diff --git a/datasette/app.py b/datasette/app.py
index 2d02e705..354cf5e2 100644
--- a/datasette/app.py
+++ b/datasette/app.py
@@ -763,7 +763,9 @@ class DatasetteRouter(AsgiRouter):
                 template = None
             if template:
                 await asgi_send_html(
-                    send, await self.ds.render_template(template), status=200
+                    send,
+                    await self.ds.render_template(template, view_name="page"),
+                    status=200,
                 )
             else:
                 await self.handle_500(
diff --git a/tests/fixtures.py b/tests/fixtures.py
index 8459fd4f..0284ff9c 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures.py
+++ b/tests/fixtures.py
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ def make_app_client(
     inspect_data=None,
     static_mounts=None,
     template_dir=None,
+    extra_plugins=None,
 ):
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
         filepath = os.path.join(tmpdir, filename)
@@ -133,6 +134,8 @@ def make_app_client(
         os.mkdir(plugins_dir)
         open(os.path.join(plugins_dir, "my_plugin.py"), "w").write(PLUGIN1)
         open(os.path.join(plugins_dir, "my_plugin_2.py"), "w").write(PLUGIN2)
+        for filename, content in (extra_plugins or {}).items():
+            open(os.path.join(plugins_dir, filename), "w").write(content)
         config = config or {}
         config.update(
             {
diff --git a/tests/test_html.py b/tests/test_html.py
index 785d2d97..10ed8e28 100644
--- a/tests/test_html.py
+++ b/tests/test_html.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import json
 import pathlib
 import pytest
 import re
+import textwrap
 import urllib.parse
 
 
@@ -1243,16 +1244,31 @@ def test_base_url_config(base_url, path):
                 }
 
 
-def test_custom_template_page(tmpdir):
+def test_custom_pages(tmpdir):
     template_dir = tmpdir.mkdir("page-templates")
+    extra_plugins = {
+        "view_name.py": textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+    from datasette import hookimpl
+
+    @hookimpl
+    def extra_template_vars(view_name):
+        return {
+            "view_name": view_name,
+        }
+    """
+        )
+    }
     pages_dir = template_dir.mkdir("pages")
-    (pages_dir / "about.html").write_text("ABOUT!", "utf-8")
+    (pages_dir / "about.html").write_text("ABOUT! view_name:{{ view_name }}", "utf-8")
     nested_dir = pages_dir.mkdir("nested")
     (nested_dir / "nest.html").write_text("Nest!", "utf-8")
-    for client in make_app_client(template_dir=str(template_dir)):
+    for client in make_app_client(
+        template_dir=str(template_dir), extra_plugins=extra_plugins
+    ):
         response = client.get("/about")
         assert 200 == response.status
-        assert "ABOUT!" == response.text
+        assert "ABOUT! view_name:page" == response.text
         response = client.get("/nested/nest")
         assert 200 == response.status
         assert "Nest!" == response.text