diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 73fed86..20dd26e 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
     "name": "prettier-plugin-motoko",
-    "version": "0.5.1",
+    "version": "0.5.2",
     "lockfileVersion": 2,
     "requires": true,
     "packages": {
         "": {
             "name": "prettier-plugin-motoko",
-            "version": "0.5.1",
+            "version": "0.5.2",
             "license": "Apache-2.0",
             "dependencies": {
                 "out-of-character": "^1.2.1"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7ecf579..6e7c347 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name": "prettier-plugin-motoko",
-    "version": "0.5.1",
+    "version": "0.5.2",
     "description": "A code formatter for the Motoko smart contract language.",
     "main": "lib/environments/node.js",
     "browser": "lib/environments/web.js",
diff --git a/packages/mo-fmt/package-lock.json b/packages/mo-fmt/package-lock.json
index 77731df..a5a0bdb 100644
--- a/packages/mo-fmt/package-lock.json
+++ b/packages/mo-fmt/package-lock.json
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 {
     "name": "mo-fmt",
-    "version": "0.5.1",
+    "version": "0.5.2",
     "lockfileVersion": 2,
     "requires": true,
     "packages": {
         "": {
             "name": "mo-fmt",
-            "version": "0.5.1",
+            "version": "0.5.2",
             "license": "Apache-2.0",
             "dependencies": {
                 "commander": "^9.4.0",
                 "fast-glob": "^3.2.11",
                 "prettier": "^2.7",
-                "prettier-plugin-motoko": "^0.5.1"
+                "prettier-plugin-motoko": "^0.5.2"
             },
             "bin": {
                 "mo-fmt": "bin/mo-fmt.js"
@@ -4684,9 +4684,9 @@
             }
         },
         "node_modules/prettier-plugin-motoko": {
-            "version": "0.5.1",
-            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/prettier-plugin-motoko/-/prettier-plugin-motoko-0.5.1.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha512-/McB+8sVCpfBV78tK3LmZ8HyH5S5E4MACoGkG6HEIAymlJZRZ9aguGV2GDuN7c+yUlCeeXnoKzxn0mtC0siSvg==",
+            "version": "0.5.2",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/prettier-plugin-motoko/-/prettier-plugin-motoko-0.5.2.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha512-0KjHdFqeJDFcf1Z4dB7dbAWjfCZIo6J/X/ONGMyOq85mDh0eg6exB3nRVXvCz7wIOY49ZlQEZZIAnmJqEW3+dA==",
             "dependencies": {
                 "out-of-character": "^1.2.1"
             },
@@ -9365,9 +9365,9 @@
             "integrity": "sha512-ujppO+MkdPqoVINuDFDRLClm7D78qbDt0/NR+wp5FqEZOoTNAjPHWj17QRhu7geIHJfcNhRk1XVQmF8Bp3ye+g=="
         },
         "prettier-plugin-motoko": {
-            "version": "0.5.1",
-            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/prettier-plugin-motoko/-/prettier-plugin-motoko-0.5.1.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha512-/McB+8sVCpfBV78tK3LmZ8HyH5S5E4MACoGkG6HEIAymlJZRZ9aguGV2GDuN7c+yUlCeeXnoKzxn0mtC0siSvg==",
+            "version": "0.5.2",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/prettier-plugin-motoko/-/prettier-plugin-motoko-0.5.2.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha512-0KjHdFqeJDFcf1Z4dB7dbAWjfCZIo6J/X/ONGMyOq85mDh0eg6exB3nRVXvCz7wIOY49ZlQEZZIAnmJqEW3+dA==",
             "requires": {
                 "out-of-character": "^1.2.1"
             }
diff --git a/packages/mo-fmt/package.json b/packages/mo-fmt/package.json
index 5e7a998..84b7bbf 100644
--- a/packages/mo-fmt/package.json
+++ b/packages/mo-fmt/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name": "mo-fmt",
-    "version": "0.5.1",
+    "version": "0.5.2",
     "description": "An easy-to-use Motoko formatter command.",
     "main": "src/cli.js",
     "bin": {
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
         "commander": "^9.4.0",
         "fast-glob": "^3.2.11",
         "prettier": "^2.7",
-        "prettier-plugin-motoko": "^0.5.1"
+        "prettier-plugin-motoko": "^0.5.2"
     },
     "devDependencies": {
         "@rollup/plugin-commonjs": "^22.0.2",
diff --git a/src/printers/motoko-tt-ast/print.ts b/src/printers/motoko-tt-ast/print.ts
index 1ee73ef..771fbcd 100644
--- a/src/printers/motoko-tt-ast/print.ts
+++ b/src/printers/motoko-tt-ast/print.ts
@@ -298,10 +298,8 @@ function printTokenTree(
                 // allow trailing comma/semicolon if something exists in the group other than a comment
                 allowTrailingSeparator = true;
             }
-            // check for prettier-ignore comments
-            else if (comment === 'prettier-ignore') {
-                ignoringNextStatement = true;
-            }
+
+            const isIgnoreComment = comment === 'prettier-ignore';
 
             if (isSeparator) {
                 endGroup();
@@ -333,7 +331,7 @@ function printTokenTree(
                             : printTokenTree(a, path, options, print, args),
                     );
                 }
-                if (i < trees.length - 1) {
+                if (i < trees.length - 1 && !isIgnoreComment) {
                     resultArray.push(
                         printBetween(trees, i, i + 1, leftMap, rightMap),
                     );
@@ -371,6 +369,10 @@ function printTokenTree(
                         );
                     }
                 }
+
+                if (isIgnoreComment) {
+                    ignoringNextStatement = true;
+                }
             }
         }
         endGroup();
diff --git a/tests/formatter.test.ts b/tests/formatter.test.ts
index 32aa882..2ddb497 100644
--- a/tests/formatter.test.ts
+++ b/tests/formatter.test.ts
@@ -303,6 +303,10 @@ describe('Motoko formatter', () => {
         expect(format('a<(b,\n//c\n)>()')).toStrictEqual('a<(b, /* c */)>()\n');
     });
 
+    test('prettier-ignore line comment as first line in block', () => {
+        expect(format('{\n// prettier-ignore\n  123}')).toStrictEqual('{\n  // prettier-ignore\n  123\n};\n');
+    });
+
     test('unclosed quotes in comments', () => {
         expect(format("// a'b\n '")).toStrictEqual("// a'b\n';\n");
         expect(format('// a"b\n "')).toStrictEqual('// a"b\n";\n');