diff --git a/deps/deps.go b/deps/deps.go
index 659f259dd..188863876 100644
--- a/deps/deps.go
+++ b/deps/deps.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ type Deps struct {
 	Log *jww.Notepad `json:"-"`
 
 	// The templates to use.
-	Tmpl tpl.Template `json:"-"`
+	Tmpl tpl.TemplateHandler `json:"-"`
 
 	// The file systems to use.
 	Fs *hugofs.Fs `json:"-"`
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type Deps struct {
 	Language *helpers.Language
 
 	templateProvider ResourceProvider
-	WithTemplate     func(templ tpl.Template) error `json:"-"`
+	WithTemplate     func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error `json:"-"`
 
 	translationProvider ResourceProvider
 }
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ type DepsCfg struct {
 
 	// Template handling.
 	TemplateProvider ResourceProvider
-	WithTemplate     func(templ tpl.Template) error
+	WithTemplate     func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error
 
 	// i18n handling.
 	TranslationProvider ResourceProvider
diff --git a/hugolib/alias.go b/hugolib/alias.go
index d5eb35777..d1a1b5534 100644
--- a/hugolib/alias.go
+++ b/hugolib/alias.go
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/hugo/tpl"
+
 	jww "github.com/spf13/jwalterweatherman"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/hugo/helpers"
@@ -35,18 +37,19 @@ const (
 var defaultAliasTemplates *template.Template
 
 func init() {
+	//TODO(bep) consolidate
 	defaultAliasTemplates = template.New("")
 	template.Must(defaultAliasTemplates.New("alias").Parse(alias))
 	template.Must(defaultAliasTemplates.New("alias-xhtml").Parse(aliasXHtml))
 }
 
 type aliasHandler struct {
-	Templates *template.Template
+	t         tpl.TemplateHandler
 	log       *jww.Notepad
 	allowRoot bool
 }
 
-func newAliasHandler(t *template.Template, l *jww.Notepad, allowRoot bool) aliasHandler {
+func newAliasHandler(t tpl.TemplateHandler, l *jww.Notepad, allowRoot bool) aliasHandler {
 	return aliasHandler{t, l, allowRoot}
 }
 
@@ -56,12 +59,19 @@ func (a aliasHandler) renderAlias(isXHTML bool, permalink string, page *Page) (i
 		t = "alias-xhtml"
 	}
 
-	template := defaultAliasTemplates
-	if a.Templates != nil {
-		template = a.Templates
-		t = "alias.html"
+	var templ *tpl.TemplateAdapter
+
+	if a.t != nil {
+		templ = a.t.Lookup("alias.html")
 	}
 
+	if templ == nil {
+		def := defaultAliasTemplates.Lookup(t)
+		if def != nil {
+			templ = &tpl.TemplateAdapter{Template: def}
+		}
+
+	}
 	data := struct {
 		Permalink string
 		Page      *Page
@@ -71,7 +81,7 @@ func (a aliasHandler) renderAlias(isXHTML bool, permalink string, page *Page) (i
 	}
 
 	buffer := new(bytes.Buffer)
-	err := template.ExecuteTemplate(buffer, t, data)
+	err := templ.Execute(buffer, data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -83,8 +93,7 @@ func (s *Site) writeDestAlias(path, permalink string, p *Page) (err error) {
 }
 
 func (s *Site) publishDestAlias(allowRoot bool, path, permalink string, p *Page) (err error) {
-
-	handler := newAliasHandler(s.Tmpl.Lookup("alias.html"), s.Log, allowRoot)
+	handler := newAliasHandler(s.Tmpl, s.Log, allowRoot)
 
 	isXHTML := strings.HasSuffix(path, ".xhtml")
 
diff --git a/hugolib/embedded_shortcodes_test.go b/hugolib/embedded_shortcodes_test.go
index 92821d0ef..45de0bf09 100644
--- a/hugolib/embedded_shortcodes_test.go
+++ b/hugolib/embedded_shortcodes_test.go
@@ -335,8 +335,8 @@ func TestShortcodeTweet(t *testing.T) {
 			th      = testHelper{cfg, fs, t}
 		)
 
-		withTemplate := func(templ tpl.Template) error {
-			templ.Funcs(tweetFuncMap)
+		withTemplate := func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+			templ.(tpl.TemplateTestMocker).SetFuncs(tweetFuncMap)
 			return nil
 		}
 
@@ -390,8 +390,8 @@ func TestShortcodeInstagram(t *testing.T) {
 			th      = testHelper{cfg, fs, t}
 		)
 
-		withTemplate := func(templ tpl.Template) error {
-			templ.Funcs(instagramFuncMap)
+		withTemplate := func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+			templ.(tpl.TemplateTestMocker).SetFuncs(instagramFuncMap)
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/hugolib/hugo_sites.go b/hugolib/hugo_sites.go
index 2682e524d..491bbd809 100644
--- a/hugolib/hugo_sites.go
+++ b/hugolib/hugo_sites.go
@@ -129,11 +129,11 @@ func NewHugoSites(cfg deps.DepsCfg) (*HugoSites, error) {
 	return newHugoSites(cfg, sites...)
 }
 
-func (s *Site) withSiteTemplates(withTemplates ...func(templ tpl.Template) error) func(templ tpl.Template) error {
-	return func(templ tpl.Template) error {
-		templ.LoadTemplates(s.PathSpec.GetLayoutDirPath())
+func (s *Site) withSiteTemplates(withTemplates ...func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error) func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+	return func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		templ.LoadTemplates(s.PathSpec.GetLayoutDirPath(), "")
 		if s.PathSpec.ThemeSet() {
-			templ.LoadTemplatesWithPrefix(s.PathSpec.GetThemeDir()+"/layouts", "theme")
+			templ.LoadTemplates(s.PathSpec.GetThemeDir()+"/layouts", "theme")
 		}
 
 		for _, wt := range withTemplates {
diff --git a/hugolib/menu_test.go b/hugolib/menu_test.go
index 0c3badc7b..f044fb5e0 100644
--- a/hugolib/menu_test.go
+++ b/hugolib/menu_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import (
 
 	"fmt"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/afero"
+
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ title = "Section Menu"
 sectionPagesMenu = "sect"
 `
 
-	th, h := newTestSitesFromConfig(t, siteConfig,
+	th, h := newTestSitesFromConfig(t, afero.NewMemMapFs(), siteConfig,
 		"layouts/partials/menu.html", `{{- $p := .page -}}
 {{- $m := .menu -}}
 {{ range (index $p.Site.Menus $m) -}}
diff --git a/hugolib/page.go b/hugolib/page.go
index fa9f40922..5a04c6ce7 100644
--- a/hugolib/page.go
+++ b/hugolib/page.go
@@ -1384,13 +1384,14 @@ func (p *Page) prepareLayouts() error {
 	if p.Kind == KindPage {
 		if !p.IsRenderable() {
 			self := "__" + p.UniqueID()
-			_, err := p.s.Tmpl.GetClone().New(self).Parse(string(p.Content))
+			err := p.s.Tmpl.AddLateTemplate(self, string(p.Content))
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			p.selfLayout = self
 		}
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/hugolib/page_output.go b/hugolib/page_output.go
index f47343cb5..58d09d688 100644
--- a/hugolib/page_output.go
+++ b/hugolib/page_output.go
@@ -110,9 +110,29 @@ func (p *PageOutput) Render(layout ...string) template.HTML {
 	l, err := p.layouts(layout...)
 	if err != nil {
 		helpers.DistinctErrorLog.Printf("in .Render: Failed to resolve layout %q for page %q", layout, p.pathOrTitle())
-		return template.HTML("")
+		return ""
 	}
-	return p.s.Tmpl.ExecuteTemplateToHTML(p, l...)
+
+	for _, layout := range l {
+		templ := p.s.Tmpl.Lookup(layout)
+		if templ == nil {
+			// This is legacy from when we had only one output format and
+			// HTML templates only. Some have references to layouts without suffix.
+			// We default to good old HTML.
+			templ = p.s.Tmpl.Lookup(layout + ".html")
+		}
+		if templ != nil {
+			res, err := templ.ExecuteToString(p)
+			if err != nil {
+				helpers.DistinctErrorLog.Printf("in .Render: Failed to execute template %q for page %q", layout, p.pathOrTitle())
+				return template.HTML("")
+			}
+			return template.HTML(res)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return ""
+
 }
 
 func (p *Page) Render(layout ...string) template.HTML {
diff --git a/hugolib/shortcode.go b/hugolib/shortcode.go
index d165c778b..d72a96faa 100644
--- a/hugolib/shortcode.go
+++ b/hugolib/shortcode.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ var isInnerShortcodeCache = struct {
 // to avoid potential costly look-aheads for closing tags we look inside the template itself
 // we could change the syntax to self-closing tags, but that would make users cry
 // the value found is cached
-func isInnerShortcode(t *template.Template) (bool, error) {
+func isInnerShortcode(t tpl.TemplateExecutor) (bool, error) {
 	isInnerShortcodeCache.RLock()
 	m, ok := isInnerShortcodeCache.m[t.Name()]
 	isInnerShortcodeCache.RUnlock()
@@ -188,10 +188,7 @@ func isInnerShortcode(t *template.Template) (bool, error) {
 
 	isInnerShortcodeCache.Lock()
 	defer isInnerShortcodeCache.Unlock()
-	if t.Tree == nil {
-		return false, errors.New("Template failed to compile")
-	}
-	match, _ := regexp.MatchString("{{.*?\\.Inner.*?}}", t.Tree.Root.String())
+	match, _ := regexp.MatchString("{{.*?\\.Inner.*?}}", t.Tree())
 	isInnerShortcodeCache.m[t.Name()] = match
 
 	return match, nil
@@ -398,8 +395,6 @@ Loop:
 		case tScName:
 			sc.name = currItem.val
 			tmpl := getShortcodeTemplate(sc.name, p.s.Tmpl)
-			{
-			}
 			if tmpl == nil {
 				return sc, fmt.Errorf("Unable to locate template for shortcode %q in page %q", sc.name, p.Path())
 			}
@@ -570,7 +565,10 @@ func replaceShortcodeTokens(source []byte, prefix string, replacements map[strin
 	return source, nil
 }
 
-func getShortcodeTemplate(name string, t tpl.Template) *template.Template {
+func getShortcodeTemplate(name string, t tpl.TemplateHandler) *tpl.TemplateAdapter {
+	isInnerShortcodeCache.RLock()
+	defer isInnerShortcodeCache.RUnlock()
+
 	if x := t.Lookup("shortcodes/" + name + ".html"); x != nil {
 		return x
 	}
@@ -580,7 +578,7 @@ func getShortcodeTemplate(name string, t tpl.Template) *template.Template {
 	return t.Lookup("_internal/shortcodes/" + name + ".html")
 }
 
-func renderShortcodeWithPage(tmpl *template.Template, data *ShortcodeWithPage) string {
+func renderShortcodeWithPage(tmpl tpl.Template, data *ShortcodeWithPage) string {
 	buffer := bp.GetBuffer()
 	defer bp.PutBuffer(buffer)
 
diff --git a/hugolib/shortcode_test.go b/hugolib/shortcode_test.go
index 28b03aa9b..3d1922462 100644
--- a/hugolib/shortcode_test.go
+++ b/hugolib/shortcode_test.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // TODO(bep) remove
-func pageFromString(in, filename string, withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.Template) error) (*Page, error) {
+func pageFromString(in, filename string, withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error) (*Page, error) {
 	s := newTestSite(nil)
 	if len(withTemplate) > 0 {
 		// Have to create a new site
@@ -47,11 +47,11 @@ func pageFromString(in, filename string, withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.Template
 	return s.NewPageFrom(strings.NewReader(in), filename)
 }
 
-func CheckShortCodeMatch(t *testing.T, input, expected string, withTemplate func(templ tpl.Template) error) {
+func CheckShortCodeMatch(t *testing.T, input, expected string, withTemplate func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error) {
 	CheckShortCodeMatchAndError(t, input, expected, withTemplate, false)
 }
 
-func CheckShortCodeMatchAndError(t *testing.T, input, expected string, withTemplate func(templ tpl.Template) error, expectError bool) {
+func CheckShortCodeMatchAndError(t *testing.T, input, expected string, withTemplate func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error, expectError bool) {
 
 	cfg, fs := newTestCfg()
 
