diff --git a/CommonMark.Tests/CommonMark.Tests.csproj b/CommonMark.Tests/CommonMark.Tests.csproj
index f0d76f9..e0b8ac6 100644
--- a/CommonMark.Tests/CommonMark.Tests.csproj
+++ b/CommonMark.Tests/CommonMark.Tests.csproj
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
       <DesignTime>True</DesignTime>
       <DependentUpon>Specs.tt</DependentUpon>
     </Compile>
+    <Compile Include="YamlBlockTests.cs" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include="Specification\Specs.tt">
diff --git a/CommonMark.Tests/YamlBlockTests.cs b/CommonMark.Tests/YamlBlockTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3f2098
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CommonMark.Tests/YamlBlockTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
+
+using CommonMark.Syntax;
+
+namespace CommonMark.Tests
+{
+    [TestClass]
+    public class YamlBlockTests
+    {
+        private const string Category = "Container blocks - YAML";
+
+        private static CommonMarkSettings GetSettings(bool frontMatterOnly = false)
+        {
+            var settings = CommonMarkSettings.Default.Clone();
+            settings.AdditionalFeatures = frontMatterOnly
+                ? CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.YamlFrontMatterOnly
+                : CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.YamlBlocks;
+            return settings;
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        [TestCategory(Category)]
+        public void YamlDisabled()
+        {
+            Helpers.ExecuteTest(
+                "---\nparagraph\n...",
+                "<hr />\n<p>paragraph\n...</p>");
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        [TestCategory(Category)]
+        public void YamlEmpty()
+        {
+            Helpers.ExecuteTest(
+                "---\n\n...",
+                "<pre><code class=\"language-yaml\">\n</code></pre>",
+                GetSettings());
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        [TestCategory(Category)]
+        public void YamlFrontMatterOnly()
+        {
+            Helpers.ExecuteTest(
+                "---\nfrontmatter\n...\n\nparagraph\n\n---\nline 1\nline 2\n...\n",
+                "<pre><code class=\"language-yaml\">frontmatter\n</code></pre>\n" +
+                "<p>paragraph</p>\n" +
+                "<hr />\n" +
+                "<p>line 1\nline 2\n...</p>",
+                GetSettings(true));
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        [TestCategory(Category)]
+        public void YamlMultipleBlocks()
+        {
+            Helpers.ExecuteTest(
+                "---\nfrontmatter\n...\n\nparagraph\n\n---\nline 1\nline 2\n...\n",
+                "<pre><code class=\"language-yaml\">frontmatter\n</code></pre>\n" +
+                "<p>paragraph</p>\n" +
+                "<pre><code class=\"language-yaml\">line 1\nline 2\n</code></pre>",
+                GetSettings());
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        [TestCategory(Category)]
+        public void YamlAndThematicBreak()
+        {
+            Helpers.ExecuteTest(
+                "----\n\nnot yaml\n---\nalso not yaml\n\n---\nbut this\nis\nyaml\n...\npara",
+                "<hr />\n" +
+                "<h2>not yaml</h2>\n" +
+                "<p>also not yaml</p>\n" +
+                "<pre><code class=\"language-yaml\">but this\nis\nyaml\n</code></pre>\n" +
+                "<p>para</p>",
+                GetSettings());
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        [TestCategory(Category)]
+        public void YamlClosingFenceDash()
+        {
+            AssertYamlClosingFenceAndAst("---");
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        [TestCategory(Category)]
+        public void YamlClosingFenceDot()
+        {
+            AssertYamlClosingFenceAndAst("...");
+        }
+
+        private static void AssertYamlClosingFenceAndAst(string fence)
+        {
+            var markdown = "---\nyaml\n" + fence;
+            Helpers.ExecuteTest(
+                markdown,
+                "<pre><code class=\"language-yaml\">yaml\n</code></pre>",
+                GetSettings());
+
+            var doc = CommonMarkConverter.Parse(markdown, GetSettings());
+
+            Assert.IsNotNull(doc.FirstChild);
+            Assert.AreEqual(BlockTag.YamlBlock, doc.FirstChild.Tag);
+            Assert.IsNotNull(doc.FirstChild.FencedCodeData);
+            Assert.AreEqual(0, doc.FirstChild.FencedCodeData.FenceOffset);
+            Assert.AreEqual(-1, doc.FirstChild.FencedCodeData.FenceLength);
+            Assert.AreEqual(fence[0], doc.FirstChild.FencedCodeData.FenceChar);
+            Assert.IsNull(doc.FirstChild.FencedCodeData.Info);
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CommonMark/CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.cs b/CommonMark/CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.cs
index 8351ce2..b565499 100644
--- a/CommonMark/CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.cs
+++ b/CommonMark/CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.cs
@@ -25,6 +25,19 @@ public enum CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures
         /// </summary>
         PlaceholderBracket = 2,
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Allow YAML blocks (delimited by a line starting with exactly <c>---</c> and a line ending
+        /// with exactly <c>---</c> or <c>...</c>. YAML blocks will take precedence over a <c>---</c>
+        /// that might otherwise yield a thematic break.
+        /// </summary>
+        YamlBlocks = 4,
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Like <see cref="YamlBlocks"/> but will yield a maximum of one block, and only if the first
+        /// line is exactly <c>---</c>.
+        /// </summary>
+        YamlFrontMatterOnly = 8,
+
         /// <summary>
         /// All additional features are enabled.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/CommonMark/CommonMarkConverter.cs b/CommonMark/CommonMarkConverter.cs
index 6487851..768d05e 100644
--- a/CommonMark/CommonMarkConverter.cs
+++ b/CommonMark/CommonMarkConverter.cs
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ public static Syntax.Block ProcessStage1(TextReader source, CommonMarkSettings s
                 reader.ReadLine(line);
                 while (line.Line != null)
                 {
-                    BlockMethods.IncorporateLine(line, ref cur);
+                    BlockMethods.IncorporateLine(line, ref cur, settings);
                     reader.ReadLine(line);
                 }
             }
diff --git a/CommonMark/Formatters/HtmlFormatter.cs b/CommonMark/Formatters/HtmlFormatter.cs
index bb40418..af5a111 100644
--- a/CommonMark/Formatters/HtmlFormatter.cs
+++ b/CommonMark/Formatters/HtmlFormatter.cs
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ protected virtual void WriteBlock(Block block, bool isOpening, bool isClosing, o
 
