diff --git a/middleware/markdown/markdown.go b/middleware/markdown/markdown.go
index 6b09db46..3a33dc39 100644
--- a/middleware/markdown/markdown.go
+++ b/middleware/markdown/markdown.go
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 package markdown
 
 import (
-	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path"
+	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 	"time"
 
@@ -83,17 +83,22 @@ func (md Markdown) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (int, error
 		// URL points to, and pass that in to any possible template invocations,
 		// so that templates can customize the look and feel of a directory.
 		fdp, err := md.FileSys.Open(fpath)
-		if err != nil {
-			if os.IsPermission(err) {
-				return http.StatusForbidden, err
-			}
+		switch {
+		case err == nil: // nop
+		case os.IsPermission(err):
+			return http.StatusForbidden, err
+		case os.IsExist(err):
+			return http.StatusNotFound, nil
+		default: // did we run out of FD?
 			return http.StatusInternalServerError, err
 		}
+		defer fdp.Close()
 
 		// Grab a possible set of directory entries.  Note, we do not check
 		// for errors here (unreadable directory, for example).  It may
 		// still be useful to have a directory template file, without the
-		// directory contents being present.
+		// directory contents being present.  Note, the directory's last
+		// modification is also present here (entry ".").
 		dirents, _ = fdp.Readdir(-1)
 		for _, d := range dirents {
 			lastModTime = latest(lastModTime, d.ModTime())
@@ -103,53 +108,45 @@ func (md Markdown) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (int, error
 		fpath = idx
 	}
 
-	// If supported extension, process it
-	if _, ok := cfg.Extensions[path.Ext(fpath)]; ok {
-		f, err := md.FileSys.Open(fpath)
-		if err != nil {
-			if os.IsPermission(err) {
-				return http.StatusForbidden, err
-			}
-			return http.StatusNotFound, nil
-		}
-
-		fs, err := f.Stat()
-		if err != nil {
-			return http.StatusNotFound, nil
-		}
-		lastModTime = latest(lastModTime, fs.ModTime())
-
-		body, err := ioutil.ReadAll(f)
-		if err != nil {
-			return http.StatusInternalServerError, err
-		}
-
-		ctx := middleware.Context{
-			Root: md.FileSys,
-			Req:  r,
-			URL:  r.URL,
-		}
-		html, err := cfg.Markdown(fpath, body, dirents, ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return http.StatusInternalServerError, err
-		}
-
-		// TODO(weingart): move template execution here, something like:
-		//
-		// html, err = md.execTemplate(cfg, html, ctx)
-		// if err != nil {
-		// 	return http.StatusInternalServerError, err
-		// }
-
-		middleware.SetLastModifiedHeader(w, lastModTime)
-		if r.Method == http.MethodGet {
-			w.Write(html)
-		}
-		return http.StatusOK, nil
+	// If not supported extension, pass on it
+	if _, ok := cfg.Extensions[path.Ext(fpath)]; !ok {
+		return md.Next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 	}
 
-	// Didn't qualify to serve as markdown; pass-thru
-	return md.Next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
+	// At this point we have a supported extension/markdown
+	f, err := md.FileSys.Open(fpath)
+	switch {
+	case err == nil: // nop
+	case os.IsPermission(err):
+		return http.StatusForbidden, err
+	case os.IsExist(err):
+		return http.StatusNotFound, nil
+	default: // did we run out of FD?
+		return http.StatusInternalServerError, err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	if fs, err := f.Stat(); err != nil {
+		return http.StatusGone, nil
+	} else {
+		lastModTime = latest(lastModTime, fs.ModTime())
+	}
+
+	ctx := middleware.Context{
+		Root: md.FileSys,
+		Req:  r,
+		URL:  r.URL,
+	}
+	html, err := cfg.Markdown(title(fpath), f, dirents, ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return http.StatusInternalServerError, err
+	}
+
+	middleware.SetLastModifiedHeader(w, lastModTime)
+	if r.Method == http.MethodGet {
+		w.Write(html)
+	}
+	return http.StatusOK, nil
 }
 
 // latest returns the latest time.Time
@@ -164,3 +161,8 @@ func latest(t ...time.Time) time.Time {
 
 	return last
 }
+
+// title gives a backup generated title for a page
+func title(p string) string {
+	return strings.TrimRight(path.Base(p), path.Ext(p))
+}
diff --git a/middleware/markdown/markdown_test.go b/middleware/markdown/markdown_test.go
index 1e86e248..382c8e12 100644
--- a/middleware/markdown/markdown_test.go
+++ b/middleware/markdown/markdown_test.go
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@ package markdown
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"text/template"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/mholt/caddy/middleware"
@@ -217,3 +219,12 @@ func equalStrings(s1, s2 string) bool {
 	}
 	return true
 }
+
+func setDefaultTemplate(filename string) *template.Template {
+	buf, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return template.Must(GetDefaultTemplate().Parse(string(buf)))
+}
diff --git a/middleware/markdown/process.go b/middleware/markdown/process.go
index 1dd468d3..f72b5390 100644
--- a/middleware/markdown/process.go
+++ b/middleware/markdown/process.go
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 package markdown
 
 import (
+	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
+	// "path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/mholt/caddy/middleware"
 	"github.com/mholt/caddy/middleware/markdown/metadata"
@@ -33,8 +34,13 @@ func (f FileInfo) Summarize(wordcount int) (string, error) {
 