@@ -100,8 +100,9 @@ func TestNonSC(t *testing.T) {
 // Issue #929
 func TestHyphenatedSC(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("hyphenated-video.html", `Playing Video {{ .Get 0 }}`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/hyphenated-video.html", `Playing Video {{ .Get 0 }}`)
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -111,8 +112,8 @@ func TestHyphenatedSC(t *testing.T) {
 // Issue #1753
 func TestNoTrailingNewline(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("a.html", `{{ .Get 0 }}`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/a.html", `{{ .Get 0 }}`)
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -121,8 +122,8 @@ func TestNoTrailingNewline(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestPositionalParamSC(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("video.html", `Playing Video {{ .Get 0 }}`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/video.html", `Playing Video {{ .Get 0 }}`)
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -135,8 +136,8 @@ func TestPositionalParamSC(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestPositionalParamIndexOutOfBounds(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("video.html", `Playing Video {{ .Get 1 }}`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/video.html", `Playing Video {{ .Get 1 }}`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t, "{{< video 47238zzb >}}", "Playing Video error: index out of range for positional param at position 1", wt)
@@ -146,8 +147,8 @@ func TestPositionalParamIndexOutOfBounds(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestNamedParamSC(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("img.html", `<img{{ with .Get "src" }} src="{{.}}"{{end}}{{with .Get "class"}} class="{{.}}"{{end}}>`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/img.html", `<img{{ with .Get "src" }} src="{{.}}"{{end}}{{with .Get "class"}} class="{{.}}"{{end}}>`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t, `{{< img src="one" >}}`, `<img src="one">`, wt)
@@ -161,10 +162,10 @@ func TestNamedParamSC(t *testing.T) {
 // Issue #2294
 func TestNestedNamedMissingParam(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("acc.html", `<div class="acc">{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("div.html", `<div {{with .Get "class"}} class="{{ . }}"{{ end }}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("div2.html", `<div {{with .Get 0}} class="{{ . }}"{{ end }}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/acc.html", `<div class="acc">{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/div.html", `<div {{with .Get "class"}} class="{{ . }}"{{ end }}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/div2.html", `<div {{with .Get 0}} class="{{ . }}"{{ end }}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t,
@@ -174,10 +175,10 @@ func TestNestedNamedMissingParam(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestIsNamedParamsSC(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("byposition.html", `<div id="{{ .Get 0 }}">`)
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("byname.html", `<div id="{{ .Get "id" }}">`)
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("ifnamedparams.html", `<div id="{{ if .IsNamedParams }}{{ .Get "id" }}{{ else }}{{ .Get 0 }}{{end}}">`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/byposition.html", `<div id="{{ .Get 0 }}">`)
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/byname.html", `<div id="{{ .Get "id" }}">`)
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/ifnamedparams.html", `<div id="{{ if .IsNamedParams }}{{ .Get "id" }}{{ else }}{{ .Get 0 }}{{end}}">`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t, `{{< ifnamedparams id="name" >}}`, `<div id="name">`, wt)
@@ -190,8 +191,8 @@ func TestIsNamedParamsSC(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestInnerSC(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("inside.html", `<div{{with .Get "class"}} class="{{.}}"{{end}}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/inside.html", `<div{{with .Get "class"}} class="{{.}}"{{end}}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t, `{{< inside class="aspen" >}}`, `<div class="aspen"></div>`, wt)
@@ -201,8 +202,8 @@ func TestInnerSC(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestInnerSCWithMarkdown(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("inside.html", `<div{{with .Get "class"}} class="{{.}}"{{end}}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/inside.html", `<div{{with .Get "class"}} class="{{.}}"{{end}}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t, `{{% inside %}}
@@ -215,8 +216,8 @@ func TestInnerSCWithMarkdown(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestInnerSCWithAndWithoutMarkdown(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("inside.html", `<div{{with .Get "class"}} class="{{.}}"{{end}}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/inside.html", `<div{{with .Get "class"}} class="{{.}}"{{end}}>{{ .Inner }}</div>`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t, `{{% inside %}}
@@ -246,9 +247,9 @@ func TestEmbeddedSC(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestNestedSC(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("scn1.html", `<div>Outer, inner is {{ .Inner }}</div>`)
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("scn2.html", `<div>SC2</div>`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/scn1.html", `<div>Outer, inner is {{ .Inner }}</div>`)
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/scn2.html", `<div>SC2</div>`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t, `{{% scn1 %}}{{% scn2 %}}{{% /scn1 %}}`, "<div>Outer, inner is <div>SC2</div>\n</div>", wt)
@@ -258,10 +259,10 @@ func TestNestedSC(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestNestedComplexSC(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("row.html", `-row-{{ .Inner}}-rowStop-`)
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("column.html", `-col-{{.Inner    }}-colStop-`)
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("aside.html", `-aside-{{    .Inner  }}-asideStop-`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/row.html", `-row-{{ .Inner}}-rowStop-`)
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/column.html", `-col-{{.Inner    }}-colStop-`)
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/aside.html", `-aside-{{    .Inner  }}-asideStop-`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t, `{{< row >}}1-s{{% column %}}2-**s**{{< aside >}}3-**s**{{< /aside >}}4-s{{% /column %}}5-s{{< /row >}}6-s`,
@@ -274,10 +275,10 @@ func TestNestedComplexSC(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestParentShortcode(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	wt := func(tem tpl.Template) error {
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("r1.html", `1: {{ .Get "pr1" }} {{ .Inner }}`)
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("r2.html", `2: {{ .Parent.Get "pr1" }}{{ .Get "pr2" }} {{ .Inner }}`)
-		tem.AddInternalShortcode("r3.html", `3: {{ .Parent.Parent.Get "pr1" }}{{ .Parent.Get "pr2" }}{{ .Get "pr3" }} {{ .Inner }}`)
+	wt := func(tem tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/r1.html", `1: {{ .Get "pr1" }} {{ .Inner }}`)
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/r2.html", `2: {{ .Parent.Get "pr1" }}{{ .Get "pr2" }} {{ .Inner }}`)
+		tem.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/r3.html", `3: {{ .Parent.Parent.Get "pr1" }}{{ .Parent.Get "pr2" }}{{ .Get "pr3" }} {{ .Inner }}`)
 		return nil
 	}
 	CheckShortCodeMatch(t, `{{< r1 pr1="p1" >}}1: {{< r2 pr2="p2" >}}2: {{< r3 pr3="p3" >}}{{< /r3 >}}{{< /r2 >}}{{< /r1 >}}`,
@@ -342,13 +343,13 @@ func TestExtractShortcodes(t *testing.T) {
 			fmt.Sprintf("Hello %sworld%s. And that's it.", testScPlaceholderRegexp, testScPlaceholderRegexp), ""},
 	} {
 
-		p, _ := pageFromString(simplePage, "simple.md", func(templ tpl.Template) error {
-			templ.AddInternalShortcode("tag.html", `tag`)
-			templ.AddInternalShortcode("sc1.html", `sc1`)
-			templ.AddInternalShortcode("sc2.html", `sc2`)
-			templ.AddInternalShortcode("inner.html", `{{with .Inner }}{{ . }}{{ end }}`)
-			templ.AddInternalShortcode("inner2.html", `{{.Inner}}`)
-			templ.AddInternalShortcode("inner3.html", `{{.Inner}}`)
+		p, _ := pageFromString(simplePage, "simple.md", func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+			templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/tag.html", `tag`)
+			templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/sc1.html", `sc1`)
+			templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/sc2.html", `sc2`)
+			templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/inner.html", `{{with .Inner }}{{ . }}{{ end }}`)
+			templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/inner2.html", `{{.Inner}}`)
+			templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/inner3.html", `{{.Inner}}`)
 			return nil
 		})
 
@@ -517,14 +518,14 @@ tags:
 		sources[i] = source.ByteSource{Name: filepath.FromSlash(test.contentPath), Content: []byte(test.content)}
 	}
 
-	addTemplates := func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+	addTemplates := func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 		templ.AddTemplate("_default/single.html", "{{.Content}}")
 
-		templ.AddInternalShortcode("b.html", `b`)
-		templ.AddInternalShortcode("c.html", `c`)
-		templ.AddInternalShortcode("d.html", `d`)
-		templ.AddInternalShortcode("menu.html", `{{ len (index .Page.Menus "main").Children }}`)
-		templ.AddInternalShortcode("tags.html", `{{ len .Page.Site.Taxonomies.tags }}`)
+		templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/b.html", `b`)
+		templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/c.html", `c`)
+		templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/d.html", `d`)
+		templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/menu.html", `{{ len (index .Page.Menus "main").Children }}`)
+		templ.AddTemplate("_internal/shortcodes/tags.html", `{{ len .Page.Site.Taxonomies.tags }}`)
 
 		return nil
 
diff --git a/hugolib/site.go b/hugolib/site.go
index c42b938e8..40a7c44fb 100644
--- a/hugolib/site.go
+++ b/hugolib/site.go
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func NewSite(cfg deps.DepsCfg) (*Site, error) {
 // NewSiteDefaultLang creates a new site in the default language.
 // The site will have a template system loaded and ready to use.
 // Note: This is mainly used in single site tests.
-func NewSiteDefaultLang(withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.Template) error) (*Site, error) {
+func NewSiteDefaultLang(withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error) (*Site, error) {
 	v := viper.New()
 	loadDefaultSettingsFor(v)
 	return newSiteForLang(helpers.NewDefaultLanguage(v), withTemplate...)
@@ -197,15 +197,15 @@ func NewSiteDefaultLang(withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.Template) error) (*Site,
 // NewEnglishSite creates a new site in English language.
 // The site will have a template system loaded and ready to use.
 // Note: This is mainly used in single site tests.
-func NewEnglishSite(withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.Template) error) (*Site, error) {
+func NewEnglishSite(withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error) (*Site, error) {
 	v := viper.New()
 	loadDefaultSettingsFor(v)
 	return newSiteForLang(helpers.NewLanguage("en", v), withTemplate...)
 }
 
 // newSiteForLang creates a new site in the given language.
-func newSiteForLang(lang *helpers.Language, withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.Template) error) (*Site, error) {
-	withTemplates := func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+func newSiteForLang(lang *helpers.Language, withTemplate ...func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error) (*Site, error) {
+	withTemplates := func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 		for _, wt := range withTemplate {
 			if err := wt(templ); err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -1906,13 +1906,13 @@ Your rendered home page is blank: /index.html is zero-length
 }
 
 func (s *Site) renderForLayouts(name string, d interface{}, w io.Writer, layouts ...string) error {
-	layout, found := s.findFirstLayout(layouts...)
-	if !found {
+	templ := s.findFirstTemplate(layouts...)
+	if templ == nil {
 		helpers.DistinctWarnLog.Printf("[%s] Unable to locate layout for %s: %s\n", s.Language.Lang, name, layouts)
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if err := s.renderThing(d, layout, w); err != nil {
+	if err := templ.Execute(w, d); err != nil {
 
 		// Behavior here should be dependent on if running in server or watch mode.
 		helpers.DistinctErrorLog.Printf("Error while rendering %q: %s", name, err)
@@ -1927,23 +1927,13 @@ func (s *Site) renderForLayouts(name string, d interface{}, w io.Writer, layouts
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (s *Site) findFirstLayout(layouts ...string) (string, bool) {
+func (s *Site) findFirstTemplate(layouts ...string) tpl.Template {
 	for _, layout := range layouts {
-		if s.Tmpl.Lookup(layout) != nil {
-			return layout, true
+		if templ := s.Tmpl.Lookup(layout); templ != nil {
+			return templ
 		}
 	}
-	return "", false
-}
-
-func (s *Site) renderThing(d interface{}, layout string, w io.Writer) error {
-
-	// If the template doesn't exist, then return, but leave the Writer open
-	if templ := s.Tmpl.Lookup(layout); templ != nil {
-		return templ.Execute(w, d)
-	}
-	return fmt.Errorf("Layout not found: %s", layout)
-
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (s *Site) publish(path string, r io.Reader) (err error) {
diff --git a/hugolib/site_output_test.go b/hugolib/site_output_test.go
index 86e1a55ca..0edd8e1f0 100644
--- a/hugolib/site_output_test.go
+++ b/hugolib/site_output_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/afero"
+
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"fmt"
@@ -75,6 +77,21 @@ disableKinds = ["page", "section", "taxonomy", "taxonomyTerm", "RSS", "sitemap",
 [Taxonomies]
 tag = "tags"
 category = "categories"
+
+defaultContentLanguage = "en"
+
+[languages]
+
+[languages.en]
+title = "Title in English"
+languageName = "English"
+weight = 1
+
+[languages.nn]
+languageName = "Nynorsk"
+weight = 2
+title = "Tittel på Nynorsk"
+
 `
 
 	pageTemplate := `---
@@ -84,27 +101,59 @@ outputs: %s
 # Doc
 `
 
-	th, h := newTestSitesFromConfig(t, siteConfig,
-		"layouts/_default/list.json", `List JSON|{{ .Title }}|{{ .Content }}|Alt formats: {{ len .AlternativeOutputFormats -}}|
+	mf := afero.NewMemMapFs()
+
+	writeToFs(t, mf, "i18n/en.toml", `
+[elbow]
+other = "Elbow"
+`)
+	writeToFs(t, mf, "i18n/nn.toml", `
+[elbow]
+other = "Olboge"
+`)
+
+	th, h := newTestSitesFromConfig(t, mf, siteConfig,
+
+		"layouts/_default/baseof.json", `START JSON:{{block "main" .}}default content{{ end }}:END JSON`,
+		"layouts/_default/baseof.html", `START HTML:{{block "main" .}}default content{{ end }}:END HTML`,
+
+		"layouts/_default/list.json", `{{ define "main" }}
+List JSON|{{ .Title }}|{{ .Content }}|Alt formats: {{ len .AlternativeOutputFormats -}}|
 {{- range .AlternativeOutputFormats -}}
 Alt Output: {{ .Name -}}|
 {{- end -}}|
 {{- range .OutputFormats -}}
-Output/Rel: {{ .Name -}}/{{ .Rel }}|
+Output/Rel: {{ .Name -}}/{{ .Rel }}|{{ .MediaType }}
 {{- end -}}
+ {{ with .OutputFormats.Get "JSON" }}
+<atom:link href={{ .Permalink }} rel="self" type="{{ .MediaType }}" />
+{{ end }}
+{{ .Site.Language.Lang }}: {{ T "elbow" -}}
+{{ end }}
+`,
+		"layouts/_default/list.html", `{{ define "main" }}
+List HTML|{{.Title }}|
+{{- with .OutputFormats.Get "HTML" -}}
+<atom:link href={{ .Permalink }} rel="self" type="{{ .MediaType }}" />
+{{- end -}}
+{{ .Site.Language.Lang }}: {{ T "elbow" -}}
+{{ end }}
 `,
 	)
-	require.Len(t, h.Sites, 1)
+	require.Len(t, h.Sites, 2)
 
 	fs := th.Fs
 
 	writeSource(t, fs, "content/_index.md", fmt.Sprintf(pageTemplate, "JSON Home", outputsStr))
+	writeSource(t, fs, "content/_index.nn.md", fmt.Sprintf(pageTemplate, "JSON Nynorsk Heim", outputsStr))
 
 	err := h.Build(BuildCfg{})
 
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	s := h.Sites[0]
+	require.Equal(t, "en", s.Language.Lang)
+
 	home := s.getPage(KindHome)
 
 	require.NotNil(t, home)
@@ -113,7 +162,6 @@ Output/Rel: {{ .Name -}}/{{ .Rel }}|
 
 	require.Len(t, home.outputFormats, lenOut)
 