                 case BlockTag.IndentedCode:
                 case BlockTag.FencedCode:
+                case BlockTag.YamlBlock:
 
                     ignoreChildNodes = true;
 
@@ -237,6 +238,11 @@ protected virtual void WriteBlock(Block block, bool isOpening, bool isClosing, o
                         WriteEncodedHtml(new StringPart(info, 0, x));
                         Write('\"');
                     }
+                    else if (block.Tag == BlockTag.YamlBlock)
+                    {
+                        Write(" class=\"language-yaml\"");
+                    }
+
                     Write('>');
                     WriteEncodedHtml(block.StringContent);
                     WriteLine("</code></pre>");
diff --git a/CommonMark/Formatters/HtmlFormatterSlim.cs b/CommonMark/Formatters/HtmlFormatterSlim.cs
index f322c6e..e3a795d 100644
--- a/CommonMark/Formatters/HtmlFormatterSlim.cs
+++ b/CommonMark/Formatters/HtmlFormatterSlim.cs
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@ private static void BlocksToHtmlInner(HtmlTextWriter writer, Block block, Common
 
                     case BlockTag.IndentedCode:
                     case BlockTag.FencedCode:
+                    case BlockTag.YamlBlock:
                         writer.EnsureLine();
                         writer.WriteConstant("<pre><code");
                         if (trackPositions) PrintPosition(writer, block);
@@ -333,6 +334,11 @@ private static void BlocksToHtmlInner(HtmlTextWriter writer, Block block, Common
                             EscapeHtml(new StringPart(info, 0, x), writer);
                             writer.Write('\"');
                         }
+                        else if (block.Tag == BlockTag.YamlBlock)
+                        {
+                            writer.WriteConstant(" class=\"language-yaml\"");
+                        }
+
                         writer.Write('>');
                         EscapeHtml(block.StringContent, writer);
                         writer.WriteLineConstant("</code></pre>");
diff --git a/CommonMark/Formatters/Printer.cs b/CommonMark/Formatters/Printer.cs
index 7a3477d..644f238 100644
--- a/CommonMark/Formatters/Printer.cs
+++ b/CommonMark/Formatters/Printer.cs
@@ -162,6 +162,14 @@ public static void PrintBlocks(TextWriter writer, Block block, CommonMarkSetting
                                format_str(block.StringContent.ToString(buffer), buffer));
                         break;
 
+                    case BlockTag.YamlBlock:
+                        writer.Write("yaml_block");
+                        PrintPosition(trackPositions, writer, block);
+                        writer.Write(" closing_fence_char={0} {1}",
+                               block.FencedCodeData.FenceChar,
+                               format_str(block.StringContent.ToString(buffer), buffer));
+                        break;
+
                     case BlockTag.HtmlBlock:
                         writer.Write("html_block");
                         PrintPosition(trackPositions, writer, block);
diff --git a/CommonMark/Parser/BlockMethods.cs b/CommonMark/Parser/BlockMethods.cs
index b844e7c..0bf6c13 100644
--- a/CommonMark/Parser/BlockMethods.cs
+++ b/CommonMark/Parser/BlockMethods.cs
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ private static bool AcceptsLines(BlockTag block_type)
             return (block_type == BlockTag.Paragraph ||
                     block_type == BlockTag.AtxHeading ||
                     block_type == BlockTag.IndentedCode ||
-                    block_type == BlockTag.FencedCode);
+                    block_type == BlockTag.FencedCode ||
+                    block_type == BlockTag.YamlBlock);
         }
 
         private static void AddLine(Block block, LineInfo lineInfo, string ln, int offset, int remainingSpaces, int length = -1, bool isAddOffsetRequired = true)
@@ -137,9 +138,12 @@ public static void Finalize(Block b, LineInfo line)
                     break;
 