 // Markdown processes the contents of a page in b. It parses the metadata
 // (if any) and uses the template (if found).
-func (c *Config) Markdown(requestPath string, b []byte, dirents []os.FileInfo, ctx middleware.Context) ([]byte, error) {
-	parser := metadata.GetParser(b)
+func (c *Config) Markdown(title string, r io.Reader, dirents []os.FileInfo, ctx middleware.Context) ([]byte, error) {
+	body, err := ioutil.ReadAll(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	parser := metadata.GetParser(body)
 	markdown := parser.Markdown()
 	mdata := parser.Metadata()
 
@@ -44,19 +50,16 @@ func (c *Config) Markdown(requestPath string, b []byte, dirents []os.FileInfo, c
 	extns |= blackfriday.EXTENSION_FENCED_CODE
 	extns |= blackfriday.EXTENSION_STRIKETHROUGH
 	extns |= blackfriday.EXTENSION_DEFINITION_LISTS
-	markdown = blackfriday.Markdown(markdown, c.Renderer, extns)
+	html := blackfriday.Markdown(markdown, c.Renderer, extns)
 
 	// set it as body for template
-	mdata.Variables["body"] = string(markdown)
+	mdata.Variables["body"] = string(html)
 
 	// fixup title
-	title := mdata.Title
-	if title == "" {
-		title = filepath.Base(requestPath)
-		var extension = filepath.Ext(requestPath)
-		title = title[0 : len(title)-len(extension)]
+	mdata.Variables["title"] = mdata.Title
+	if mdata.Variables["title"] == "" {
+		mdata.Variables["title"] = title
 	}
-	mdata.Variables["title"] = title
 
 	// massage possible files
 	files := []FileInfo{}
diff --git a/middleware/markdown/summary/render.go b/middleware/markdown/summary/render.go
index fb11841c..5e3bfe19 100644
--- a/middleware/markdown/summary/render.go
+++ b/middleware/markdown/summary/render.go
@@ -9,23 +9,26 @@ import (
 // Ensure we implement the Blackfriday Markdown Renderer interface
 var _ blackfriday.Renderer = (*Renderer)(nil)
 
+// Renderer is a plain-text Markdown renderer that implements the
+// blackfriday.Renderer interface.  Many of the required methods are
+// stubs with no output.
 type Renderer struct{}
 
 // Blocklevel callbacks
 
-// BlockCode is the code tag callback.
+// Stub BlockCode is the code tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) BlockCode(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte, land string) {}
 
-// BlockQuote is teh quote tag callback.
+// Stub BlockQuote is teh quote tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) BlockQuote(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {}
 
-// BlockHtml is the HTML tag callback.
+// Stub BlockHtml is the HTML tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) BlockHtml(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {}
 
-// Header is the header tag callback.
+// Stub Header is the header tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) Header(out *bytes.Buffer, text func() bool, level int, id string) {}
 
-// HRule is the horizontal rule tag callback.
+// Stub HRule is the horizontal rule tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) HRule(out *bytes.Buffer) {}
 
 // List is the list tag callback.
@@ -39,10 +42,11 @@ func (r Renderer) List(out *bytes.Buffer, text func() bool, flags int) {
 	out.Write([]byte{' '})
 }
 
-// ListItem is the list item tag callback.
+// Stub ListItem is the list item tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) ListItem(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte, flags int) {}
 
-// Paragraph is the paragraph tag callback.
+// Paragraph is the paragraph tag callback.  This renders simple paragraph text
+// into plain text, such that summaries can be easily generated.
 func (r Renderer) Paragraph(out *bytes.Buffer, text func() bool) {
 	marker := out.Len()
 	if !text() {
@@ -51,93 +55,98 @@ func (r Renderer) Paragraph(out *bytes.Buffer, text func() bool) {
 	out.Write([]byte{' '})
 }
 
-// Table is the table tag callback.
+// Stub Table is the table tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) Table(out *bytes.Buffer, header []byte, body []byte, columnData []int) {}
 
-// TableRow is the table row tag callback.
+// Stub TableRow is the table row tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) TableRow(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {}
 
-// TableHeaderCell is the table header cell tag callback.
+// Stub TableHeaderCell is the table header cell tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) TableHeaderCell(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte, flags int) {}
 
-// TableCell is the table cell tag callback.
+// Stub TableCell is the table cell tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) TableCell(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte, flags int) {}
 