-	// TODO(bep) output assert template/text
 	// There is currently always a JSON output to make it simpler ...
 	altFormats := lenOut - 1
 	hasHTML := helpers.InStringArray(outputs, "html")
@@ -127,10 +175,27 @@ Output/Rel: {{ .Name -}}/{{ .Rel }}|
 			"Alt Output: HTML",
 			"Output/Rel: JSON/alternate|",
 			"Output/Rel: HTML/canonical|",
+			"en: Elbow",
 		)
+
+		th.assertFileContent("public/index.html",
+			// The HTML entity is a deliberate part of this test: The HTML templates are
+			// parsed with html/template.
+			`List HTML|JSON Home|<atom:link href=http://example.com/blog/ rel="self" type="text/html&#43;html" />`,
+			"en: Elbow",
+		)
+		th.assertFileContent("public/nn/index.html",
+			"List HTML|JSON Nynorsk Heim|",
+			"nn: Olboge")
 	} else {
 		th.assertFileContent("public/index.json",
 			"Output/Rel: JSON/canonical|",
+			// JSON is plain text, so no need to safeHTML this and that
+			`<atom:link href=http://example.com/blog/index.json rel="self" type="application/json+json" />`,
+		)
+		th.assertFileContent("public/nn/index.json",
+			"List JSON|JSON Nynorsk Heim|",
+			"nn: Olboge",
 		)
 	}
 
diff --git a/hugolib/site_test.go b/hugolib/site_test.go
index a3ec66880..5f66b153c 100644
--- a/hugolib/site_test.go
+++ b/hugolib/site_test.go
@@ -52,24 +52,6 @@ func pageMust(p *Page, err error) *Page {
 	return p
 }
 
-func TestDegenerateRenderThingMissingTemplate(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-	cfg, fs := newTestCfg()
-
-	writeSource(t, fs, filepath.Join("content", "a", "file.md"), pageSimpleTitle)
-
-	s := buildSingleSite(t, deps.DepsCfg{Fs: fs, Cfg: cfg}, BuildCfg{})
-
-	require.Len(t, s.RegularPages, 1)
-
-	p := s.RegularPages[0]
-
-	err := s.renderThing(p, "foobar", nil)
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Errorf("Expected err to be returned when missing the template.")
-	}
-}
-
 func TestRenderWithInvalidTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	cfg, fs := newTestCfg()
diff --git a/hugolib/sitemap_test.go b/hugolib/sitemap_test.go
index df342953b..47f29c947 100644
--- a/hugolib/sitemap_test.go
+++ b/hugolib/sitemap_test.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func doTestSitemapOutput(t *testing.T, internal bool) {
 	depsCfg := deps.DepsCfg{Fs: fs, Cfg: cfg}
 
 	if !internal {
-		depsCfg.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+		depsCfg.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 			templ.AddTemplate("sitemap.xml", sitemapTemplate)
 			return nil
 		}
diff --git a/hugolib/testhelpers_test.go b/hugolib/testhelpers_test.go
index d50514529..cb529204a 100644
--- a/hugolib/testhelpers_test.go
+++ b/hugolib/testhelpers_test.go
@@ -124,18 +124,17 @@ func newTestSite(t testing.TB, configKeyValues ...interface{}) *Site {
 	return s
 }
 
-func newTestSitesFromConfig(t testing.TB, tomlConfig string, layoutPathContentPairs ...string) (testHelper, *HugoSites) {
+func newTestSitesFromConfig(t testing.TB, afs afero.Fs, tomlConfig string, layoutPathContentPairs ...string) (testHelper, *HugoSites) {
 	if len(layoutPathContentPairs)%2 != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("Layouts must be provided in pairs")
 	}
-	mf := afero.NewMemMapFs()
 
-	writeToFs(t, mf, "config.toml", tomlConfig)
+	writeToFs(t, afs, "config.toml", tomlConfig)
 
-	cfg, err := LoadConfig(mf, "", "config.toml")
+	cfg, err := LoadConfig(afs, "", "config.toml")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	fs := hugofs.NewFrom(mf, cfg)
+	fs := hugofs.NewFrom(afs, cfg)
 	th := testHelper{cfg, fs, t}
 
 	for i := 0; i < len(layoutPathContentPairs); i += 2 {
@@ -150,7 +149,7 @@ func newTestSitesFromConfig(t testing.TB, tomlConfig string, layoutPathContentPa
 }
 
 func newTestSitesFromConfigWithDefaultTemplates(t testing.TB, tomlConfig string) (testHelper, *HugoSites) {
-	return newTestSitesFromConfig(t, tomlConfig,
+	return newTestSitesFromConfig(t, afero.NewMemMapFs(), tomlConfig,
 		"layouts/_default/single.html", "Single|{{ .Title }}|{{ .Content }}",
 		"layouts/_default/list.html", "List|{{ .Title }}|{{ .Content }}",
 		"layouts/_default/terms.html", "Terms List|{{ .Title }}|{{ .Content }}",
@@ -164,9 +163,9 @@ func newDebugLogger() *jww.Notepad {
 func newErrorLogger() *jww.Notepad {
 	return jww.NewNotepad(jww.LevelError, jww.LevelError, os.Stdout, ioutil.Discard, "", log.Ldate|log.Ltime)
 }
-func createWithTemplateFromNameValues(additionalTemplates ...string) func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+func createWithTemplateFromNameValues(additionalTemplates ...string) func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 
-	return func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+	return func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 		for i := 0; i < len(additionalTemplates); i += 2 {
 			err := templ.AddTemplate(additionalTemplates[i], additionalTemplates[i+1])
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/output/layout.go b/output/layout.go
index a2bfd7717..6dba7f3b4 100644
--- a/output/layout.go
+++ b/output/layout.go
@@ -152,9 +152,11 @@ func (l *LayoutHandler) For(d LayoutDescriptor, layoutOverride string, f Format)
 			}
 		}
 
-		return layoutsWithThemeLayouts, nil
+		layouts = layoutsWithThemeLayouts
 	}
 
+	layouts = prependTextPrefixIfNeeded(f, layouts...)
+
 	l.mu.Lock()
 	l.cache[key] = layouts
 	l.mu.Unlock()
@@ -184,10 +186,26 @@ func resolveListTemplate(d LayoutDescriptor, f Format,
 }
 
 func resolveTemplate(templ string, d LayoutDescriptor, f Format) []string {
-	return strings.Fields(replaceKeyValues(templ,
+	layouts := strings.Fields(replaceKeyValues(templ,
 		"SUFFIX", f.MediaType.Suffix,
 		"NAME", strings.ToLower(f.Name),
 		"SECTION", d.Section))
+
+	return layouts
+}
+
+func prependTextPrefixIfNeeded(f Format, layouts ...string) []string {
+	if !f.IsPlainText {
+		return layouts
+	}
+
+	newLayouts := make([]string, len(layouts))
+
+	for i, l := range layouts {
+		newLayouts[i] = "_text/" + l
+	}
+
+	return newLayouts
 }
 
 func replaceKeyValues(s string, oldNew ...string) string {
@@ -195,7 +213,9 @@ func replaceKeyValues(s string, oldNew ...string) string {
 	return replacer.Replace(s)
 }
 
-func regularPageLayouts(types string, layout string, f Format) (layouts []string) {
+func regularPageLayouts(types string, layout string, f Format) []string {
+	var layouts []string
+
 	if layout == "" {
 		layout = "single"
 	}
@@ -219,5 +239,5 @@ func regularPageLayouts(types string, layout string, f Format) (layouts []string
 	layouts = append(layouts, fmt.Sprintf("_default/%s.%s.%s", layout, name, suffix))
 	layouts = append(layouts, fmt.Sprintf("_default/%s.%s", layout, suffix))
 
-	return
+	return layouts
 }
diff --git a/output/layout_base.go b/output/layout_base.go
index 2bb89c20d..a0d2bc4eb 100644
--- a/output/layout_base.go
+++ b/output/layout_base.go
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ var (
 )
 
 type TemplateNames struct {
-	Name            string
+	// The name used as key in the template map. Note that this will be
+	// prefixed with "_text/" if it should be parsed with text/template.
+	Name string
+
 	OverlayFilename string
 	MasterFilename  string
 }
@@ -51,6 +54,10 @@ type TemplateLookupDescriptor struct {
 	// The theme name if active.
 	Theme string
 
+	// All the output formats in play. This is used to decide if text/template or
+	// html/template.
+	OutputFormats Formats
+
 	FileExists  func(filename string) (bool, error)
 	ContainsAny func(filename string, subslices [][]byte) (bool, error)
 }
@@ -74,6 +81,12 @@ func CreateTemplateNames(d TemplateLookupDescriptor) (TemplateNames, error) {
 	// index.amp.html
 	// index.json
 	filename := filepath.Base(d.RelPath)
+	isPlainText := false
+	outputFormat, found := d.OutputFormats.FromFilename(filename)
+
+	if found && outputFormat.IsPlainText {
+		isPlainText = true
+	}
 
 	var ext, outFormat string
 
@@ -90,6 +103,10 @@ func CreateTemplateNames(d TemplateLookupDescriptor) (TemplateNames, error) {
 	id.OverlayFilename = fullPath
 	id.Name = name
 
+	if isPlainText {
+		id.Name = "_text/" + id.Name
+	}
+
 	// Ace and Go templates may have both a base and inner template.
 	pathDir := filepath.Dir(fullPath)
 
diff --git a/output/layout_base_test.go b/output/layout_base_test.go
index f20d99bef..16be615f2 100644
--- a/output/layout_base_test.go
+++ b/output/layout_base_test.go
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ func TestLayoutBase(t *testing.T) {
 				return this.needsBase, nil
 			}
 
+			this.d.OutputFormats = Formats{AMPFormat, HTMLFormat, RSSFormat, JSONFormat}
 			this.d.WorkingDir = filepath.FromSlash(this.d.WorkingDir)
 			this.d.LayoutDir = filepath.FromSlash(this.d.LayoutDir)
 			this.d.RelPath = filepath.FromSlash(this.d.RelPath)
@@ -150,6 +151,11 @@ func TestLayoutBase(t *testing.T) {
 			this.expect.MasterFilename = filepath.FromSlash(this.expect.MasterFilename)
 			this.expect.OverlayFilename = filepath.FromSlash(this.expect.OverlayFilename)
 
+			if strings.Contains(this.d.RelPath, "json") {
+				// currently the only plain text templates in this test.
+				this.expect.Name = "_text/" + this.expect.Name
+			}
+
 			id, err := CreateTemplateNames(this.d)
 
 			require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/output/layout_test.go b/output/layout_test.go
index e59a16fcb..6ea5a7617 100644
--- a/output/layout_test.go
+++ b/output/layout_test.go
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ func TestLayout(t *testing.T) {
 			[]string{"taxonomy/tag.rss.xml", "_default/rss.xml", "rss.xml", "_internal/_default/rss.xml"}},
 		{"RSS Taxonomy term", LayoutDescriptor{Kind: "taxonomyTerm", Section: "tag"}, false, "", RSSFormat,
 			[]string{"taxonomy/tag.terms.rss.xml", "_default/rss.xml", "rss.xml", "_internal/_default/rss.xml"}},
+		{"Home plain text", LayoutDescriptor{Kind: "home"}, true, "", JSONFormat,
+			[]string{"_text/index.json.json", "_text/index.json", "_text/_default/list.json.json", "_text/_default/list.json", "_text/theme/index.json.json", "_text/theme/index.json"}},
+		{"Page plain text", LayoutDescriptor{Kind: "page"}, true, "", JSONFormat,
+			[]string{"_text/_default/single.json.json", "_text/_default/single.json", "_text/theme/_default/single.json.json"}},
 	} {
 		t.Run(this.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			l := NewLayoutHandler(this.hasTheme)
diff --git a/output/outputFormat.go b/output/outputFormat.go
index 76329a936..9d43b135a 100644
--- a/output/outputFormat.go
+++ b/output/outputFormat.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ var (
 		IsHTML:    true,
 	}
 
+	// CalendarFormat is AAA
 	CalendarFormat = Format{
 		Name:        "Calendar",
 		MediaType:   media.CalendarType,
@@ -104,6 +105,45 @@ func (formats Formats) GetByName(name string) (f Format, found bool) {
 	return
 }
 
+func (formats Formats) GetBySuffix(name string) (f Format, found bool) {
+	for _, ff := range formats {
+		if name == ff.MediaType.Suffix {
+			if found {
+				// ambiguous
+				found = false
+				return
+			}
+			f = ff
+			found = true
+		}
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+func (formats Formats) FromFilename(filename string) (f Format, found bool) {
+	// mytemplate.amp.html
+	// mytemplate.html
+	// mytemplate
+	var ext, outFormat string
+
+	parts := strings.Split(filename, ".")
+	if len(parts) > 2 {
+		outFormat = parts[1]
+		ext = parts[2]
+	} else if len(parts) > 1 {
+		ext = parts[1]
+	}
+
+	if outFormat != "" {
+		return formats.GetByName(outFormat)
+	}
+
+	if ext != "" {
+		return formats.GetBySuffix(ext)
+	}
+	return
+}
+
 // Format represents an output representation, usually to a file on disk.
 type Format struct {
 	// The Name is used as an identifier. Internal output formats (i.e. HTML and RSS)
diff --git a/output/outputFormat_test.go b/output/outputFormat_test.go
index e742012ba..b73e53f82 100644
--- a/output/outputFormat_test.go
+++ b/output/outputFormat_test.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func TestDefaultTypes(t *testing.T) {
 
 }
 
-func TestGetType(t *testing.T) {
+func TestGetFormat(t *testing.T) {
 	tp, _ := GetFormat("html")
 	require.Equal(t, HTMLFormat, tp)
 	tp, _ = GetFormat("HTML")
@@ -73,3 +73,28 @@ func TestGetType(t *testing.T) {
 	_, found := GetFormat("FOO")
 	require.False(t, found)
 }
+
+func TestGeGetFormatByName(t *testing.T) {
+	formats := Formats{AMPFormat, CalendarFormat}
+	tp, _ := formats.GetByName("AMP")
+	require.Equal(t, AMPFormat, tp)
+	_, found := formats.GetByName("HTML")
+	require.False(t, found)
+	_, found = formats.GetByName("FOO")
+	require.False(t, found)
+}
+
+func TestGeGetFormatByExt(t *testing.T) {
+	formats1 := Formats{AMPFormat, CalendarFormat}
+	formats2 := Formats{AMPFormat, HTMLFormat, CalendarFormat}
+	tp, _ := formats1.GetBySuffix("html")
+	require.Equal(t, AMPFormat, tp)
+	tp, _ = formats1.GetBySuffix("ics")
+	require.Equal(t, CalendarFormat, tp)
+	_, found := formats1.GetBySuffix("not")
+	require.False(t, found)
+
+	// ambiguous
+	_, found = formats2.GetByName("html")
+	require.False(t, found)
+}
diff --git a/tpl/template.go b/tpl/template.go
index b94fc3242..617aa84ec 100644
--- a/tpl/template.go
+++ b/tpl/template.go
@@ -1,28 +1,103 @@
+// Copyright 2017-present The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
 package tpl
 
 import (
-	"html/template"
 	"io"
+
+	"text/template/parse"
+
+	"html/template"
+	texttemplate "text/template"
+
+	bp "github.com/spf13/hugo/bufferpool"
 )
 
