--- a/extensions/timestamps.py	Wed Oct 31 09:00:41 2018 +0100
+++ b/extensions/timestamps.py	Wed Oct 31 09:40:53 2018 +0100
@@ -369,10 +369,10 @@
     if fn.startswith(' ') or fn.startswith('\t') \
        or fn.endswith(' ') or fn.endswith('\t'):
         return "@%s@" % fn.replace('@', "@@")
-    if "," in fn or '@' in fn or '#' in fn:
-        return "@%s@" % fn.replace('@', "@@")
-    else:
-        return fn
+    for c in ",@#<|=>":
+        if c in fn:
+            return "@%s@" % fn.replace('@', "@@")
+    return fn
 
 
 def db_reader(fp):
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@
     c = fp.read(1)
     record = []
     field = []
+    merge_block = ''
     while c:
         if c in '\r\n':
             # record separator
@@ -394,7 +395,11 @@
             if f or record:
                 record.append(f)
             # an empty line is an empty record
-            yield record
+
+            # XXX FIXME: which of the merge blocks to return?
+            if not merge_block:
+                yield record
+                
             record = []
             field = []
             if c == '\r':
@@ -436,22 +441,46 @@
                     sf.append(c2)
                     c2 = fp.read(1)
             field = sf
-        elif not record and not field and c == '#':
-            # comment: `#' at the beginning of a line
-            comment = ['#']
-            while True:
+        elif not record and not field and c in "#<|=>":
+            if c == '#':
+                # comment: `#' at the beginning of a line
+                comment = ['#']
+                while True:
+                    c3 = fp.peek(1)
+                    if c3 and c3[0] in '\r\n':
+                        # end of comment
+                        break
+                        #
+                        # the next character will be read below:
+                        # just stay at the eol char
+                        #
+                    else:
+                        c2 = fp.read(1)
+                        comment.append(c2)
+                field = comment
+            else:
+                # hit of merge markers
                 c3 = fp.peek(1)
-                if c3 and c3[0] in '\r\n':
-                    # end of comment
-                    break
-                    #
-                    # the next character will be read below:
-                    # just stay at the eol char
-                    #
+                
+                if c3 and c3[0] == c:
+                    merge_block = c
+                    # skip to eol
+                    while True:
+                        c3 = fp.peek(1)
+                        if c3 and c3[0] in '\r\n':
+                            break
+                            #
+                            # the next character will be read below:
+                            # just stay at the eol char
+                            #
+                        else:
+                            fp.read(1)
+                    # the "merge rev" block is really the last marker
+                    if merge_block == '>':
+                        merge_block = ''
                 else:
-                    c2 = fp.read(1)
-                    comment.append(c2)
-            field = comment
+                    # just a normal char
+                    field.append(c)
         elif c in " \t":
             if field:
                 field.append(c)
@@ -466,7 +495,10 @@
     if f or record:
         record.append(f)
         # an empty line is an empty record: do not yield trailing empty lines
-        yield record
+
+        # XXX FIXME: which of the merge blocks to return?
+        if not merge_block:
+            yield record
 
 
 def db_writer(fp):