_flaky_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtexplain/vtexplain_flaky_test.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func initTest(mode string, opts *Options, t *testing.T) {
 
 	opts.ExecutionMode = mode
 	err = Init(string(vSchema), string(schema), opts)
-	require.NoError(t, err, "vtexplain Init error")
+	require.NoError(t, err, "vtexplain Init error\n%s", string(schema))
 }
 
 func testExplain(testcase string, opts *Options, t *testing.T) {