-// TODO(bep) make smaller
-type Template interface {
-	ExecuteTemplate(wr io.Writer, name string, data interface{}) error
-	ExecuteTemplateToHTML(context interface{}, layouts ...string) template.HTML
-	Lookup(name string) *template.Template
-	Templates() []*template.Template
-	New(name string) *template.Template
-	GetClone() *template.Template
-	RebuildClone() *template.Template
-	LoadTemplates(absPath string)
-	LoadTemplatesWithPrefix(absPath, prefix string)
+var (
+	_ TemplateExecutor = (*TemplateAdapter)(nil)
+)
+
+// TemplateHandler manages the collection of templates.
+type TemplateHandler interface {
+	TemplateFinder
 	AddTemplate(name, tpl string) error
-	AddTemplateFileWithMaster(name, overlayFilename, masterFilename string) error
-	AddAceTemplate(name, basePath, innerPath string, baseContent, innerContent []byte) error
-	AddInternalTemplate(prefix, name, tpl string) error
-	AddInternalShortcode(name, tpl string) error
-	Partial(name string, contextList ...interface{}) template.HTML
+	AddLateTemplate(name, tpl string) error
+	LoadTemplates(absPath, prefix string)
 	PrintErrors()
-	Funcs(funcMap template.FuncMap)
+
 	MarkReady()
+	RebuildClone()
+}
+
+// TemplateFinder finds templates.
+type TemplateFinder interface {
+	Lookup(name string) *TemplateAdapter
+}
+
+// Template is the common interface between text/template and html/template.
+type Template interface {
+	Execute(wr io.Writer, data interface{}) error
+	Name() string
+}
+
+// TemplateExecutor adds some extras to Template.
+type TemplateExecutor interface {
+	Template
+	ExecuteToString(data interface{}) (string, error)
+	Tree() string
+}
+
+// TemplateAdapter implements the TemplateExecutor interface.
+type TemplateAdapter struct {
+	Template
+}
+
+// ExecuteToString executes the current template and returns the result as a
+// string.
+func (t *TemplateAdapter) ExecuteToString(data interface{}) (string, error) {
+	b := bp.GetBuffer()
+	defer bp.PutBuffer(b)
+	if err := t.Execute(b, data); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return b.String(), nil
+}
+
+// Tree returns the template Parse tree as a string.
+// Note: this isn't safe for parallel execution on the same template
+// vs Lookup and Execute.
+func (t *TemplateAdapter) Tree() string {
+	var tree *parse.Tree
+	switch tt := t.Template.(type) {
+	case *template.Template:
+		tree = tt.Tree
+	case *texttemplate.Template:
+		tree = tt.Tree
+	default:
+		panic("Unknown template")
+	}
+
+	if tree.Root == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	s := tree.Root.String()
+
+	return s
+}
+
+// TemplateTestMocker adds a way to override some template funcs during tests.
+// The interface is named so it's not used in regular application code.
+type TemplateTestMocker interface {
+	SetFuncs(funcMap map[string]interface{})
 }
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/ace.go b/tpl/tplimpl/ace.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fc3a1e1b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/ace.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+// Copyright 2017-present The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package tplimpl
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/yosssi/ace"
+)
+
+func (t *templateHandler) addAceTemplate(name, basePath, innerPath string, baseContent, innerContent []byte) error {
+	t.checkState()
+	var base, inner *ace.File
+	name = name[:len(name)-len(filepath.Ext(innerPath))] + ".html"
+
+	// Fixes issue #1178
+	basePath = strings.Replace(basePath, "\\", "/", -1)
+	innerPath = strings.Replace(innerPath, "\\", "/", -1)
+
+	if basePath != "" {
+		base = ace.NewFile(basePath, baseContent)
+		inner = ace.NewFile(innerPath, innerContent)
+	} else {
+		base = ace.NewFile(innerPath, innerContent)
+		inner = ace.NewFile("", []byte{})
+	}
+	parsed, err := ace.ParseSource(ace.NewSource(base, inner, []*ace.File{}), nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.errors = append(t.errors, &templateErr{name: name, err: err})
+		return err
+	}
+	templ, err := ace.CompileResultWithTemplate(t.html.t.New(name), parsed, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.errors = append(t.errors, &templateErr{name: name, err: err})
+		return err
+	}
+	return applyTemplateTransformersToHMLTTemplate(templ)
+}
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/amber_compiler.go b/tpl/tplimpl/amber_compiler.go
index 252c39ffb..10ed0443c 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/amber_compiler.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/amber_compiler.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/eknkc/amber"
 )
 
-func (gt *GoHTMLTemplate) CompileAmberWithTemplate(b []byte, path string, t *template.Template) (*template.Template, error) {
+func (t *templateHandler) compileAmberWithTemplate(b []byte, path string, templ *template.Template) (*template.Template, error) {
 	c := amber.New()
 
 	if err := c.ParseData(b, path); err != nil {
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func (gt *GoHTMLTemplate) CompileAmberWithTemplate(b []byte, path string, t *tem
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	tpl, err := t.Funcs(gt.amberFuncMap).Parse(data)
+	tpl, err := templ.Funcs(t.amberFuncMap).Parse(data)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/template.go b/tpl/tplimpl/template.go
index ea12cde7a..68528a775 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/template.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/template.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright 2016 The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright 2017-present The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
 //
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -15,23 +15,39 @@ package tplimpl
 
 import (
 	"html/template"
-	"io"
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
-
-	"sync"
+	texttemplate "text/template"
 
 	"github.com/eknkc/amber"
+
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/hugo/output"
+
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
+
 	"github.com/spf13/afero"
-	bp "github.com/spf13/hugo/bufferpool"
 	"github.com/spf13/hugo/deps"
 	"github.com/spf13/hugo/helpers"
-	"github.com/spf13/hugo/output"
-	"github.com/yosssi/ace"
+	"github.com/spf13/hugo/tpl"
 )
 
-// TODO(bep) globals get rid of the rest of the jww.ERR etc.
+const (
+	textTmplNamePrefix = "_text/"
+)
+
+var (
+	_ tpl.TemplateHandler       = (*templateHandler)(nil)
+	_ tpl.TemplateTestMocker    = (*templateHandler)(nil)
+	_ tpl.TemplateFinder        = (*htmlTemplates)(nil)
+	_ tpl.TemplateFinder        = (*textTemplates)(nil)
+	_ templateLoader            = (*htmlTemplates)(nil)
+	_ templateLoader            = (*textTemplates)(nil)
+	_ templateLoader            = (*templateHandler)(nil)
+	_ templateFuncsterTemplater = (*htmlTemplates)(nil)
+	_ templateFuncsterTemplater = (*textTemplates)(nil)
+)
 
 // Protecting global map access (Amber)
 var amberMu sync.Mutex
@@ -41,8 +57,120 @@ type templateErr struct {
 	err  error
 }
 
-type GoHTMLTemplate struct {
-	*template.Template
+type templateLoader interface {
+	handleMaster(name, overlayFilename, masterFilename string, onMissing func(filename string) (string, error)) error
+	addTemplate(name, tpl string) error
+	addLateTemplate(name, tpl string) error
+}
+
+type templateFuncsterTemplater interface {
+	tpl.TemplateFinder
+	setFuncs(funcMap map[string]interface{})
+	setTemplateFuncster(f *templateFuncster)
+}
+
+// templateHandler holds the templates in play.
+// It implements the templateLoader and tpl.TemplateHandler interfaces.
+type templateHandler struct {
+	// text holds all the pure text templates.
+	text *textTemplates
+	html *htmlTemplates
+
+	amberFuncMap template.FuncMap
+
+	errors []*templateErr
+
+	*deps.Deps
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) addError(name string, err error) {
+	t.errors = append(t.errors, &templateErr{name, err})
+}
+
+// PrintErrors prints the accumulated errors as ERROR to the log.
+func (t *templateHandler) PrintErrors() {
+	for _, e := range t.errors {
+		t.Log.ERROR.Println(e.name, ":", e.err)
+	}
+}
+
+// Lookup tries to find a template with the given name in both template
+// collections: First HTML, then the plain text template collection.
+func (t *templateHandler) Lookup(name string) *tpl.TemplateAdapter {
+	var te *tpl.TemplateAdapter
+
+	isTextTemplate := strings.HasPrefix(name, textTmplNamePrefix)
+
+	if isTextTemplate {
+		// The templates are stored without the prefix identificator.
+		name = strings.TrimPrefix(name, textTmplNamePrefix)
+		te = t.text.Lookup(name)
+	} else {
+		te = t.html.Lookup(name)
+	}
+
+	if te == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return te
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) clone(d *deps.Deps) *templateHandler {
+	c := &templateHandler{
+		Deps:   d,
+		html:   &htmlTemplates{t: template.Must(t.html.t.Clone()), overlays: make(map[string]*template.Template)},
+		text:   &textTemplates{t: texttemplate.Must(t.text.t.Clone()), overlays: make(map[string]*texttemplate.Template)},
+		errors: make([]*templateErr, 0),
+	}
+
+	d.Tmpl = c
+
+	c.initFuncs()
+
+	for k, v := range t.html.overlays {
+		vc := template.Must(v.Clone())
+		// The extra lookup is a workaround, see
+		// * https://github.com/golang/go/issues/16101
+		// * https://github.com/spf13/hugo/issues/2549
+		vc = vc.Lookup(vc.Name())
+		vc.Funcs(c.html.funcster.funcMap)
+		c.html.overlays[k] = vc
+	}
+
+	for k, v := range t.text.overlays {
+		vc := texttemplate.Must(v.Clone())
+		vc = vc.Lookup(vc.Name())
+		vc.Funcs(texttemplate.FuncMap(c.text.funcster.funcMap))
+		c.text.overlays[k] = vc
+	}
+
+	return c
+
+}
+
+func newTemplateAdapter(deps *deps.Deps) *templateHandler {
+	htmlT := &htmlTemplates{
+		t:        template.New(""),
+		overlays: make(map[string]*template.Template),
+	}
+	textT := &textTemplates{
+		t:        texttemplate.New(""),
+		overlays: make(map[string]*texttemplate.Template),
+	}
+	return &templateHandler{
+		Deps:   deps,
+		html:   htmlT,
+		text:   textT,
+		errors: make([]*templateErr, 0),
+	}
+
+}
+
+type htmlTemplates struct {
+	funcster *templateFuncster
+
+	t *template.Template
 
 	// This looks, and is, strange.
 	// The clone is used by non-renderable content pages, and these need to be
@@ -54,397 +182,201 @@ type GoHTMLTemplate struct {
 	// a separate storage for the overlays created from cloned master templates.
 	// note: No mutex protection, so we add these in one Go routine, then just read.
 	overlays map[string]*template.Template
-
-	errors []*templateErr
-
-	funcster *templateFuncster
-
-	amberFuncMap template.FuncMap
-
-	*deps.Deps
 }
 
-type TemplateProvider struct{}
-
-var DefaultTemplateProvider *TemplateProvider
-
-// Update updates the Hugo Template System in the provided Deps.
-// with all the additional features, templates & functions
-func (*TemplateProvider) Update(deps *deps.Deps) error {
-	tmpl := &GoHTMLTemplate{
-		Template: template.New(""),
-		overlays: make(map[string]*template.Template),
-		errors:   make([]*templateErr, 0),
-		Deps:     deps,
-	}
-
-	deps.Tmpl = tmpl
-
-	tmpl.initFuncs(deps)
-
-	tmpl.LoadEmbedded()
-
-	if deps.WithTemplate != nil {
-		err := deps.WithTemplate(tmpl)
-		if err != nil {
-			tmpl.errors = append(tmpl.errors, &templateErr{"init", err})
-		}
-
-	}
-
-	tmpl.MarkReady()
-
-	return nil
-
+func (t *htmlTemplates) setTemplateFuncster(f *templateFuncster) {
+	t.funcster = f
 }
 
