diff --git a/readme/markdown.py b/readme/markdown.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/readme/markdown.py
+++ b/readme/markdown.py
@@ -21,5 +21,8 @@ from .clean import clean
 def render(raw):
     rendered = markdown.markdown(
         raw,
-        extensions=['markdown.extensions.fenced_code'])
+        extensions=[
+            'markdown.extensions.fenced_code',
+            'markdown.extensions.smart_strong',
+        ])
     return clean(rendered or raw), bool(rendered)
diff --git a/tests/test_markdown.py b/tests/test_markdown.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100755
--- a/tests/test_markdown.py
+++ b/tests/test_markdown.py
@@ -81,6 +81,14 @@ def read(fn):
     assert out == expected_html
 
 
+def test_smart_strong():
+    markdown_markup = 'Text with double__underscore__words.'
+    out, rendered = render(markdown_markup)
+    expected_html = '<p>Text with double__underscore__words.</p>'
+    assert rendered
+    assert out == expected_html
+
+
 def test_headings_and_paragraphs():
     _do_test_with_files('headings_and_paragraphs')
Add support for markdown.extensions.smart_strong

Allows markup like:

    Text with double__underscore__words.

And it will render the double underscores within the words instead of
taking them to mean to format as strong.