diff --git a/cmd/declpac/main.go b/cmd/declpac/main.go
index 329bc8c..218df72 100644
--- a/cmd/declpac/main.go
+++ b/cmd/declpac/main.go
@@ -52,12 +52,6 @@ func main() {
 }
 
 func run(cfg *Config) error {
-	if err := state.OpenLog(); err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
-		return err
-	}
-	defer state.Close()
-
 	start := time.Now()
 	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[debug] run: starting...\n")
 
@@ -71,6 +65,12 @@ func run(cfg *Config) error {
 	merged := merge.Merge(packages)
 
 	if !cfg.DryRun {
+		if err := state.OpenLog(); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
+			return err
+		}
+		defer state.Close()
+
 		if err := validation.CheckDBFreshness(); err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
 			return err
diff --git a/pkg/input/input.go b/pkg/input/input.go
index 7768b23..e4d891e 100644
--- a/pkg/input/input.go
+++ b/pkg/input/input.go
@@ -62,5 +62,9 @@ func readStdin(packages map[string]bool) error {
 }
 
 func normalizePackageName(name string) string {
-	return strings.TrimSpace(name)
+	name = strings.TrimSpace(name)
+	if name == "" || strings.HasPrefix(name, "#") {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return name
 }