-// Clone clones
-func (*TemplateProvider) Clone(d *deps.Deps) error {
-
-	t := d.Tmpl.(*GoHTMLTemplate)
-
-	// 1. Clone the clone with new template funcs
-	// 2. Clone any overlays with new template funcs
-
-	tmpl := &GoHTMLTemplate{
-		Template: template.Must(t.Template.Clone()),
-		overlays: make(map[string]*template.Template),
-		errors:   make([]*templateErr, 0),
-		Deps:     d,
+func (t *htmlTemplates) Lookup(name string) *tpl.TemplateAdapter {
+	templ := t.lookup(name)
+	if templ == nil {
+		return nil
 	}
-
-	d.Tmpl = tmpl
-	tmpl.initFuncs(d)
-
-	for k, v := range t.overlays {
-		vc := template.Must(v.Clone())
-		// The extra lookup is a workaround, see
-		// * https://github.com/golang/go/issues/16101
-		// * https://github.com/spf13/hugo/issues/2549
-		vc = vc.Lookup(vc.Name())
-		vc.Funcs(tmpl.funcster.funcMap)
-		tmpl.overlays[k] = vc
-	}
-
-	tmpl.MarkReady()
-
-	return nil
+	return &tpl.TemplateAdapter{Template: templ}
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) initFuncs(d *deps.Deps) {
-
-	t.funcster = newTemplateFuncster(d)
-
-	// The URL funcs in the funcMap is somewhat language dependent,
-	// so we need to wait until the language and site config is loaded.
-	t.funcster.initFuncMap()
-
-	t.amberFuncMap = template.FuncMap{}
-
-	amberMu.Lock()
-	for k, v := range amber.FuncMap {
-		t.amberFuncMap[k] = v
-	}
-
-	for k, v := range t.funcster.funcMap {
-		t.amberFuncMap[k] = v
-		// Hacky, but we need to make sure that the func names are in the global map.
-		amber.FuncMap[k] = func() string {
-			panic("should never be invoked")
-		}
-	}
-	amberMu.Unlock()
-
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) Funcs(funcMap template.FuncMap) {
-	t.Template.Funcs(funcMap)
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) Partial(name string, contextList ...interface{}) template.HTML {
-	if strings.HasPrefix("partials/", name) {
-		name = name[8:]
-	}
-	var context interface{}
-
-	if len(contextList) == 0 {
-		context = nil
-	} else {
-		context = contextList[0]
-	}
-	return t.ExecuteTemplateToHTML(context, "partials/"+name, "theme/partials/"+name)
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) executeTemplate(context interface{}, w io.Writer, layouts ...string) {
-	var worked bool
-	for _, layout := range layouts {
-		templ := t.Lookup(layout)
-		if templ == nil {
-			// TODO(bep) output
-			layout += ".html"
-			templ = t.Lookup(layout)
-		}
-
-		if templ != nil {
-			if err := templ.Execute(w, context); err != nil {
-				helpers.DistinctErrorLog.Println(layout, err)
-			}
-			worked = true
-			break
-		}
-	}
-	if !worked {
-		t.Log.ERROR.Println("Unable to render", layouts)
-		t.Log.ERROR.Println("Expecting to find a template in either the theme/layouts or /layouts in one of the following relative locations", layouts)
-	}
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) ExecuteTemplateToHTML(context interface{}, layouts ...string) template.HTML {
-	b := bp.GetBuffer()
-	defer bp.PutBuffer(b)
-	t.executeTemplate(context, b, layouts...)
-	return template.HTML(b.String())
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) Lookup(name string) *template.Template {
-
-	if templ := t.Template.Lookup(name); templ != nil {
+func (t *htmlTemplates) lookup(name string) *template.Template {
+	if templ := t.t.Lookup(name); templ != nil {
 		return templ
 	}
-
 	if t.overlays != nil {
 		if templ, ok := t.overlays[name]; ok {
 			return templ
 		}
 	}
 
-	// The clone is used for the non-renderable HTML pages (p.IsRenderable == false) that is parsed
-	// as Go templates late in the build process.
 	if t.clone != nil {
-		if templ := t.clone.Lookup(name); templ != nil {
+		return t.clone.Lookup(name)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+type textTemplates struct {
+	funcster *templateFuncster
+
+	t *texttemplate.Template
+
+	clone      *texttemplate.Template
+	cloneClone *texttemplate.Template
+
+	overlays map[string]*texttemplate.Template
+}
+
+func (t *textTemplates) setTemplateFuncster(f *templateFuncster) {
+	t.funcster = f
+}
+
+func (t *textTemplates) Lookup(name string) *tpl.TemplateAdapter {
+	templ := t.lookup(name)
+	if templ == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return &tpl.TemplateAdapter{Template: templ}
+}
+
+func (t *textTemplates) lookup(name string) *texttemplate.Template {
+	if templ := t.t.Lookup(name); templ != nil {
+		return templ
+	}
+	if t.overlays != nil {
+		if templ, ok := t.overlays[name]; ok {
 			return templ
 		}
 	}
 
+	if t.clone != nil {
+		return t.clone.Lookup(name)
+	}
+
 	return nil
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) setFuncs(funcMap map[string]interface{}) {
+	t.html.setFuncs(funcMap)
+	t.text.setFuncs(funcMap)
+}
+
+// SetFuncs replaces the funcs in the func maps with new definitions.
+// This is only used in tests.
+func (t *templateHandler) SetFuncs(funcMap map[string]interface{}) {
+	t.setFuncs(funcMap)
+}
+
+func (t *htmlTemplates) setFuncs(funcMap map[string]interface{}) {
+	t.t.Funcs(funcMap)
+}
+
+func (t *textTemplates) setFuncs(funcMap map[string]interface{}) {
+	t.t.Funcs(funcMap)
+}
+
+// LoadTemplates loads the templates, starting from the given absolute path.
+// A prefix can be given to indicate a template namespace to load the templates
+// into, i.e. "_internal" etc.
+func (t *templateHandler) LoadTemplates(absPath, prefix string) {
+	// TODO(bep) output formats. Will have to get to complete list when that is ready.
+	t.loadTemplates(absPath, prefix, output.Formats{output.HTMLFormat, output.RSSFormat, output.CalendarFormat, output.AMPFormat, output.JSONFormat})
 
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) GetClone() *template.Template {
-	return t.clone
+func (t *htmlTemplates) addTemplateIn(tt *template.Template, name, tpl string) error {
+	templ, err := tt.New(name).Parse(tpl)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := applyTemplateTransformersToHMLTTemplate(templ); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) RebuildClone() *template.Template {
-	t.clone = template.Must(t.cloneClone.Clone())
-	return t.clone
+func (t *htmlTemplates) addTemplate(name, tpl string) error {
+	return t.addTemplateIn(t.t, name, tpl)
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) LoadEmbedded() {
-	t.EmbedShortcodes()
-	t.EmbedTemplates()
+func (t *htmlTemplates) addLateTemplate(name, tpl string) error {
+	return t.addTemplateIn(t.clone, name, tpl)
 }
 
-// MarkReady marks the template as "ready for execution". No changes allowed
+func (t *textTemplates) addTemplateIn(tt *texttemplate.Template, name, tpl string) error {
+	name = strings.TrimPrefix(name, textTmplNamePrefix)
+	templ, err := tt.New(name).Parse(tpl)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := applyTemplateTransformersToTextTemplate(templ); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (t *textTemplates) addTemplate(name, tpl string) error {
+	return t.addTemplateIn(t.t, name, tpl)
+}
+
+func (t *textTemplates) addLateTemplate(name, tpl string) error {
+	return t.addTemplateIn(t.clone, name, tpl)
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) addTemplate(name, tpl string) error {
+	return t.AddTemplate(name, tpl)
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) addLateTemplate(name, tpl string) error {
+	return t.AddLateTemplate(name, tpl)
+}
+
+// AddLateTemplate is used to add a template late, i.e. after the
+// regular templates have started its execution.
+func (t *templateHandler) AddLateTemplate(name, tpl string) error {
+	h := t.getTemplateHandler(name)
+	if err := h.addLateTemplate(name, tpl); err != nil {
+		t.addError(name, err)
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// AddTemplate parses and adds a template to the collection.
+// Templates with name prefixed with "_text" will be handled as plain
+// text templates.
+func (t *templateHandler) AddTemplate(name, tpl string) error {
+	h := t.getTemplateHandler(name)
+	if err := h.addTemplate(name, tpl); err != nil {
+		t.addError(name, err)
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// MarkReady marks the templates as "ready for execution". No changes allowed
 // after this is set.
 // TODO(bep) if this proves to be resource heavy, we could detect
 // earlier if we really need this, or make it lazy.
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) MarkReady() {
-	if t.clone == nil {
-		t.clone = template.Must(t.Template.Clone())
-		t.cloneClone = template.Must(t.clone.Clone())
+func (t *templateHandler) MarkReady() {
+	if t.html.clone == nil {
+		t.html.clone = template.Must(t.html.t.Clone())
+		t.html.cloneClone = template.Must(t.html.clone.Clone())
+	}
+	if t.text.clone == nil {
+		t.text.clone = texttemplate.Must(t.text.t.Clone())
+		t.text.cloneClone = texttemplate.Must(t.text.clone.Clone())
 	}
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) checkState() {
-	if t.clone != nil {
-		panic("template is cloned and cannot be modfified")
-	}
+// RebuildClone rebuilds the cloned templates. Used for live-reloads.
+func (t *templateHandler) RebuildClone() {
+	t.html.clone = template.Must(t.html.cloneClone.Clone())
+	t.text.clone = texttemplate.Must(t.text.cloneClone.Clone())
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) AddInternalTemplate(prefix, name, tpl string) error {
-	if prefix != "" {
-		return t.AddTemplate("_internal/"+prefix+"/"+name, tpl)
-	}
-	return t.AddTemplate("_internal/"+name, tpl)
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) AddInternalShortcode(name, content string) error {
-	return t.AddInternalTemplate("shortcodes", name, content)
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) AddTemplate(name, tpl string) error {
-	t.checkState()
-	templ, err := t.New(name).Parse(tpl)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.errors = append(t.errors, &templateErr{name: name, err: err})
-		return err
-	}
-	if err := applyTemplateTransformers(templ); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) AddTemplateFileWithMaster(name, overlayFilename, masterFilename string) error {
-
-	// There is currently no known way to associate a cloned template with an existing one.
-	// This funky master/overlay design will hopefully improve in a future version of Go.
-	//
-	// Simplicity is hard.
-	//
-	// Until then we'll have to live with this hackery.
-	//
-	// See https://github.com/golang/go/issues/14285
-	//
-	// So, to do minimum amount of changes to get this to work:
-	//
-	// 1. Lookup or Parse the master
-	// 2. Parse and store the overlay in a separate map
-
-	masterTpl := t.Lookup(masterFilename)
-
-	if masterTpl == nil {
-		b, err := afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, masterFilename)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		masterTpl, err = t.New(masterFilename).Parse(string(b))
-
-		if err != nil {
-			// TODO(bep) Add a method that does this
-			t.errors = append(t.errors, &templateErr{name: name, err: err})
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
-	b, err := afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, overlayFilename)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	overlayTpl, err := template.Must(masterTpl.Clone()).Parse(string(b))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.errors = append(t.errors, &templateErr{name: name, err: err})
-	} else {
-		// The extra lookup is a workaround, see
-		// * https://github.com/golang/go/issues/16101
-		// * https://github.com/spf13/hugo/issues/2549
-		overlayTpl = overlayTpl.Lookup(overlayTpl.Name())
-		if err := applyTemplateTransformers(overlayTpl); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		t.overlays[name] = overlayTpl
-	}
-
-	return err
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) AddAceTemplate(name, basePath, innerPath string, baseContent, innerContent []byte) error {
-	t.checkState()
-	var base, inner *ace.File
-	name = name[:len(name)-len(filepath.Ext(innerPath))] + ".html"
-
-	// Fixes issue #1178
-	basePath = strings.Replace(basePath, "\\", "/", -1)
-	innerPath = strings.Replace(innerPath, "\\", "/", -1)
-
-	if basePath != "" {
-		base = ace.NewFile(basePath, baseContent)
-		inner = ace.NewFile(innerPath, innerContent)
-	} else {
-		base = ace.NewFile(innerPath, innerContent)
-		inner = ace.NewFile("", []byte{})
-	}
-	parsed, err := ace.ParseSource(ace.NewSource(base, inner, []*ace.File{}), nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.errors = append(t.errors, &templateErr{name: name, err: err})
-		return err
-	}
-	templ, err := ace.CompileResultWithTemplate(t.New(name), parsed, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.errors = append(t.errors, &templateErr{name: name, err: err})
-		return err
-	}
-	return applyTemplateTransformers(templ)
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) AddTemplateFile(name, baseTemplatePath, path string) error {
-	t.checkState()
-	// get the suffix and switch on that
-	ext := filepath.Ext(path)
-	switch ext {
-	case ".amber":
-		templateName := strings.TrimSuffix(name, filepath.Ext(name)) + ".html"
-		b, err := afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, path)
-
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		amberMu.Lock()
-		templ, err := t.CompileAmberWithTemplate(b, path, t.New(templateName))
-		amberMu.Unlock()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		return applyTemplateTransformers(templ)
-	case ".ace":
-		var innerContent, baseContent []byte
-		innerContent, err := afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, path)
-
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		if baseTemplatePath != "" {
-			baseContent, err = afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, baseTemplatePath)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-		}
-
-		return t.AddAceTemplate(name, baseTemplatePath, path, baseContent, innerContent)
-	default:
-
-		if baseTemplatePath != "" {
-			return t.AddTemplateFileWithMaster(name, path, baseTemplatePath)
-		}
-
-		b, err := afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, path)
-
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		t.Log.DEBUG.Printf("Add template file from path %s", path)
-
-		return t.AddTemplate(name, string(b))
-	}
-
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) GenerateTemplateNameFrom(base, path string) string {
-	name, _ := filepath.Rel(base, path)
-	return filepath.ToSlash(name)
-}
-
-func isDotFile(path string) bool {
-	return filepath.Base(path)[0] == '.'
-}
-
-func isBackupFile(path string) bool {
-	return path[len(path)-1] == '~'
-}
-
-const baseFileBase = "baseof"
-
-func isBaseTemplate(path string) bool {
-	return strings.Contains(path, baseFileBase)
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) loadTemplates(absPath string, prefix string) {
+func (t *templateHandler) loadTemplates(absPath string, prefix string, formats output.Formats) {
 	t.Log.DEBUG.Printf("Load templates from path %q prefix %q", absPath, prefix)
 	walker := func(path string, fi os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 		if err != nil {
@@ -491,11 +423,12 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) loadTemplates(absPath string, prefix string) {
 			relPath := path[li:]
 
 			descriptor := output.TemplateLookupDescriptor{
-				WorkingDir: workingDir,
-				LayoutDir:  layoutDir,
-				RelPath:    relPath,
-				Prefix:     prefix,
-				Theme:      t.PathSpec.Theme(),
+				WorkingDir:    workingDir,
+				LayoutDir:     layoutDir,
+				RelPath:       relPath,
+				Prefix:        prefix,
+				Theme:         t.PathSpec.Theme(),
+				OutputFormats: formats,
 				FileExists: func(filename string) (bool, error) {
 					return helpers.Exists(filename, t.Fs.Source)
 				},
@@ -511,7 +444,7 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) loadTemplates(absPath string, prefix string) {
 				return nil
 			}
 
