diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el7-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/el7-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el7-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el7-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/el8-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el8-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el9-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/el9-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el9-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el9-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/server/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/server/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/server/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/server/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu18.04/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu18.04/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu18.04/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu18.04/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04-diskless/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu22.04/profiles/default/syncfiles b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu22.04/profiles/default/syncfiles
index 9e0dbc56..4ae543f0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu22.04/profiles/default/syncfiles
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu22.04/profiles/default/syncfiles
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 # Entries under MERGE: will attempt to be intelligently merged. This supports /etc/group and /etc/passwd
 # Any supporting entries in /etc/shadow or /etc/gshadow are added automatically, with password disabled
 # It also will not inject 'system' ids (under 1,000 usually) as those tend to be local and rpm managed.
-MERGE:
+# MERGE:
 # /etc/passwd
 # /etc/group