-// Footnotes is the foot notes tag callback.
+// Stub Footnotes is the foot notes tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) Footnotes(out *bytes.Buffer, text func() bool) {}
 
-// FootnoteItem is the footnote item tag callback.
+// Stub FootnoteItem is the footnote item tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) FootnoteItem(out *bytes.Buffer, name, text []byte, flags int) {}
 
-// TitleBlock is the title tag callback.
+// Stub TitleBlock is the title tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) TitleBlock(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {}
 
 // Spanlevel callbacks
 
-// AutoLink is the autolink tag callback.
+// Stub AutoLink is the autolink tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) AutoLink(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, kind int) {}
 
-// CodeSpan is the code span tag callback.
+// CodeSpan is the code span tag callback.  Outputs a simple Markdown version
+// of the code span.
 func (r Renderer) CodeSpan(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.Write([]byte("`"))
 	out.Write(text)
 	out.Write([]byte("`"))
 }
 
-// DoubleEmphasis is the double emphasis tag callback.
+// DoubleEmphasis is the double emphasis tag callback.  Outputs a simple
+// plain-text version of the input.
 func (r Renderer) DoubleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.Write(text)
 }
 
-// Emphasis is the emphasis tag callback.
+// Emphasis is the emphasis tag callback.  Outputs a simple plain-text
+// version of the input.
 func (r Renderer) Emphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.Write(text)
 }
 
-// Image is the image tag callback.
+// Stub Image is the image tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) Image(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, alt []byte) {}
 
-// LineBreak is the line break tag callback.
+// Stub LineBreak is the line break tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) LineBreak(out *bytes.Buffer) {}
 
-// Link is the link tag callback.
+// Link is the link tag callback.  Outputs a sipmle plain-text version
+// of the input.
 func (r Renderer) Link(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, content []byte) {
 	out.Write(content)
 }
 
-// RawHtmlTag is the raw HTML tag callback.
+// Stub RawHtmlTag is the raw HTML tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) RawHtmlTag(out *bytes.Buffer, tag []byte) {}
 
-// TripleEmphasis is the triple emphasis tag callback.
+// TripleEmphasis is the triple emphasis tag callback.  Outputs a simple plain-text
+// version of the input.
 func (r Renderer) TripleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.Write(text)
 }
 
-// StrikeThrough is the strikethrough tag callback.
+// Stub StrikeThrough is the strikethrough tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) StrikeThrough(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {}
 
-// FootnoteRef is the footnote ref tag callback.
+// Stub FootnoteRef is the footnote ref tag callback.
 func (r Renderer) FootnoteRef(out *bytes.Buffer, ref []byte, id int) {}
 
 // Lowlevel callbacks
 
-// Entity callback.
+// Entity callback.  Outputs a simple plain-text version of the input.
 func (r Renderer) Entity(out *bytes.Buffer, entity []byte) {
 	out.Write(entity)
 }
 
-// NormalText callback.
+// NormalText callback.  Outputs a simple plain-text version of the input.
 func (r Renderer) NormalText(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.Write(text)
 }
 
 // Header and footer
 
-// DocumentHeader callback.
+// Stub DocumentHeader callback.
 func (r Renderer) DocumentHeader(out *bytes.Buffer) {}
 
-// DocumentFooter callback.
+// Stub DocumentFooter callback.
 func (r Renderer) DocumentFooter(out *bytes.Buffer) {}
 
-// GetFlags returns zero.
+// Stub GetFlags returns zero.
 func (r Renderer) GetFlags() int { return 0 }
diff --git a/middleware/markdown/summary/summary.go b/middleware/markdown/summary/summary.go
index 2527de03..a4d14540 100644
--- a/middleware/markdown/summary/summary.go
+++ b/middleware/markdown/summary/summary.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/russross/blackfriday"
 )
 
+// Markdown formats input using a plain-text renderer, and
+// then returns up to the first `wordcount` words as a summary.
 func Markdown(input []byte, wordcount int) []byte {
 	words := bytes.Fields(blackfriday.Markdown(input, Renderer{}, 0))
 	if wordcount > len(words) {
diff --git a/middleware/markdown/template.go b/middleware/markdown/template.go
index 76d3a99d..10ea31c5 100644
--- a/middleware/markdown/template.go
+++ b/middleware/markdown/template.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package markdown
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"io/ioutil"
-	// "os"
 	"text/template"
 
 	"github.com/mholt/caddy/middleware"
@@ -46,15 +45,6 @@ func execTemplate(c *Config, mdata metadata.Metadata, files []FileInfo, ctx midd
 	return b.Bytes(), nil
 }
 
-func setDefaultTemplate(filename string) *template.Template {
-	buf, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filename)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	return template.Must(GetDefaultTemplate().Parse(string(buf)))
-}
-
 func SetTemplate(t *template.Template, name, filename string) error {
 
 	// Read template