diff --git a/ktlint-rule-engine-core/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/rule/engine/core/api/ASTNodeExtension.kt b/ktlint-rule-engine-core/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/rule/engine/core/api/ASTNodeExtension.kt
index 296fdc7e9c..f37b022576 100644
--- a/ktlint-rule-engine-core/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/rule/engine/core/api/ASTNodeExtension.kt
+++ b/ktlint-rule-engine-core/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/rule/engine/core/api/ASTNodeExtension.kt
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ private fun Sequence<ASTNode>.dropTrailingEolComment(): Sequence<ASTNode> =
     }
 
 internal fun ASTNode.getFirstLeafOnLineOrSelf() =
-    prevLeaf { it.textContains('\n') || it.prevLeaf() == null }
+    prevLeaf { (it.textContains('\n') && !it.isPartOfComment()) || it.prevLeaf() == null }
         ?: this
 
 internal fun ASTNode.getLastLeafOnLineOrNull() = nextLeaf { it.textContains('\n') }?.prevLeaf()
diff --git a/ktlint-rule-engine-core/src/test/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/rule/engine/core/api/ASTNodeExtensionTest.kt b/ktlint-rule-engine-core/src/test/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/rule/engine/core/api/ASTNodeExtensionTest.kt
index d25873456b..56a5e7aa11 100644
--- a/ktlint-rule-engine-core/src/test/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/rule/engine/core/api/ASTNodeExtensionTest.kt
+++ b/ktlint-rule-engine-core/src/test/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/rule/engine/core/api/ASTNodeExtensionTest.kt
@@ -948,6 +948,25 @@ class ASTNodeExtensionTest {
         assertThat(actual).contains(code)
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `Issue 2602 - Given that getFirstLeafOnLineOrSelf is called for a block comment containing a new line then do not throw a null pointer exception`() {
+        val code =
+            """
+            val foo = /* some
+                comment */ "foo"
+            """.trimIndent()
+
+        val actual =
+            transformCodeToAST(code)
+                .lastChildLeafOrSelf()
+                .getFirstLeafOnLineOrSelf()
+                .text
+
+        // The newline (and indentation spaces) before the word "comment" inside the block comment is entirely ignored. As there are no
+        // whitespace nodes containing a newline, this piece of code is considered to be a oneliner starting with the word "val".
+        assertThat(actual).contains("val")
+    }
+
     @Nested
     inner class HasModifier {
         @Test
diff --git a/ktlint-ruleset-standard/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/ruleset/standard/rules/MaxLineLengthRule.kt b/ktlint-ruleset-standard/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/ruleset/standard/rules/MaxLineLengthRule.kt
index 4f35ba9959..fdcbf3a776 100644
--- a/ktlint-ruleset-standard/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/ruleset/standard/rules/MaxLineLengthRule.kt
+++ b/ktlint-ruleset-standard/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/ruleset/standard/rules/MaxLineLengthRule.kt
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import com.pinterest.ktlint.rule.engine.core.api.isPartOf
 import com.pinterest.ktlint.rule.engine.core.api.isWhiteSpace
 import com.pinterest.ktlint.rule.engine.core.api.isWhiteSpaceWithNewline
 import com.pinterest.ktlint.rule.engine.core.api.leavesOnLine
+import com.pinterest.ktlint.rule.engine.core.api.lineLengthWithoutNewlinePrefix
 import com.pinterest.ktlint.rule.engine.core.api.nextLeaf
 import com.pinterest.ktlint.rule.engine.core.api.parent
 import com.pinterest.ktlint.rule.engine.core.api.prevLeaf
@@ -102,25 +103,12 @@ public class MaxLineLengthRule :
     }
 
     private fun ASTNode.lineLength() =
-        leavesOnLine(excludeEolComment = false)
-            .sumOf {
-                when {
-                    it.isWhiteSpaceWithNewline() -> {
-                        it.text.substringAfterLast('\n').length
-                    }
-
+        leavesOnLine(false)
+            .filterNot {
+                ignoreBackTickedIdentifier &&
                     it.elementType == IDENTIFIER &&
-                        it.text.matches(BACKTICKED_IDENTIFIER_REGEX) &&
-                        ignoreBackTickedIdentifier
-                    -> {
-                        0
-                    }
-
-                    else -> {
-                        it.textLength
-                    }
-                }
-            }
+                    it.text.matches(BACKTICKED_IDENTIFIER_REGEX)
+            }.lineLengthWithoutNewlinePrefix()
 
     private fun ASTNode.isPartOfRawMultiLineString() =
         parent(STRING_TEMPLATE, strict = false)