diff --git a/knowledge/models.py b/knowledge/models.py
index 1e58676..6a52e8e 100644
--- a/knowledge/models.py
+++ b/knowledge/models.py
@@ -144,6 +144,13 @@ def internal(self, save=True):
 
 
 class Question(KnowledgeBase):
+
+    QBODY_HELP_TEXT = 'Please offer details.'
+    if settings.DJANGO_KNOWLEDGE_MARKUP == 'Markdown':
+        QBODY_HELP_TEXT += ' Markdown enabled.'
+    elif settings.DJANGO_KNOWLEDGE_MARKUP == 'Textile':
+        QBODY_HELP_TEXT += ' Textile enabled.'
+
     is_question = True
     _requesting_user = None
 
@@ -152,7 +159,7 @@ class Question(KnowledgeBase):
         help_text=_('Enter your question or suggestion.'))
     body = models.TextField(blank=True, null=True,
         verbose_name=_('Description'),
-        help_text=_('Please offer details. Markdown enabled.'))
+        help_text=_(QBODY_HELP_TEXT))
 
     status = models.CharField(
         verbose_name=_('Status'),
@@ -249,6 +256,13 @@ def url(self):
 
 
 class Response(KnowledgeBase):
+
+    RBODY_HELP_TEXT = 'Please enter your response.'
+    if settings.DJANGO_KNOWLEDGE_MARKUP == 'Markdown':
+        RBODY_HELP_TEXT += ' Markdown enabled.'
+    elif settings.DJANGO_KNOWLEDGE_MARKUP == 'Textile':
+        RBODY_HELP_TEXT += ' Textile enabled.'
+
     is_response = True
 
     question = models.ForeignKey('knowledge.Question',
@@ -256,7 +270,7 @@ class Response(KnowledgeBase):
 
     body = models.TextField(blank=True, null=True,
         verbose_name=_('Response'),
-        help_text=_('Please enter your response. Markdown enabled.'))
+        help_text=_(RBODY_HELP_TEXT))
     status = models.CharField(
         verbose_name=_('Status'),
         max_length=32, choices=STATUSES_EXTENDED,
diff --git a/knowledge/settings.py b/knowledge/settings.py
index 33a1c6a..00eec69 100644
--- a/knowledge/settings.py
+++ b/knowledge/settings.py
@@ -16,3 +16,5 @@
 SLUG_URLS = getattr(settings, 'KNOWLEDGE_SLUG_URLS', True)
 
 BASE_TEMPLATE = getattr(settings, 'KNOWLEDGE_BASE_TEMPLATE', 'django_knowledge/base.html')
+
+DJANGO_KNOWLEDGE_MARKUP = getattr(settings, 'KNOWLEDGE_BASE_MARKUP', False)
diff --git a/knowledge/templates/django_knowledge/thread.html b/knowledge/templates/django_knowledge/thread.html
index 858037e..db7cd58 100644
--- a/knowledge/templates/django_knowledge/thread.html
+++ b/knowledge/templates/django_knowledge/thread.html
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 {% extends 'django_knowledge/inner.html' %}
 
 {% load i18n %}
-{% load markup %}
 {% load knowledge_tags %}
 {% load url from future %}
 
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@ <h5>{{ question.get_name }} <span class="quiet">
         &nbsp;{{ question.added }}
       </span></h5>
 
-      {{ question.body|striptags|markdown }}
+      {% render_markup question.body|striptags %}
 
       {% include "django_knowledge/mod_bar.html" with allowed_mods=allowed_mods.question type="question" node=question %}
     </div>
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@ <h5>{{ response.get_name }} <span class="quiet">
           &nbsp;{{ response.added }}
         </span></h5>
 
-        {{ response.body|striptags|markdown }}
+        {% render_markup response.body|striptags %}
 
         {% include "django_knowledge/mod_bar.html" with allowed_mods=allowed_mods.response type="response" node=response %}
       </div>
diff --git a/knowledge/templatetags/knowledge_tags.py b/knowledge/templatetags/knowledge_tags.py
index 7c1e3a3..0deb278 100644
--- a/knowledge/templatetags/knowledge_tags.py
+++ b/knowledge/templatetags/knowledge_tags.py
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
 
 from django import template
 
+from knowledge import settings
+
+if settings.DJANGO_KNOWLEDGE_MARKUP == 'Markdown':
+    import markdown
+elif settings.DJANGO_KNOWLEDGE_MARKUP == 'Textile':
+    import textile
+
 register = template.Library()
 
 
@@ -25,3 +32,16 @@ def page_query(request, page_num):
     qs = request.GET.copy()
     qs['page'] = page_num
     return qs.urlencode().replace('&', '&amp;')
+
+@register.simple_tag
+def render_markup(bodyblock):
+    """
+    Based on setting value, convert body text using
+    the correct renderer, else just return string
+    """
+    if settings.DJANGO_KNOWLEDGE_MARKUP == 'Markdown':
+        return markdown.markdown(bodyblock)
+    elif settings.DJANGO_KNOWLEDGE_MARKUP == 'Textile':
+        return textile.textile(bodyblock)
+    else:
+        return bodyblock