diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 09f00a1..44879f1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,7 +33,23 @@ different types of content with a great deal of control.
 The default handlers are:
 
  - HTML with SSI support
- 	eg: <html><body><!-- #include file="./body.html" --></body></html>
+ 	eg:
+
+	```
+		<html>
+			<body>
+				<!-- #include file="./header.html" -->
+
+				<!-- can include markdown, which will be converted to html -->
+				<!-- #include file="./essay.md" -->
+
+				<div id="footer">
+				    <!-- you can include text files as well -->
+					<!-- #include file="./somedir/footer.txt" >
+				</div>
+			</body>
+		</html>
+	```
  - markdown
  	will serve markdown as HTML (or raw with an Accept header of text/markdown)
  - Typescript
@@ -92,7 +108,6 @@ object indicating permission is denied or similar.
 
  - [ ] reload typescript if it is modified on disk
 
-
 #### NOTE ON WINDOWS
 
 Because Windows has more restrictions on filenames, you can use `___` in place of `:` in
diff --git a/deno.json b/deno.json
index 8d49f00..a30d220 100644
--- a/deno.json
+++ b/deno.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
 	"name": "@andyburke/serverus",
 	"description": "A flexible HTTP server for mixed content. Throw static files, markdown, Typescript and (hopefully, eventually) more into a directory and serverus can serve it up a bit more like old-school CGI.",
-	"version": "0.7.1",
+	"version": "0.8.0",
 	"license": "MIT",
 	"exports": {
 		".": "./serverus.ts",
diff --git a/handlers/html.ts b/handlers/html.ts
index ebcf71e..7bb2e71 100644
--- a/handlers/html.ts
+++ b/handlers/html.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
  */
 
 import * as path from '@std/path';
+import { md_to_html } from '@andyburke/serverus/handlers/markdown';
 
 // https://stackoverflow.com/a/75205316
 const replaceAsync = async (str: string, regex: RegExp, asyncFn: (match: any, ...args: any) => Promise<any>) => {
@@ -34,7 +35,27 @@ async function load_html_with_ssi(html_file: string): Promise<string> {
 						break;
 					}
 
-					return await load_html_with_ssi(resolved);
+					const HANDLERS: Record<string, (include_path: string) => Promise<string> | string> = {
+						default: async (include_path: string) => {
+							try {
+								return await Deno.readTextFile(include_path);
+							} catch (error) {
+								console.dir({ error });
+								throw error;
+							}
+						},
+
+						'.md': async (include_path: string) => {
+							const markdown_content = await Deno.readTextFile(include_path);
+							return md_to_html(markdown_content);
+						},
+
+						'.html': load_html_with_ssi
+					};
+
+					const extension = path.extname(resolved);
+					const handler = extension ? (HANDLERS[extension.toLowerCase()] ?? HANDLERS.default) : HANDLERS.default;
+					return await handler(resolved);
 				}
 
 				default: {
diff --git a/tests/08_test_html_includes.test.ts b/tests/08_test_html_includes.test.ts
index a1e3a4f..40dcb39 100644
--- a/tests/08_test_html_includes.test.ts
+++ b/tests/08_test_html_includes.test.ts
@@ -71,3 +71,153 @@ Deno.test({
 		}
 	}
 });
+
+Deno.test({
+	name: 'get html file with markdown included',
+	permissions: {
+		env: true,
+		read: true,
+		write: true,
+		net: true
+	},
+	fn: async () => {
+		let test_server_info: EPHEMERAL_SERVER | null = null;
+		const cwd = Deno.cwd();
+
+		try {
+			Deno.chdir('./tests/www');
+			test_server_info = await get_ephemeral_listen_server();
+
+			const response = await fetch(`http://${test_server_info.hostname}:${test_server_info.port}/includes/with_markdown.html`);
+
+			const body = await response.text();
+
+			asserts.assert(response.ok);
+			asserts.assert(body);
+			asserts.assertMatch(body, /\<html\>.*?\<h1\>This is Markdown\<\/h1\>.*?\<\/html\>/is);
+		} finally {
+			Deno.chdir(cwd);
+			if (test_server_info) {
+				await test_server_info?.server?.stop();
+			}
+		}
+	}
+});
+
+Deno.test({
+	name: 'get html file with text included',
+	permissions: {
+		env: true,
+		read: true,
+		write: true,
+		net: true
+	},
+	fn: async () => {
+		let test_server_info: EPHEMERAL_SERVER | null = null;
+		const cwd = Deno.cwd();
+
+		try {
+			Deno.chdir('./tests/www');
+			test_server_info = await get_ephemeral_listen_server();
+
+			const response = await fetch(`http://${test_server_info.hostname}:${test_server_info.port}/includes/with_text.html`);
+
+			const body = await response.text();
+
+			asserts.assert(response.ok);
+			asserts.assert(body);
+			asserts.assertMatch(body, /\<html\>.*?Just some random text in a random text file\..*?\<\/html\>/is);
+		} finally {
+			Deno.chdir(cwd);
+			if (test_server_info) {
+				await test_server_info?.server?.stop();
+			}
+		}
+	}
+});
+
+Deno.test({
+	name: 'get html file with lots of includes',
+	permissions: {
+		env: true,
+		read: true,
+		write: true,
+		net: true
+	},
+	fn: async () => {
+		let test_server_info: EPHEMERAL_SERVER | null = null;
+		const cwd = Deno.cwd();
+
+		try {
+			Deno.chdir('./tests/www');
+			test_server_info = await get_ephemeral_listen_server();
+
+			const response = await fetch(
+				`http://${test_server_info.hostname}:${test_server_info.port}/includes/with_lots_of_includes.html`
+			);
+
+			const body = await response.text();
+
+			asserts.assert(response.ok);
+			asserts.assert(body);
+			asserts.assertEquals(
+				body,
+				`<html>
+	<body>
+		<p>Hello. Markdown should follow:</p>
+
+		<h1>This is Markdown</h1>
+<br>
+Welcome to it.
+<br>
+<h2>This is a level 2 heading</h2>
+<br>
+Can you read this?
+<br>
+<h3>Let&#39;s go deeper, level 3 heading</h3>
+<br>
+<ul>
+<li>  this</li>
+<br>
+<li>  is</li>
+<br>
+<li>  a</li>
+<br>
+<li>  list?</li>
+<br>
+</ul>
+<br>
+<h3>How about a table?</h3>
+<br>
+| column 1 | column 2 |
+| -------- | -------- |
+| hi       | hey      |
+| hoy      | hah      |
+<br>
+<h2>Ok, that seems sufficient?</h2>
+<br>
+Hardly, but we&#39;ll get back to this.
+
+		Just some random text in a random text file.
+
+		<div>Include #1</div>
+
+<div>Include #2!</div>
+
+
+		<div>Include #3</div>
+
+
+		<p>Goodbye. The include should be above.</p>
+	</body>
+</html>
+`
+			);
+		} finally {
+			Deno.chdir(cwd);
+			if (test_server_info) {
+				await test_server_info?.server?.stop();
+			}
+		}
+	}
+});