                 case BlockTag.FencedCode:
+                case BlockTag.YamlBlock:
                     // first line of contents becomes info
                     var firstlinelen = b.StringContent.IndexOf('\n') + 1;
-                    b.FencedCodeData.Info = InlineMethods.Unescape(b.StringContent.TakeFromStart(firstlinelen, true).Trim());
+                    var firstline = b.StringContent.TakeFromStart(firstlinelen, true);
+                    if (b.Tag == BlockTag.FencedCode)
+                        b.FencedCodeData.Info = InlineMethods.Unescape(firstline.Trim());
                     break;
 
                 case BlockTag.List: // determine tight/loose status
@@ -464,7 +468,7 @@ private static void AdvanceOffset(string line, int count, bool columns, ref int
         // Process one line at a time, modifying a block.
         // Returns 0 if successful.  curptr is changed to point to
         // the currently open block.
-        public static void IncorporateLine(LineInfo line, ref Block curptr)
+        public static void IncorporateLine(LineInfo line, ref Block curptr, CommonMarkSettings settings)
         {
             var ln = line.Line;
 
@@ -571,6 +575,7 @@ public static void IncorporateLine(LineInfo line, ref Block curptr)
                         }
 
                     case BlockTag.FencedCode:
+                    case BlockTag.YamlBlock:
                         {
                             // -1 means we've seen closer 
                             if (container.FencedCodeData.FenceLength == -1)
@@ -632,6 +637,7 @@ public static void IncorporateLine(LineInfo line, ref Block curptr)
             // unless last matched container is code block, try new container starts:
             while (container.Tag != BlockTag.FencedCode &&
                    container.Tag != BlockTag.IndentedCode &&
+                   container.Tag != BlockTag.YamlBlock &&
                    container.Tag != BlockTag.HtmlBlock)
             {
 
@@ -670,6 +676,20 @@ public static void IncorporateLine(LineInfo line, ref Block curptr)
 
                     AdvanceOffset(ln, first_nonspace + matched - offset, false, ref offset, ref column, ref remainingSpaces);
 
+                }
+                else if (!indented &&
+                         ((container.IsLastLineBlank && (settings.AdditionalFeatures & CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.YamlBlocks) != 0)
+                         || (line.LineNumber == 1 && (settings.AdditionalFeatures & (CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.YamlFrontMatterOnly | CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.YamlBlocks)) != 0))
+                         && ln == "---\n")
+                {
+
+                    container = CreateChildBlock(container, line, BlockTag.YamlBlock, first_nonspace);
+                    container.FencedCodeData = new FencedCodeData();
+                    container.FencedCodeData.FenceChar = '-';
+                    container.FencedCodeData.FenceLength = 3;
+
+                    AdvanceOffset(ln, 3, false, ref offset, ref column, ref remainingSpaces);
+
                 }
                 else if (!indented && curChar == '<' && 
                     (0 != (matched = (int)Scanner.scan_html_block_start(ln, first_nonspace, ln.Length))
@@ -795,6 +815,7 @@ public static void IncorporateLine(LineInfo line, ref Block curptr)
                                           container.Tag != BlockTag.BlockQuote &&
                                           container.Tag != BlockTag.SetextHeading &&
                                           container.Tag != BlockTag.FencedCode &&
+                                          container.Tag != BlockTag.YamlBlock &&
                                           !(container.Tag == BlockTag.ListItem &&
                                             container.FirstChild == null &&
                                             container.SourcePosition >= line.LineOffset));
@@ -851,6 +872,20 @@ public static void IncorporateLine(LineInfo line, ref Block curptr)
                         AddLine(container, line, ln, offset, remainingSpaces);
                     }
 
+                }
+                else if (container.Tag == BlockTag.YamlBlock)
+                {
+
+                    if ((curChar == '-' && ln == "---\n") || (curChar == '.' && ln == "...\n"))
+                    {
+                        container.FencedCodeData.FenceLength = -1;
+                        container.FencedCodeData.FenceChar = ln[0];
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        AddLine(container, line, ln, offset, remainingSpaces);
+                    }
+
                 }
                 else if (container.Tag == BlockTag.HtmlBlock)
                 {
diff --git a/CommonMark/Syntax/BlockTag.cs b/CommonMark/Syntax/BlockTag.cs
index d3e034d..7579306 100644
--- a/CommonMark/Syntax/BlockTag.cs
+++ b/CommonMark/Syntax/BlockTag.cs
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ public enum BlockTag : byte
         /// <summary>
         /// A text block that contains only link reference definitions.
         /// </summary>
-        ReferenceDefinition
+        ReferenceDefinition,
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// A YAML metadta block (for example, <c>---\nyaml: metadata\n...</c>).
+        /// Only present if <see cref="CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.YamlBlocks"/> or
+        /// <see cref="CommonMarkAdditionalFeatures.YamlFrontMatterOnly"/> are enabled
+        /// The block is structured like a <see cref="FencedCode"/> block.
+        /// </summary>
+        YamlBlock
     }
 }