-			if err := t.AddTemplateFile(tplID.Name, tplID.MasterFilename, tplID.OverlayFilename); err != nil {
+			if err := t.addTemplateFile(tplID.Name, tplID.MasterFilename, tplID.OverlayFilename); err != nil {
 				t.Log.ERROR.Printf("Failed to add template %q in path %q: %s", tplID.Name, path, err)
 			}
 
@@ -523,16 +456,224 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) loadTemplates(absPath string, prefix string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) LoadTemplatesWithPrefix(absPath string, prefix string) {
-	t.loadTemplates(absPath, prefix)
+func (t *templateHandler) initFuncs() {
+
+	// The template funcs need separation between text and html templates.
+	for _, funcsterHolder := range []templateFuncsterTemplater{t.html, t.text} {
+		funcster := newTemplateFuncster(t.Deps, funcsterHolder)
+
+		// The URL funcs in the funcMap is somewhat language dependent,
+		// so we need to wait until the language and site config is loaded.
+		funcster.initFuncMap()
+
+		funcsterHolder.setTemplateFuncster(funcster)
+
+	}
+
+	// Amber is HTML only.
+	t.amberFuncMap = template.FuncMap{}
+
+	amberMu.Lock()
+	for k, v := range amber.FuncMap {
+		t.amberFuncMap[k] = v
+	}
+
+	for k, v := range t.html.funcster.funcMap {
+		t.amberFuncMap[k] = v
+		// Hacky, but we need to make sure that the func names are in the global map.
+		amber.FuncMap[k] = func() string {
+			panic("should never be invoked")
+		}
+	}
+	amberMu.Unlock()
+
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) LoadTemplates(absPath string) {
-	t.loadTemplates(absPath, "")
+func (t *templateHandler) getTemplateHandler(name string) templateLoader {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(name, textTmplNamePrefix) {
+		return t.text
+	}
+	return t.html
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) PrintErrors() {
-	for i, e := range t.errors {
-		t.Log.ERROR.Println(i, ":", e.err)
+func (t *templateHandler) handleMaster(name, overlayFilename, masterFilename string, onMissing func(filename string) (string, error)) error {
+	h := t.getTemplateHandler(name)
+	return h.handleMaster(name, overlayFilename, masterFilename, onMissing)
+}
+
+func (t *htmlTemplates) handleMaster(name, overlayFilename, masterFilename string, onMissing func(filename string) (string, error)) error {
+	masterTpl := t.lookup(masterFilename)
+
+	if masterTpl == nil {
+		templ, err := onMissing(masterFilename)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		masterTpl, err = t.t.New(overlayFilename).Parse(templ)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	templ, err := onMissing(overlayFilename)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	overlayTpl, err := template.Must(masterTpl.Clone()).Parse(templ)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// The extra lookup is a workaround, see
+	// * https://github.com/golang/go/issues/16101
+	// * https://github.com/spf13/hugo/issues/2549
+	overlayTpl = overlayTpl.Lookup(overlayTpl.Name())
+	if err := applyTemplateTransformersToHMLTTemplate(overlayTpl); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	t.overlays[name] = overlayTpl
+
+	return err
+
+}
+
+func (t *textTemplates) handleMaster(name, overlayFilename, masterFilename string, onMissing func(filename string) (string, error)) error {
+	name = strings.TrimPrefix(name, textTmplNamePrefix)
+	masterTpl := t.lookup(masterFilename)
+
+	if masterTpl == nil {
+		templ, err := onMissing(masterFilename)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		masterTpl, err = t.t.New(overlayFilename).Parse(templ)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	templ, err := onMissing(overlayFilename)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	overlayTpl, err := texttemplate.Must(masterTpl.Clone()).Parse(templ)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	overlayTpl = overlayTpl.Lookup(overlayTpl.Name())
+	if err := applyTemplateTransformersToTextTemplate(overlayTpl); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	t.overlays[name] = overlayTpl
+
+	return err
+
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) addTemplateFile(name, baseTemplatePath, path string) error {
+	t.checkState()
+
+	getTemplate := func(filename string) (string, error) {
+		b, err := afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, filename)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		return string(b), nil
+	}
+
+	// get the suffix and switch on that
+	ext := filepath.Ext(path)
+	switch ext {
+	case ".amber":
+		//	Only HTML support for Amber
+		templateName := strings.TrimSuffix(name, filepath.Ext(name)) + ".html"
+		b, err := afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, path)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		amberMu.Lock()
+		templ, err := t.compileAmberWithTemplate(b, path, t.html.t.New(templateName))
+		amberMu.Unlock()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		return applyTemplateTransformersToHMLTTemplate(templ)
+	case ".ace":
+		//	Only HTML support for Ace
+		var innerContent, baseContent []byte
+		innerContent, err := afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, path)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if baseTemplatePath != "" {
+			baseContent, err = afero.ReadFile(t.Fs.Source, baseTemplatePath)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
+		return t.addAceTemplate(name, baseTemplatePath, path, baseContent, innerContent)
+	default:
+
+		if baseTemplatePath != "" {
+			return t.handleMaster(name, path, baseTemplatePath, getTemplate)
+		}
+
+		templ, err := getTemplate(path)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		t.Log.DEBUG.Printf("Add template file from path %s", path)
+
+		return t.AddTemplate(name, templ)
+	}
+
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) loadEmbedded() {
+	t.embedShortcodes()
+	t.embedTemplates()
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) addInternalTemplate(prefix, name, tpl string) error {
+	if prefix != "" {
+		return t.AddTemplate("_internal/"+prefix+"/"+name, tpl)
+	}
+	return t.AddTemplate("_internal/"+name, tpl)
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) addInternalShortcode(name, content string) error {
+	return t.addInternalTemplate("shortcodes", name, content)
+}
+
+func (t *templateHandler) checkState() {
+	if t.html.clone != nil || t.text.clone != nil {
+		panic("template is cloned and cannot be modfified")
 	}
 }
+
+func isDotFile(path string) bool {
+	return filepath.Base(path)[0] == '.'
+}
+
+func isBackupFile(path string) bool {
+	return path[len(path)-1] == '~'
+}
+
+const baseFileBase = "baseof"
+
+func isBaseTemplate(path string) bool {
+	return strings.Contains(path, baseFileBase)
+}
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/templateFuncster.go b/tpl/tplimpl/templateFuncster.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1fbaebd43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/templateFuncster.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+// Copyright 2017-present The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package tplimpl
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"html/template"
+	"strings"
+
+	bp "github.com/spf13/hugo/bufferpool"
+
+	"image"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/hugo/deps"
+)
+
+// Some of the template funcs are'nt entirely stateless.
+type templateFuncster struct {
+	funcMap        template.FuncMap
+	cachedPartials partialCache
+	image          *imageHandler
+
+	// Make sure each funcster gets its own TemplateFinder to get
+	// proper text and HTML template separation.
+	Tmpl templateFuncsterTemplater
+
+	*deps.Deps
+}
+
+func newTemplateFuncster(deps *deps.Deps, t templateFuncsterTemplater) *templateFuncster {
+	return &templateFuncster{
+		Deps:           deps,
+		Tmpl:           t,
+		cachedPartials: partialCache{p: make(map[string]interface{})},
+		image:          &imageHandler{fs: deps.Fs, imageConfigCache: map[string]image.Config{}},
+	}
+}
+
+// Partial executes the named partial and returns either a string,
+// when called from text/template, for or a template.HTML.
+func (t *templateFuncster) partial(name string, contextList ...interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
+	if strings.HasPrefix("partials/", name) {
+		name = name[8:]
+	}
+	var context interface{}
+
+	if len(contextList) == 0 {
+		context = nil
+	} else {
+		context = contextList[0]
+	}
+
+	for _, n := range []string{"partials/" + name, "theme/partials/" + name} {
+		templ := t.Tmpl.Lookup(n)
+		if templ != nil {
+			b := bp.GetBuffer()
+			defer bp.PutBuffer(b)
+
+			if err := templ.Execute(b, context); err != nil {
+				return "", err
+			}
+
+			switch t.Tmpl.(type) {
+			case *htmlTemplates:
+				return template.HTML(b.String()), nil
+			case *textTemplates:
+				return b.String(), nil
+			default:
+				panic("Unknown type")
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return "", fmt.Errorf("Partial %q not found", name)
+}
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/templateProvider.go b/tpl/tplimpl/templateProvider.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..87cac01e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/templateProvider.go
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+// Copyright 2017-present The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package tplimpl
+
+import (
+	"github.com/spf13/hugo/deps"
+)
+
+type TemplateProvider struct{}
+
+var DefaultTemplateProvider *TemplateProvider
+
+// Update updates the Hugo Template System in the provided Deps.
+// with all the additional features, templates & functions
+func (*TemplateProvider) Update(deps *deps.Deps) error {
+
+	newTmpl := newTemplateAdapter(deps)
+	deps.Tmpl = newTmpl
+
+	newTmpl.initFuncs()
+	newTmpl.loadEmbedded()
+
+	if deps.WithTemplate != nil {
+		err := deps.WithTemplate(newTmpl)
+		if err != nil {
+			newTmpl.addError("init", err)
+		}
+
+	}
+
+	newTmpl.MarkReady()
+
+	return nil
+
+}
+
+// Clone clones.
+func (*TemplateProvider) Clone(d *deps.Deps) error {
+
+	t := d.Tmpl.(*templateHandler)
+	clone := t.clone(d)
+
+	d.Tmpl = clone
+
+	clone.MarkReady()
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/template_ast_transformers.go b/tpl/tplimpl/template_ast_transformers.go
index 339e2264a..bbd0f28a4 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/template_ast_transformers.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/template_ast_transformers.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"html/template"
 	"strings"
+	texttemplate "text/template"
 	"text/template/parse"
 )
 
@@ -35,32 +36,57 @@ var paramsPaths = [][]string{
 }
 
 type templateContext struct {
-	decl    decl
-	templ   *template.Template
-	visited map[string]bool
+	decl     decl
+	visited  map[string]bool
+	lookupFn func(name string) *parse.Tree
 }
 
-func (c templateContext) getIfNotVisited(name string) *template.Template {
+func (c templateContext) getIfNotVisited(name string) *parse.Tree {
 	if c.visited[name] {
 		return nil
 	}
 	c.visited[name] = true
-	return c.templ.Lookup(name)
+	return c.lookupFn(name)
 }
 
-func newTemplateContext(templ *template.Template) *templateContext {
-	return &templateContext{templ: templ, decl: make(map[string]string), visited: make(map[string]bool)}
+func newTemplateContext(lookupFn func(name string) *parse.Tree) *templateContext {
+	return &templateContext{lookupFn: lookupFn, decl: make(map[string]string), visited: make(map[string]bool)}
 
 }
 
-func applyTemplateTransformers(templ *template.Template) error {
-	if templ == nil || templ.Tree == nil {
+func createParseTreeLookup(templ *template.Template) func(nn string) *parse.Tree {
+	return func(nn string) *parse.Tree {
+		tt := templ.Lookup(nn)
+		if tt != nil {
+			return tt.Tree
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
+func applyTemplateTransformersToHMLTTemplate(templ *template.Template) error {
+	return applyTemplateTransformers(templ.Tree, createParseTreeLookup(templ))
+}
+
+func applyTemplateTransformersToTextTemplate(templ *texttemplate.Template) error {
+	return applyTemplateTransformers(templ.Tree,
+		func(nn string) *parse.Tree {
+			tt := templ.Lookup(nn)
+			if tt != nil {
+				return tt.Tree
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
+}
+
+func applyTemplateTransformers(templ *parse.Tree, lookupFn func(name string) *parse.Tree) error {
+	if templ == nil {
 		return errors.New("expected template, but none provided")
 	}
 
-	c := newTemplateContext(templ)
+	c := newTemplateContext(lookupFn)
 
-	c.paramsKeysToLower(templ.Tree.Root)
+	c.paramsKeysToLower(templ.Root)
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -84,7 +110,7 @@ func (c *templateContext) paramsKeysToLower(n parse.Node) {
 	case *parse.TemplateNode:
 		subTempl := c.getIfNotVisited(x.Name)
 		if subTempl != nil {
-			c.paramsKeysToLowerForNodes(subTempl.Tree.Root)
+			c.paramsKeysToLowerForNodes(subTempl.Root)
 		}
 	case *parse.PipeNode:
 		for i, elem := range x.Decl {
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/template_ast_transformers_test.go b/tpl/tplimpl/template_ast_transformers_test.go
index deeeae0a7..c3cf54940 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/template_ast_transformers_test.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/template_ast_transformers_test.go
@@ -115,13 +115,13 @@ F3: {{ Echo (printf "themes/%s-theme" .Site.Params.LOWER) }}
 func TestParamsKeysToLower(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
-	require.Error(t, applyTemplateTransformers(nil))
+	require.Error(t, applyTemplateTransformers(nil, nil))
 
 	templ, err := template.New("foo").Funcs(testFuncs).Parse(paramsTempl)
 
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	c := newTemplateContext(templ)
+	c := newTemplateContext(createParseTreeLookup(templ))
 
 	require.Equal(t, -1, c.decl.indexOfReplacementStart([]string{}))
 
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func BenchmarkTemplateParamsKeysToLower(b *testing.B) {
 	b.ResetTimer()
 
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		c := newTemplateContext(templates[i])
+		c := newTemplateContext(createParseTreeLookup(templates[i]))
 		c.paramsKeysToLower(templ.Tree.Root)
 	}
 }
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ Blue: {{ $__amber_1.Blue}}
 
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	c := newTemplateContext(templ)
+	c := newTemplateContext(createParseTreeLookup(templ))
 
 	c.paramsKeysToLower(templ.Tree.Root)
 
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ P2: {{ .Params.LOWER }}
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	overlayTpl = overlayTpl.Lookup(overlayTpl.Name())
 
-	c := newTemplateContext(overlayTpl)
+	c := newTemplateContext(createParseTreeLookup(overlayTpl))
 
 	c.paramsKeysToLower(overlayTpl.Tree.Root)
 
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ func TestTransformRecursiveTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 	templ, err := template.New("foo").Parse(recursive)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	c := newTemplateContext(templ)
+	c := newTemplateContext(createParseTreeLookup(templ))
 	c.paramsKeysToLower(templ.Tree.Root)
 
