diff --git a/pelican/readers.py b/pelican/readers.py
index f130991f..e54aa4e0 100644
--- a/pelican/readers.py
+++ b/pelican/readers.py
@@ -246,8 +246,16 @@ class MarkdownReader(BaseReader):
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(MarkdownReader, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.extensions = self.settings['MD_EXTENSIONS']
-        self.extensions.setdefault('markdown.extensions.meta', {})
+        # make sure 'extension_configs' exists and
+        # and either way 'markdown.extensions.meta' must be in there
+        settings = self.settings['MARKDOWN']
+        settings.setdefault('extension_configs', {})
+        settings['extension_configs'].setdefault(
+            'markdown.extensions.meta', {})
+        settings.setdefault('extensions', [])
+        settings['extensions'].extend(
+            list(settings['extension_configs'].keys()))
+        settings['extensions'] = list(set(settings['extensions']))
         self._source_path = None
 
     def _parse_metadata(self, meta):
@@ -283,8 +291,7 @@ class MarkdownReader(BaseReader):
         """Parse content and metadata of markdown files"""
 
         self._source_path = source_path
-        self._md = Markdown(extensions=self.extensions.keys(),
-                            extension_configs=self.extensions)
+        self._md = Markdown(**self.settings['MARKDOWN'])
         with pelican_open(source_path) as text:
             content = self._md.convert(text)
 
diff --git a/pelican/settings.py b/pelican/settings.py
index f1142077..14ddb8ba 100644
--- a/pelican/settings.py
+++ b/pelican/settings.py
@@ -101,10 +101,12 @@ DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
     'PELICAN_CLASS': 'pelican.Pelican',
     'DEFAULT_DATE_FORMAT': '%a %d %B %Y',
     'DATE_FORMATS': {},
-    'MD_EXTENSIONS': {
-        'markdown.extensions.codehilite': {'css_class': 'highlight'},
-        'markdown.extensions.extra': {},
-        'markdown.extensions.meta': {},
+    'MARKDOWN': {
+        'extension_configs': {
+            'markdown.extensions.codehilite': {'css_class': 'highlight'},
+            'markdown.extensions.extra': {},
+            'markdown.extensions.meta': {},
+        },
     },
     'JINJA_EXTENSIONS': [],
     'JINJA_FILTERS': {},
@@ -368,13 +370,11 @@ def configure_settings(settings):
                            PATH_KEY)
             settings[PATH_KEY] = DEFAULT_CONFIG[PATH_KEY]
 
-    # Save people from declaring MD_EXTENSIONS as a list rather than a dict
-    if not isinstance(settings.get('MD_EXTENSIONS', {}), dict):
-        logger.warning('The format of the MD_EXTENSIONS setting has '
-                       'changed. It should now be a dict mapping '
-                       'fully-qualified extension names to their '
-                       'configurations. Falling back to the default.')
-        settings['MD_EXTENSIONS'] = DEFAULT_CONFIG['MD_EXTENSIONS']
+    # Deprecated warning of MD_EXTENSIONS
+    if 'MD_EXTENSIONS' in settings:
+        logger.warning('MD_EXTENSIONS is deprecated use MARKDOWN '
+                       'instead. Falling back to the default.')
+        settings['MARKDOWN'] = DEFAULT_CONFIG['MARKDOWN']
 
     # Add {PAGE,ARTICLE}_PATHS to {ARTICLE,PAGE}_EXCLUDES
     mutually_exclusive = ('ARTICLE', 'PAGE')