diff --git a/incorporealcms/__init__.py b/incorporealcms/__init__.py
index 45ceb25..5e22c5d 100644
--- a/incorporealcms/__init__.py
+++ b/incorporealcms/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import logging
 import os
 from logging.config import dictConfig
 
+import markdown
 from flask import Flask, request, send_from_directory
 
 from ._version import get_versions
@@ -31,6 +32,10 @@ def create_app(instance_path=None, test_config=None):
 
     logger.debug("instance path: %s", app.instance_path)
 
+    # initialize markdown parser from config, but include
+    # extensions our app depends on, like the meta extension
+    app.config['md'] = markdown.Markdown(extensions=app.config['MARKDOWN_EXTENSIONS'] + ['meta'])
+
     @app.before_request
     def log_request():
         logger.info("REQUEST:  %s %s", request.method, request.path)
diff --git a/incorporealcms/config.py b/incorporealcms/config.py
index 77542c3..1964532 100644
--- a/incorporealcms/config.py
+++ b/incorporealcms/config.py
@@ -32,5 +32,7 @@ class Config(object):
         },
     }
 
+    MARKDOWN_EXTENSIONS = ['meta', 'tables']
+
     TITLE_SUFFIX = 'incorporeal.org'
     MEDIA_DIR = 'media'
diff --git a/incorporealcms/pages.py b/incorporealcms/pages.py
index 761d5c2..7541307 100644
--- a/incorporealcms/pages.py
+++ b/incorporealcms/pages.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import datetime
 import logging
 import os
 
-import markdown
 from flask import Blueprint, Markup, abort
 from flask import current_app as app
 from flask import redirect, render_template
@@ -12,7 +11,6 @@ from tzlocal import get_localzone
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 bp = Blueprint('pages', __name__, url_prefix='/')
-md = markdown.Markdown(extensions=['meta', 'tables'])
 
 
 @bp.route('/', defaults={'path': 'index'})
@@ -34,9 +32,9 @@ def display_page(path):
         logger.warning("requested path '%s' (resolved path '%s') not found!", path, resolved_path)
         abort(404)
     else:
-        content = Markup(md.convert(entry))
-        logger.debug("file metadata: %s", md.Meta)
-        title = " ".join(md.Meta.get('title')) if md.Meta.get('title') else ""
+        content = Markup(app.config['md'].convert(entry))
+        logger.debug("file metadata: %s", app.config['md'].Meta)
+        title = " ".join(app.config['md'].Meta.get('title')) if app.config['md'].Meta.get('title') else ""
         return render_template('base.html', title=title, content=content, navs=parent_navs,
                                mtime=mtime.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z'))
 
@@ -86,6 +84,6 @@ def generate_parent_navs(path):
     else:
         with app.open_instance_resource(resolved_path, 'r') as entry_file:
             entry = entry_file.read()
-        _ = Markup(md.convert(entry))
-        page_name = " ".join(md.Meta.get('title')) if md.Meta.get('title') else f'/{path}'
+        _ = Markup(app.config['md'].convert(entry))
+        page_name = " ".join(app.config['md'].Meta.get('title')) if app.config['md'].Meta.get('title') else f'/{path}'
         return generate_parent_navs(parent_path) + [(page_name, f'/{path}')]
diff --git a/tests/test_factory.py b/tests/test_factory.py
index 06177a8..973e9b7 100644
--- a/tests/test_factory.py
+++ b/tests/test_factory.py
@@ -13,6 +13,32 @@ def test_config():
     assert create_app(instance_path=instance_path, test_config={"TESTING": True}).testing
 
 
+def test_markdown_meta_extension_always():
+    """Test that the markdown meta extension is always loaded, even if not specified."""
+    app = create_app(instance_path=os.path.join(HERE, 'instance'),
+                     test_config={'MARKDOWN_EXTENSIONS': []})
+    client = app.test_client()
+    response = client.get('/')
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    assert b'<title>Index - incorporeal.org</title>' in response.data
+
+
+def test_extra_markdown_extensions_work():
+    """Test we can load more extensions via config, and that they work."""
+    app = create_app(instance_path=os.path.join(HERE, 'instance'))
+    client = app.test_client()
+    response = client.get('/mdash-or-triple-dash')
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    assert b'word --- word' in response.data
+
+    app = create_app(instance_path=os.path.join(HERE, 'instance'),
+                     test_config={'MARKDOWN_EXTENSIONS': ['smarty']})
+    client = app.test_client()
+    response = client.get('/mdash-or-triple-dash')
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    assert b'word &mdash; word' in response.data
+
+
 def test_title_override():
     """Test that a configuration with a specific title overrides the default."""
     instance_path = os.path.join(HERE, 'instance')