 }
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/template_embedded.go b/tpl/tplimpl/template_embedded.go
index 56819b764..b1562a0e7 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/template_embedded.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/template_embedded.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright 2015 The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright 2017-present The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
 //
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -13,17 +13,12 @@
 
 package tplimpl
 
-type Tmpl struct {
-	Name string
-	Data string
-}
-
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedShortcodes() {
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("ref.html", `{{ .Get 0 | ref .Page }}`)
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("relref.html", `{{ .Get 0 | relref .Page }}`)
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("highlight.html", `{{ if len .Params | eq 2 }}{{ highlight .Inner (.Get 0) (.Get 1) }}{{ else }}{{ highlight .Inner (.Get 0) "" }}{{ end }}`)
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("test.html", `This is a simple Test`)
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("figure.html", `<!-- image -->
+func (t *templateHandler) embedShortcodes() {
+	t.addInternalShortcode("ref.html", `{{ .Get 0 | ref .Page }}`)
+	t.addInternalShortcode("relref.html", `{{ .Get 0 | relref .Page }}`)
+	t.addInternalShortcode("highlight.html", `{{ if len .Params | eq 2 }}{{ highlight .Inner (.Get 0) (.Get 1) }}{{ else }}{{ highlight .Inner (.Get 0) "" }}{{ end }}`)
+	t.addInternalShortcode("test.html", `This is a simple Test`)
+	t.addInternalShortcode("figure.html", `<!-- image -->
 <figure {{ with .Get "class" }}class="{{.}}"{{ end }}>
     {{ with .Get "link"}}<a href="{{.}}">{{ end }}
         <img src="{{ .Get "src" }}" {{ if or (.Get "alt") (.Get "caption") }}alt="{{ with .Get "alt"}}{{.}}{{else}}{{ .Get "caption" }}{{ end }}" {{ end }}{{ with .Get "width" }}width="{{.}}" {{ end }}/>
@@ -41,8 +36,8 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedShortcodes() {
     {{ end }}
 </figure>
 <!-- image -->`)
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("speakerdeck.html", "<script async class='speakerdeck-embed' data-id='{{ index .Params 0 }}' data-ratio='1.33333333333333' src='//speakerdeck.com/assets/embed.js'></script>")
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("youtube.html", `{{ if .IsNamedParams }}
+	t.addInternalShortcode("speakerdeck.html", "<script async class='speakerdeck-embed' data-id='{{ index .Params 0 }}' data-ratio='1.33333333333333' src='//speakerdeck.com/assets/embed.js'></script>")
+	t.addInternalShortcode("youtube.html", `{{ if .IsNamedParams }}
 <div {{ if .Get "class" }}class="{{ .Get "class" }}"{{ else }}style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden;"{{ end }}>
   <iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/{{ .Get "id" }}?{{ with .Get "autoplay" }}{{ if eq . "true" }}autoplay=1{{ end }}{{ end }}" 
   {{ if not (.Get "class") }}style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" {{ end }}allowfullscreen frameborder="0"></iframe>
@@ -51,21 +46,21 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedShortcodes() {
   <iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/{{ .Get 0 }}" {{ if len .Params | eq 1 }}style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" {{ end }}allowfullscreen frameborder="0"></iframe>
  </div>
 {{ end }}`)
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("vimeo.html", `{{ if .IsNamedParams }}<div {{ if .Get "class" }}class="{{ .Get "class" }}"{{ else }}style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden;"{{ end }}>
+	t.addInternalShortcode("vimeo.html", `{{ if .IsNamedParams }}<div {{ if .Get "class" }}class="{{ .Get "class" }}"{{ else }}style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden;"{{ end }}>
   <iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/{{ .Get "id" }}" {{ if not (.Get "class") }}style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" {{ end }}webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
  </div>{{ else }}
 <div {{ if len .Params | eq 2 }}class="{{ .Get 1 }}"{{ else }}style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden;"{{ end }}>
   <iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/{{ .Get 0 }}" {{ if len .Params | eq 1 }}style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" {{ end }}webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
  </div>
 {{ end }}`)
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("gist.html", `<script src="//gist.github.com/{{ index .Params 0 }}/{{ index .Params 1 }}.js{{if len .Params | eq 3 }}?file={{ index .Params 2 }}{{end}}"></script>`)
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("tweet.html", `{{ (getJSON "https://api.twitter.com/1/statuses/oembed.json?id=" (index .Params 0)).html | safeHTML }}`)
-	t.AddInternalShortcode("instagram.html", `{{ if len .Params | eq 2 }}{{ if eq (.Get 1) "hidecaption" }}{{ with getJSON "https://api.instagram.com/oembed/?url=https://instagram.com/p/" (index .Params 0) "/&hidecaption=1" }}{{ .html | safeHTML }}{{ end }}{{ end }}{{ else }}{{ with getJSON "https://api.instagram.com/oembed/?url=https://instagram.com/p/" (index .Params 0) "/&hidecaption=0" }}{{ .html | safeHTML }}{{ end }}{{ end }}`)
+	t.addInternalShortcode("gist.html", `<script src="//gist.github.com/{{ index .Params 0 }}/{{ index .Params 1 }}.js{{if len .Params | eq 3 }}?file={{ index .Params 2 }}{{end}}"></script>`)
+	t.addInternalShortcode("tweet.html", `{{ (getJSON "https://api.twitter.com/1/statuses/oembed.json?id=" (index .Params 0)).html | safeHTML }}`)
+	t.addInternalShortcode("instagram.html", `{{ if len .Params | eq 2 }}{{ if eq (.Get 1) "hidecaption" }}{{ with getJSON "https://api.instagram.com/oembed/?url=https://instagram.com/p/" (index .Params 0) "/&hidecaption=1" }}{{ .html | safeHTML }}{{ end }}{{ end }}{{ else }}{{ with getJSON "https://api.instagram.com/oembed/?url=https://instagram.com/p/" (index .Params 0) "/&hidecaption=0" }}{{ .html | safeHTML }}{{ end }}{{ end }}`)
 }
 
-func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedTemplates() {
+func (t *templateHandler) embedTemplates() {
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("_default", "rss.xml", `<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
+	t.addInternalTemplate("_default", "rss.xml", `<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
   <channel>
     <title>{{ if eq  .Title  .Site.Title }}{{ .Site.Title }}{{ else }}{{ with .Title }}{{.}} on {{ end }}{{ .Site.Title }}{{ end }}</title>
     <link>{{ .Permalink }}</link>
@@ -92,7 +87,7 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedTemplates() {
   </channel>
 </rss>`)
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("_default", "sitemap.xml", `<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
+	t.addInternalTemplate("_default", "sitemap.xml", `<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
   {{ range .Data.Pages }}
   <url>
     <loc>{{ .Permalink }}</loc>{{ if not .Lastmod.IsZero }}
@@ -104,7 +99,7 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedTemplates() {
 </urlset>`)
 
 	// For multilanguage sites
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("_default", "sitemapindex.xml", `<sitemapindex xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
+	t.addInternalTemplate("_default", "sitemapindex.xml", `<sitemapindex xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
 	{{ range . }}
 	<sitemap>
 	   	<loc>{{ .SitemapAbsURL }}</loc>
@@ -116,7 +111,7 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedTemplates() {
 </sitemapindex>
 `)
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("", "pagination.html", `{{ $pag := $.Paginator }}
+	t.addInternalTemplate("", "pagination.html", `{{ $pag := $.Paginator }}
     {{ if gt $pag.TotalPages 1 }}
     <ul class="pagination">
         {{ with $pag.First }}
@@ -144,7 +139,7 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedTemplates() {
     </ul>
     {{ end }}`)
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("", "disqus.html", `{{ if .Site.DisqusShortname }}<div id="disqus_thread"></div>
+	t.addInternalTemplate("", "disqus.html", `{{ if .Site.DisqusShortname }}<div id="disqus_thread"></div>
 <script type="text/javascript">
     var disqus_shortname = '{{ .Site.DisqusShortname }}';
     var disqus_identifier = '{{with .GetParam "disqus_identifier" }}{{ . }}{{ else }}{{ .Permalink }}{{end}}';
@@ -161,7 +156,7 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedTemplates() {
 <a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>{{end}}`)
 
 	// Add SEO & Social metadata
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("", "opengraph.html", `<meta property="og:title" content="{{ .Title }}" />
+	t.addInternalTemplate("", "opengraph.html", `<meta property="og:title" content="{{ .Title }}" />
 <meta property="og:description" content="{{ with .Description }}{{ . }}{{ else }}{{if .IsPage}}{{ .Summary }}{{ else }}{{ with .Site.Params.description }}{{ . }}{{ end }}{{ end }}{{ end }}" />
 <meta property="og:type" content="{{ if .IsPage }}article{{ else }}website{{ end }}" />
 <meta property="og:url" content="{{ .Permalink }}" />
@@ -205,7 +200,7 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedTemplates() {
 <!-- Facebook Page Admin ID for Domain Insights -->
 {{ with .Site.Social.facebook_admin }}<meta property="fb:admins" content="{{ . }}" />{{ end }}`)
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("", "twitter_cards.html", `{{ if .IsPage }}
+	t.addInternalTemplate("", "twitter_cards.html", `{{ if .IsPage }}
 {{ with .Params.images }}
 <!-- Twitter summary card with large image must be at least 280x150px -->
   <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/>
@@ -223,11 +218,11 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedTemplates() {
   {{ with .twitter }}<meta name="twitter:creator" content="@{{ . }}"/>{{ end }}
 {{ end }}{{ end }}`)
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("", "google_news.html", `{{ if .IsPage }}{{ with .Params.news_keywords }}
+	t.addInternalTemplate("", "google_news.html", `{{ if .IsPage }}{{ with .Params.news_keywords }}
   <meta name="news_keywords" content="{{ range $i, $kw := first 10 . }}{{ if $i }},{{ end }}{{ $kw }}{{ end }}" />
 {{ end }}{{ end }}`)
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("", "schema.html", `{{ with .Site.Social.GooglePlus }}<link rel="publisher" href="{{ . }}"/>{{ end }}
+	t.addInternalTemplate("", "schema.html", `{{ with .Site.Social.GooglePlus }}<link rel="publisher" href="{{ . }}"/>{{ end }}
 <meta itemprop="name" content="{{ .Title }}">
 <meta itemprop="description" content="{{ with .Description }}{{ . }}{{ else }}{{if .IsPage}}{{ .Summary }}{{ else }}{{ with .Site.Params.description }}{{ . }}{{ end }}{{ end }}{{ end }}">
 
@@ -243,7 +238,7 @@ func (t *GoHTMLTemplate) EmbedTemplates() {
 <meta itemprop="keywords" content="{{ range $plural, $terms := .Site.Taxonomies }}{{ range $term, $val := $terms }}{{ printf "%s," $term }}{{ end }}{{ end }}" />
 {{ end }}`)
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("", "google_analytics.html", `{{ with .Site.GoogleAnalytics }}
+	t.addInternalTemplate("", "google_analytics.html", `{{ with .Site.GoogleAnalytics }}
 <script>
 (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
 (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
@@ -255,7 +250,7 @@ ga('send', 'pageview');
 </script>
 {{ end }}`)
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("", "google_analytics_async.html", `{{ with .Site.GoogleAnalytics }}
+	t.addInternalTemplate("", "google_analytics_async.html", `{{ with .Site.GoogleAnalytics }}
 <script>
 window.ga=window.ga||function(){(ga.q=ga.q||[]).push(arguments)};ga.l=+new Date;
 ga('create', '{{ . }}', 'auto');
@@ -264,5 +259,5 @@ ga('send', 'pageview');
 <script async src='//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js'></script>
 {{ end }}`)
 
-	t.AddInternalTemplate("_default", "robots.txt", "User-agent: *")
+	t.addInternalTemplate("_default", "robots.txt", "User-agent: *")
 }
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs.go b/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs.go
index 1ec05b0c7..9703f6cff 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs.go
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/bep/inflect"
 	"github.com/spf13/afero"
 	"github.com/spf13/cast"
-	"github.com/spf13/hugo/deps"
 	"github.com/spf13/hugo/helpers"
 	jww "github.com/spf13/jwalterweatherman"
 
@@ -55,22 +54,6 @@ import (
 	_ "image/png"
 )
 
-// Some of the template funcs are'nt entirely stateless.
-type templateFuncster struct {
-	funcMap        template.FuncMap
-	cachedPartials partialCache
-	image          *imageHandler
-	*deps.Deps
-}
-
-func newTemplateFuncster(deps *deps.Deps) *templateFuncster {
-	return &templateFuncster{
-		Deps:           deps,
-		cachedPartials: partialCache{p: make(map[string]template.HTML)},
-		image:          &imageHandler{fs: deps.Fs, imageConfigCache: map[string]image.Config{}},
-	}
-}
-
 // eq returns the boolean truth of arg1 == arg2.
 func eq(x, y interface{}) bool {
 	normalize := func(v interface{}) interface{} {
@@ -1558,13 +1541,13 @@ func replace(a, b, c interface{}) (string, error) {
 // partialCache represents a cache of partials protected by a mutex.
 type partialCache struct {
 	sync.RWMutex
-	p map[string]template.HTML
+	p map[string]interface{}
 }
 
 // Get retrieves partial output from the cache based upon the partial name.
 // If the partial is not found in the cache, the partial is rendered and added
 // to the cache.
-func (t *templateFuncster) Get(key, name string, context interface{}) (p template.HTML) {
+func (t *templateFuncster) Get(key, name string, context interface{}) (p interface{}, err error) {
 	var ok bool
 
 	t.cachedPartials.RLock()
@@ -1572,13 +1555,13 @@ func (t *templateFuncster) Get(key, name string, context interface{}) (p templat
 	t.cachedPartials.RUnlock()
 
 	if ok {
-		return p
+		return
 	}
 
 	t.cachedPartials.Lock()
 	if p, ok = t.cachedPartials.p[key]; !ok {
 		t.cachedPartials.Unlock()
-		p = t.Tmpl.Partial(name, context)
+		p, err = t.partial(name, context)
 
 		t.cachedPartials.Lock()
 		t.cachedPartials.p[key] = p
@@ -1586,14 +1569,14 @@ func (t *templateFuncster) Get(key, name string, context interface{}) (p templat
 	}
 	t.cachedPartials.Unlock()
 
