diff --git a/helpers/code.js b/helpers/code.js
index d7d5d89..0ebded0 100644
--- a/helpers/code.js
+++ b/helpers/code.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ var hljs = require('highlight.js');
  */
 module.exports = function(language, options) {
   if (typeof language === 'undefined') language = 'html';
+  language = hljs.getLanguage(language) ? language : 'html';
 
   var code = hljs.highlight(language, options.fn(this)).value;
 
diff --git a/helpers/markdown.js b/helpers/markdown.js
index f01b4a0..e6ec5f9 100644
--- a/helpers/markdown.js
+++ b/helpers/markdown.js
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ var marked = require('marked');
    renderer.code = function(code, language) {
      if (typeof language === 'undefined') language = 'html';
 
+     language = hljs.getLanguage(language) ? language : 'html';
+
      var renderedCode = hljs.highlight(language, code).value;
      var output = `<div class="code-example"><pre><code class="${language} hljs">${renderedCode}</code></pre></div>`;
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 28665ac..74d3d29 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "panini",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.1",
   "description": "A super tiny flat file compiler.",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/build/index.html b/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/build/index.html
index e889a3b..c8ec16b 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/build/index.html
+++ b/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/build/index.html
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
   <body>
     <h1 id="heading">Heading</h1>
     <p>Paragraph</p>
-    
+    <div class="code-example"><pre><code class="html hljs">my code block should default to html</code></pre></div><div class="code-example"><pre><code class="css hljs"><span class="hljs-class">.class</span><span class="hljs-rules">{<span class="hljs-rule"><span class="hljs-attribute">color</span>:<span class="hljs-value">red</span></span></span>}</code></pre></div>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/expected/index.html b/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/expected/index.html
index e889a3b..c8ec16b 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/expected/index.html
+++ b/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/expected/index.html
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
   <body>
     <h1 id="heading">Heading</h1>
     <p>Paragraph</p>
-    
+    <div class="code-example"><pre><code class="html hljs">my code block should default to html</code></pre></div><div class="code-example"><pre><code class="css hljs"><span class="hljs-class">.class</span><span class="hljs-rules">{<span class="hljs-rule"><span class="hljs-attribute">color</span>:<span class="hljs-value">red</span></span></span>}</code></pre></div>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/pages/index.html b/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/pages/index.html
index cd16fc0..28a646e 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/pages/index.html
+++ b/test/fixtures/helper-markdown/pages/index.html
@@ -2,4 +2,12 @@
 # Heading
 
 Paragraph
+
+```
+my code block should default to html
+```
+
+```css
+.class{color:red}
+```
 {{/markdown}}
