diff --git a/middleman-core/features/front-matter.feature b/middleman-core/features/front-matter.feature
index 0b7103e3..5e57de30 100644
--- a/middleman-core/features/front-matter.feature
+++ b/middleman-core/features/front-matter.feature
@@ -6,26 +6,47 @@ Feature: YAML Front Matter
     When I go to "/front-matter-auto.html"
     Then I should see "<h1>This is the title</h1>"
     Then I should not see "---"
-    When I go to "/front-matter.html"
-    Then I should see "<h1>This is the title</h1>"
-    Then I should not see "---"
     When I go to "/front-matter-2.php"
     Then I should see "<h1>This is the title</h1>"
     Then I should see "<?php"
     Then I should not see "---"
+
+  Scenario: YAML not on first line, no encoding
+    Given the Server is running at "frontmatter-app"
+    When I go to "/front-matter-line-2.html"
+    Then I should see "<h1></h1>"
+    Then I should see "---"
+    
+  Scenario: YAML not on first line, with encoding
+    Given the Server is running at "frontmatter-app"
+    When I go to "/front-matter-encoding.html"
+    Then I should see "<h1>This is the title</h1>"
+    Then I should not see "---"
     
   Scenario: Rendering html (json)
     Given the Server is running at "frontmatter-app"
     When I go to "/json-front-matter-auto.html"
     Then I should see "<h1>This is the title</h1>"
-    Then I should not see "{"
+    Then I should not see ";;;"
     When I go to "/json-front-matter.html"
     Then I should see "<h1>This is the title</h1>"
-    Then I should not see "{"
+    Then I should not see ";;;"
     When I go to "/json-front-matter-2.php"
     Then I should see "<h1>This is the title</h1>"
     Then I should see "<?php"
-    Then I should not see "{"
+    Then I should not see ";;;"
+
+  Scenario: JSON not on first line, no encoding
+    Given the Server is running at "frontmatter-app"
+    When I go to "/json-front-matter-line-2.html"
+    Then I should see "<h1></h1>"
+    Then I should see ";;;"
+    
+  Scenario: JSON not on first line, with encoding
+    Given the Server is running at "frontmatter-app"
+    When I go to "/json-front-matter-encoding.html"
+    Then I should see "<h1>This is the title</h1>"
+    Then I should not see ";;;"
 
   Scenario: A template changes frontmatter during preview
     Given the Server is running at "frontmatter-app"
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/front-matter-encoding.html.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/front-matter-encoding.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c44d9633
--- /dev/null
+++ b/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/front-matter-encoding.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+---
+layout: false
+title: This is the title
+---
+
+<h1><%= data.page.title %></h1>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/front-matter.html.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/front-matter-line-2.html.erb
similarity index 98%
rename from middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/front-matter.html.erb
rename to middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/front-matter-line-2.html.erb
index 2bb8e884..a3a6dacf 100644
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/front-matter.html.erb
+++ b/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/front-matter-line-2.html.erb
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 <h2> Test</h2>
-
 ---
 layout: false
 title: This is the title
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/json-front-matter-encoding.html.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/json-front-matter-encoding.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d34321a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/json-front-matter-encoding.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+;;;
+"layout": false,
+"title": "This is the title"
+;;;
+
+<h1><%= data.page.title %></h1>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/json-front-matter-line-2.html.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/json-front-matter-line-2.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6428aa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/middleman-core/fixtures/frontmatter-app/source/json-front-matter-line-2.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<h2> Test</h2>
+;;;
+layout: false,
+title: "This is the title"
+;;;
+
+<h1><%= data.page.title %></h1>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/front_matter.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/front_matter.rb
index 8c47f84b..d3e8d35a 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/front_matter.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/front_matter.rb
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ module Middleman::CoreExtensions
       # @param [String] content
       # @return [Array<Hash, String>]
       def parse_yaml_front_matter(content)
-        yaml_regex = /^(---\s*\n.*?\n?)^(---\s*$\n?)/m
+        yaml_regex = /\A(---\s*\n.*?\n?)^(---\s*$\n?)/m
         if content =~ yaml_regex
           content = content.sub(yaml_regex, "")
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ module Middleman::CoreExtensions
       end
       
       def parse_json_front_matter(content)
-        json_regex = /^(\{\{\{\s*\n.*?\n?)^(\}\}\}\s*$\n?)/m
+        json_regex = /\A(;;;\s*\n.*?\n?)^(;;;\s*$\n?)/m
         
         if content =~ json_regex
           content = content.sub(json_regex, "")
@@ -125,14 +125,24 @@ module Middleman::CoreExtensions
       # @return [Array<Thor::CoreExt::HashWithIndifferentAccess, String>]
       def frontmatter_and_content(path)
         full_path = File.expand_path(path, @app.source_dir)
+        
         content = File.read(full_path)
+        data = {}
+        
+        begin
+          if content =~ /\A.*coding:/
+            lines = content.split(/\n/)
+            lines.shift
+            content = lines.join("\n")
+          end
 
-        if result = parse_yaml_front_matter(content)
-          data, content = result
-        elsif result = parse_json_front_matter(content)
-          data, content = result
-        else
-          data = {}
+          if result = parse_yaml_front_matter(content)
+            data, content = result
+          elsif result = parse_json_front_matter(content)
+            data, content = result
+          end
+        rescue => e
+          # Probably a binary file, move on
         end
 
         [::Middleman::Util.recursively_enhance(data).freeze, content]