-	return p
+	return
 }
 
 // partialCached executes and caches partial templates.  An optional variant
 // string parameter (a string slice actually, but be only use a variadic
 // argument to make it optional) can be passed so that a given partial can have
 // multiple uses.  The cache is created with name+variant as the key.
-func (t *templateFuncster) partialCached(name string, context interface{}, variant ...string) template.HTML {
+func (t *templateFuncster) partialCached(name string, context interface{}, variant ...string) (interface{}, error) {
 	key := name
 	if len(variant) > 0 {
 		for i := 0; i < len(variant); i++ {
@@ -2195,7 +2178,7 @@ func (t *templateFuncster) initFuncMap() {
 		"mul":           func(a, b interface{}) (interface{}, error) { return helpers.DoArithmetic(a, b, '*') },
 		"ne":            ne,
 		"now":           func() time.Time { return time.Now() },
-		"partial":       t.Tmpl.Partial,
+		"partial":       t.partial,
 		"partialCached": t.partialCached,
 		"plainify":      plainify,
 		"pluralize":     pluralize,
@@ -2249,5 +2232,5 @@ func (t *templateFuncster) initFuncMap() {
 	}
 
 	t.funcMap = funcMap
-	t.Tmpl.Funcs(funcMap)
+	t.Tmpl.setFuncs(funcMap)
 }
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs_test.go b/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs_test.go
index a9cf5e58b..b50765fcb 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs_test.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs_test.go
@@ -281,8 +281,8 @@ urlize: bat-man
 	v.Set("CurrentContentLanguage", helpers.NewLanguage("en", v))
 
 	config := newDepsConfig(v)
-	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.Template) error {
-		if _, err := templ.New("test").Parse(in); err != nil {
+	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		if err := templ.AddTemplate("test", in); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal("Got error on parse", err)
 		}
 		return nil
@@ -2858,6 +2858,96 @@ func TestReadFile(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestPartialHTMLAndText(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	config := newDepsConfig(viper.New())
+
+	data := struct {
+		Name string
+	}{
+		Name: "a+b+c", // This should get encoded in HTML.
+	}
+
+	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		if err := templ.AddTemplate("htmlTemplate.html", `HTML Test Partial: {{ partial "test.foo" . -}}`); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if err := templ.AddTemplate("_text/textTemplate.txt", `Text Test Partial: {{ partial "test.foo" . -}}`); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		// Use "foo" here to say that the extension doesn't really matter in this scenario.
+		// It will look for templates in "partials/test.foo" and "partials/test.foo.html".
+		if err := templ.AddTemplate("partials/test.foo", "HTML Name: {{ .Name }}"); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if err := templ.AddTemplate("_text/partials/test.foo", "Text Name: {{ .Name }}"); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	de, err := deps.New(config)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, de.LoadResources())
+
+	templ := de.Tmpl.Lookup("htmlTemplate.html")
+	require.NotNil(t, templ)
+	resultHTML, err := templ.ExecuteToString(data)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	templ = de.Tmpl.Lookup("_text/textTemplate.txt")
+	require.NotNil(t, templ)
+	resultText, err := templ.ExecuteToString(data)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.Contains(t, resultHTML, "HTML Test Partial: HTML Name: a&#43;b&#43;c")
+	require.Contains(t, resultText, "Text Test Partial: Text Name: a+b+c")
+
+}
+
+func TestPartialWithError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	config := newDepsConfig(viper.New())
+
+	data := struct {
+		Name string
+	}{
+		Name: "bep",
+	}
+
+	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
+		if err := templ.AddTemplate("container.html", `HTML Test Partial: {{ partial "fail.foo" . -}}`); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if err := templ.AddTemplate("partials/fail.foo", "Template: {{ .DoesNotExist }}"); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	de, err := deps.New(config)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, de.LoadResources())
+
+	templ := de.Tmpl.Lookup("container.html")
+	require.NotNil(t, templ)
+	result, err := templ.ExecuteToString(data)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+
+	errStr := err.Error()
+
+	require.Contains(t, errStr, `template: container.html:1:22: executing "container.html" at <partial "fail.foo" .>`)
+	require.Contains(t, errStr, `can't evaluate field DoesNotExist`)
+
+	require.Empty(t, result)
+
+}
+
 func TestPartialCached(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	testCases := []struct {
@@ -2893,7 +2983,7 @@ func TestPartialCached(t *testing.T) {
 
 		config := newDepsConfig(viper.New())
 
-		config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+		config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 			err := templ.AddTemplate("testroot", tmp)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -2933,7 +3023,7 @@ func TestPartialCached(t *testing.T) {
 
 func BenchmarkPartial(b *testing.B) {
 	config := newDepsConfig(viper.New())
-	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 		err := templ.AddTemplate("testroot", `{{ partial "bench1" . }}`)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -2965,7 +3055,7 @@ func BenchmarkPartial(b *testing.B) {
 
 func BenchmarkPartialCached(b *testing.B) {
 	config := newDepsConfig(viper.New())
-	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 		err := templ.AddTemplate("testroot", `{{ partialCached "bench1" . }}`)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -3010,12 +3100,12 @@ func newTestFuncsterWithViper(v *viper.Viper) *templateFuncster {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	return d.Tmpl.(*GoHTMLTemplate).funcster
+	return d.Tmpl.(*templateHandler).html.funcster
 }
 
-func newTestTemplate(t *testing.T, name, template string) *template.Template {
+func newTestTemplate(t *testing.T, name, template string) tpl.Template {
 	config := newDepsConfig(viper.New())
-	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+	config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 		err := templ.AddTemplate(name, template)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/template_test.go b/tpl/tplimpl/template_test.go
index 43b834df2..998915a46 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/template_test.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/template_test.go
@@ -14,17 +14,10 @@
 package tplimpl
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"errors"
-	"html/template"
 	"io/ioutil"
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"runtime"
-	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/spf13/afero"
 	"github.com/spf13/hugo/deps"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/hugo/tpl"
@@ -32,223 +25,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
-// Some tests for Issue #1178 -- Ace
-func TestAceTemplates(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	for i, this := range []struct {
-		basePath     string
-		innerPath    string
-		baseContent  string
-		innerContent string
-		expect       string
-		expectErr    int
-	}{
-		{"", filepath.FromSlash("_default/single.ace"), "", "{{ . }}", "DATA", 0},
-		{filepath.FromSlash("_default/baseof.ace"), filepath.FromSlash("_default/single.ace"),
-			`= content main
-  h2 This is a content named "main" of an inner template. {{ . }}`,
-			`= doctype html
-html lang=en
-  head
-    meta charset=utf-8
-    title Base and Inner Template
-  body
-    h1 This is a base template {{ . }}
-    = yield main`, `<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>Base and Inner Template</title></head><body><h1>This is a base template DATA</h1></body></html>`, 0},
-	} {
-
-		for _, root := range []string{"", os.TempDir()} {
-
-			basePath := this.basePath
-			innerPath := this.innerPath
-
-			if basePath != "" && root != "" {
-				basePath = filepath.Join(root, basePath)
-			}
-
-			if innerPath != "" && root != "" {
-				innerPath = filepath.Join(root, innerPath)
-			}
-
-			d := "DATA"
-
-			config := newDepsConfig(viper.New())
-			config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.Template) error {
-				return templ.AddAceTemplate("mytemplate.ace", basePath, innerPath,
-					[]byte(this.baseContent), []byte(this.innerContent))
-			}
-
-			a, err := deps.New(config)
-			require.NoError(t, err)
-
-			if err := a.LoadResources(); err != nil {
-				t.Fatal(err)
-			}
-
-			templ := a.Tmpl.(*GoHTMLTemplate)
-
-			if len(templ.errors) > 0 && this.expectErr == 0 {
-				t.Errorf("Test %d with root '%s' errored: %v", i, root, templ.errors)
-			} else if len(templ.errors) == 0 && this.expectErr == 1 {
-				t.Errorf("#1 Test %d with root '%s' should have errored", i, root)
-			}
-
-			var buff bytes.Buffer
-			err = a.Tmpl.ExecuteTemplate(&buff, "mytemplate.html", d)
-
-			if err != nil && this.expectErr == 0 {
-				t.Errorf("Test %d with root '%s' errored: %s", i, root, err)
-			} else if err == nil && this.expectErr == 2 {
-				t.Errorf("#2 Test with root '%s' %d should have errored", root, i)
-			} else {
-				result := buff.String()
-				if result != this.expect {
-					t.Errorf("Test %d  with root '%s' got\n%s\nexpected\n%s", i, root, result, this.expect)
-				}
-			}
-
-		}
-	}
-
-}
-
-func isAtLeastGo16() bool {
-	version := runtime.Version()
-	return strings.Contains(version, "1.6") || strings.Contains(version, "1.7")
-}
-
-func TestAddTemplateFileWithMaster(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	if !isAtLeastGo16() {
-		t.Skip("This test only runs on Go >= 1.6")
-	}
-
-	for i, this := range []struct {
-		masterTplContent  string
-		overlayTplContent string
-		writeSkipper      int
-		expect            interface{}
-	}{
-		{`A{{block "main" .}}C{{end}}C`, `{{define "main"}}B{{end}}`, 0, "ABC"},
-		{`A{{block "main" .}}C{{end}}C{{block "sub" .}}D{{end}}E`, `{{define "main"}}B{{end}}`, 0, "ABCDE"},
-		{`A{{block "main" .}}C{{end}}C{{block "sub" .}}D{{end}}E`, `{{define "main"}}B{{end}}{{define "sub"}}Z{{end}}`, 0, "ABCZE"},
-		{`tpl`, `tpl`, 1, false},
-		{`tpl`, `tpl`, 2, false},
-		{`{{.0.E}}`, `tpl`, 0, false},
-		{`tpl`, `{{.0.E}}`, 0, false},
-	} {
-
-		overlayTplName := "ot"
-		masterTplName := "mt"
-		finalTplName := "tp"
-
-		config := newDepsConfig(viper.New())
-		config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.Template) error {
-
-			err := templ.AddTemplateFileWithMaster(finalTplName, overlayTplName, masterTplName)
-
-			if b, ok := this.expect.(bool); ok && !b {
-				if err == nil {
-					t.Errorf("[%d] AddTemplateFileWithMaster didn't return an expected error", i)
-				}
-			} else {
-
-				if err != nil {
-					t.Errorf("[%d] AddTemplateFileWithMaster failed: %s", i, err)
-					return nil
-				}
-
-				resultTpl := templ.Lookup(finalTplName)
-
-				if resultTpl == nil {
-					t.Errorf("[%d] AddTemplateFileWithMaster: Result template not found", i)
-					return nil
-				}
-
-				var b bytes.Buffer
-				err := resultTpl.Execute(&b, nil)
-
-				if err != nil {
-					t.Errorf("[%d] AddTemplateFileWithMaster execute failed: %s", i, err)
-					return nil
-				}
-				resultContent := b.String()
-
-				if resultContent != this.expect {
-					t.Errorf("[%d] AddTemplateFileWithMaster got \n%s but expected \n%v", i, resultContent, this.expect)
-				}
-			}
-
-			return nil
-		}
-
-		if this.writeSkipper != 1 {
-			afero.WriteFile(config.Fs.Source, masterTplName, []byte(this.masterTplContent), 0644)
-		}
-		if this.writeSkipper != 2 {
-			afero.WriteFile(config.Fs.Source, overlayTplName, []byte(this.overlayTplContent), 0644)
-		}
-
-		deps.New(config)
-
-	}
-
-}
-
-// A Go stdlib test for linux/arm. Will remove later.
-// See #1771
-func TestBigIntegerFunc(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-	var func1 = func(v int64) error {
-		return nil
-	}
-	var funcs = map[string]interface{}{
-		"A": func1,
-	}
-
-	tpl, err := template.New("foo").Funcs(funcs).Parse("{{ A 3e80 }}")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal("Parse failed:", err)
-	}
-	err = tpl.Execute(ioutil.Discard, "foo")
-
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("Execute should have failed")
-	}
-
-	t.Log("Got expected error:", err)
-
-}
-
-// A Go stdlib test for linux/arm. Will remove later.
-// See #1771
-type BI struct {
-}
-
-func (b BI) A(v int64) error {
-	return nil
-}
-func TestBigIntegerMethod(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	data := &BI{}
-
-	tpl, err := template.New("foo2").Parse("{{ .A 3e80 }}")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal("Parse failed:", err)
-	}
-	err = tpl.ExecuteTemplate(ioutil.Discard, "foo2", data)
-
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("Execute should have failed")
-	}
-
-	t.Log("Got expected error:", err)
-
-}
-
 // Test for bugs discovered by https://github.com/dvyukov/go-fuzz
 func TestTplGoFuzzReports(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
@@ -285,7 +61,7 @@ func TestTplGoFuzzReports(t *testing.T) {
 
 		config := newDepsConfig(viper.New())
 
-		config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.Template) error {
+		config.WithTemplate = func(templ tpl.TemplateHandler) error {
 			return templ.AddTemplate("fuzz", this.data)
 		}
 
@@ -293,7 +69,7 @@ func TestTplGoFuzzReports(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		require.NoError(t, de.LoadResources())
 
-		templ := de.Tmpl.(*GoHTMLTemplate)
+		templ := de.Tmpl.(*templateHandler)
 
 		if len(templ.errors) > 0 && this.expectErr == 0 {
 			t.Errorf("Test %d errored: %v", i, templ.errors)
@@ -301,7 +77,9 @@ func TestTplGoFuzzReports(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("#1 Test %d should have errored", i)
 		}
 
-		err = de.Tmpl.ExecuteTemplate(ioutil.Discard, "fuzz", d)
+		tt := de.Tmpl.Lookup("fuzz")
+		require.NotNil(t, tt)
+		err = tt.Execute(ioutil.Discard, d)
 
 		if err != nil && this.expectErr == 0 {
 			t.Fatalf("Test %d errored: %s", i, err)