diff --git a/azure-pipelines.yml b/azure-pipelines.yml
index bd7a4d325bbb..2f87856f9fb2 100644
--- a/azure-pipelines.yml
+++ b/azure-pipelines.yml
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ jobs:
         msg=$(git log -n1 --format=%b HEAD | head -1)
         # Keep this line in sync with RELEASE_PR_NOTIF in ci/cron/wednesday.yml
         if [ "$msg" = "This PR has been created by a script, which is not very smart" ]; then
-            pr_handler="<@$(head -1 release/rotation | awk '{print $1}')>"
+            pr_handler="<@$(awk '/^[^#]/ {print $1}' release/rotation | head -n 1)>"
         else
             pr_handler=""
         fi
diff --git a/ci/cron/tuesday.yml b/ci/cron/tuesday.yml
index 33ac87949420..e8bf95632273 100644
--- a/ci/cron/tuesday.yml
+++ b/ci/cron/tuesday.yml
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ jobs:
 
       source "$(bash_lib)"
 
-      RELEASE_MANAGER=$(head -1 release/rotation | awk '{print $1}')
+      RELEASE_MANAGER=$(awk '/^[^#]/ {print $1}' release/rotation | head -n 1)
 
       tell_slack "$(echo -e "Hi <@$RELEASE_MANAGER>! According to the <https://github.com/digital-asset/daml/blob/main/release/rotation|rotation>, you are in charge of the release tomorrow. Please make sure you plan accordingly, or find a replacement.\n\nIf anyone knows of any reason to delay or block the release (e.g. a PR that needs to get merged first), please make it known in thread before EOD.")"
diff --git a/ci/cron/wednesday.yml b/ci/cron/wednesday.yml
index 10045d585ddf..9860c0695758 100644
--- a/ci/cron/wednesday.yml
+++ b/ci/cron/wednesday.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
           git branch -D $branch || true
           git checkout -b $branch
           git add .
-          git -c user.name="Azure Pipelines DAML Build" \
+          git -c user.name="Azure Pipelines Daml Build" \
               -c user.email="support@digitalasset.com" \
               commit \
               -m "$(printf "$title\n\n$body\n\nCHANGELOG_BEGIN\nCHANGELOG_END\n")"
@@ -88,10 +88,14 @@ jobs:
           # labels, PRs are issues as far as the GH API is concerned.
       }
       rotate() {
-          local tmp
-          tmp=$(mktemp)
-          cp release/rotation $tmp
-          (tail -n +2 $tmp; head -1 $tmp) > release/rotation
+          # limitation: comments in the middle of the rotation will be hoisted to the top
+          local comments rotation
+          comments=$(mktemp)
+          rotation=$(mktemp)
+          awk '/^#/' release/rotation > $comments
+          awk '/^[^#]/' release/rotation > $rotation
+          cp $comments release/rotation
+          (tail -n +2 $rotation; head -1 $rotation) >> release/rotation
       }
       release_message() {
           local handler=$1
@@ -119,8 +123,8 @@ jobs:
 
       reset
 
-      NEXT_SLACK=$(head -1 release/rotation | awk '{print $1}')
-      NEXT_GH=$(head -1 release/rotation | awk '{print $2}')
+      NEXT_SLACK=$(awk '/^[^#]/ {print $1}' release/rotation | head -n 1)
+      NEXT_GH=$(awk '/^[^#]/ {print $2}' release/rotation | head -n 1)
 
       PREV="v$(head -1 LATEST | awk '{print $2}')"
       ./release.sh new snapshot
diff --git a/ci/prs.yml b/ci/prs.yml
index 0885bb8a0108..22b9367a6e8e 100644
--- a/ci/prs.yml
+++ b/ci/prs.yml
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ jobs:
         # API, there is still value in getting the notification on Slack, as
         # we do have the build number and from there we can click through to
         # the PR. Hence the `|| echo ""`.
-        PR_HANDLER=$(head -1 release/rotation | awk '{print $1}')
+        PR_HANDLER=$(awk '/^[^#]/ {print $1}' release/rotation | head -n 1)
 
         case "$(status)" in
           Succeeded*)
diff --git a/release/rotation b/release/rotation
index c9dcfc390f5c..513841debad2 100644
--- a/release/rotation
+++ b/release/rotation
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# If you are adding someone to the rotation, remember to also give them permission
+# to access an ad-hoc machine for Windows testing. This can be done by opening a PR
+# like the following: https://github.com/DACH-NY/daml-language-ad-hoc/pull/37
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 U011H6KFYPN sofiafaro-da
 U026PEZLTPX akshayshirahatti-da