diff --git a/lib/jekyll/filters.rb b/lib/jekyll/filters.rb
index dbd9f5118d1..8fd3f4c0be7 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/filters.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/filters.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,15 @@ def textilize(input)
       TextileConverter.new.convert(input)
     end
 
+    # Convert a Markdown string into HTML output using RDiscount.
+    #
+    # input - The Markdown String to convert.
+    #
+    # Returns the HTML formatted String.
+    def rdiscount(input)
+      RDiscount.new(input).to_html
+    end
+
     # Format a date in short format e.g. "27 Jan 2011".
     #
     # date - the Time to format.
diff --git a/test/test_filters.rb b/test/test_filters.rb
index 4fa0b819a15..4b55431984b 100644
--- a/test/test_filters.rb
+++ b/test/test_filters.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ class JekyllFilter
       assert_equal "<p>something <strong>really</strong> simple</p>", @filter.textilize("something *really* simple")
     end
 
+    should "rdiscount with simple string" do
+      assert_equal "<p>something <strong>really</strong> simple</p>\n", @filter.rdiscount("something **really** simple")
+    end
+
     should "convert array to sentence string with no args" do
       assert_equal "", @filter.array_to_sentence_string([])
     end