diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index adf8190..8abc3aa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -146,3 +146,9 @@ Hello world
 </body>
 ```
 Note the `{{$head}}` section in `base.mustache` is replaced with the `{{$head}}` section included inside the `{{<base}}` partial reference from `mypage.mustache`. The same occurs with the `{{$body}}` section. In that case though a default value is supplied for the situation where a `{{$body}}` section is not supplied. 
+
+### Pragma
+
+The syntax `{{% var: value}}` can be used to set template rendering configuration variables specific to Hummingbird Mustache. The only variable you can set at the moment is `CONTENT_TYPE`. This can be set to either to `HTML` or `TEXT` and defines how variables are escaped. A content type of `TEXT` means no variables are escaped and a content type of `HTML` will do HTML escaping of the rendered text. The content type defaults to `HTML`.
+
+Given input object "<>", template `{{%CONTENT_TYPE: HTML}}{{.}}` will render as `&lt;&gt;` and `{{%CONTENT_TYPE: TEXT}}{{.}}` will render as `<>`.
diff --git a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/ContentType.swift b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/ContentType.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c378786
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/ContentType.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/// Protocol for content types
+public protocol HBMustacheContentType {
+    /// escape text for this content type eg for HTML replace "<" with "&lt;"
+    func escapeText(_ text: String) -> String
+}
+
+/// Text content type where no character is escaped
+struct HBTextContentType: HBMustacheContentType {
+    func escapeText(_ text: String) -> String {
+        return text
+    }
+}
+
+/// HTML content where text is escaped for HTML output
+struct HBHTMLContentType: HBMustacheContentType {
+    func escapeText(_ text: String) -> String {
+        return text.htmlEscape()
+    }
+}
+
+/// Map of strings to content types.
+///
+/// The string is read from the "CONTENT_TYPE" pragma `{{% CONTENT_TYPE: type}}`. Replace type with
+/// the content type required. The default available types are `TEXT` and `HTML`. You can register your own
+/// with `HBMustacheContentTypes.register`.
+public enum HBMustacheContentTypes {
+    static func get(_ name: String) -> HBMustacheContentType? {
+        return self.types[name]
+    }
+
+    /// Register new content type
+    /// - Parameters:
+    ///   - contentType: Content type
+    ///   - name: String to identify it
+    public static func register(_ contentType: HBMustacheContentType, named name: String) {
+        self.types[name] = contentType
+    }
+
+    static var types: [String: HBMustacheContentType] = [
+        "HTML": HBHTMLContentType(),
+        "TEXT": HBTextContentType(),
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Context.swift b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Context.swift
index 2b67a90..dbfe645 100644
--- a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Context.swift
+++ b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Context.swift
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ struct HBMustacheContext {
     let sequenceContext: HBMustacheSequenceContext?
     let indentation: String?
     let inherited: [String: HBMustacheTemplate]?
+    let contentType: HBMustacheContentType
 
     /// initialize context with a single objectt
     init(_ object: Any) {
@@ -11,25 +12,34 @@ struct HBMustacheContext {
         self.sequenceContext = nil
         self.indentation = nil
         self.inherited = nil
+        self.contentType = HBHTMLContentType()
     }
 
     private init(
         stack: [Any],
         sequenceContext: HBMustacheSequenceContext?,
         indentation: String?,
-        inherited: [String: HBMustacheTemplate]?
+        inherited: [String: HBMustacheTemplate]?,
+        contentType: HBMustacheContentType
     ) {
         self.stack = stack
         self.sequenceContext = sequenceContext
         self.indentation = indentation
         self.inherited = inherited
+        self.contentType = contentType
     }
 
     /// return context with object add to stack
     func withObject(_ object: Any) -> HBMustacheContext {
         var stack = self.stack
         stack.append(object)
-        return .init(stack: stack, sequenceContext: nil, indentation: self.indentation, inherited: self.inherited)
+        return .init(
+            stack: stack,
+            sequenceContext: nil,
+            indentation: self.indentation,
+            inherited: self.inherited,
+            contentType: self.contentType
+        )
     }
 
     /// return context with indent and parameter information for invoking a partial
@@ -50,13 +60,36 @@ struct HBMustacheContext {
         } else {
             inherits = self.inherited
         }
-        return .init(stack: self.stack, sequenceContext: nil, indentation: indentation, inherited: inherits)
+        return .init(
+            stack: self.stack,
+            sequenceContext: nil,
+            indentation: indentation,
+            inherited: inherits,
+            contentType: HBHTMLContentType()
+        )
     }
-    
+
     /// return context with sequence info and sequence element added to stack
     func withSequence(_ object: Any, sequenceContext: HBMustacheSequenceContext) -> HBMustacheContext {
         var stack = self.stack
         stack.append(object)
-        return .init(stack: stack, sequenceContext: sequenceContext, indentation: self.indentation, inherited: self.inherited)
+        return .init(
+            stack: stack,
+            sequenceContext: sequenceContext,
+            indentation: self.indentation,
+            inherited: self.inherited,
+            contentType: self.contentType
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// return context with sequence info and sequence element added to stack
+    func withContentType(_ contentType: HBMustacheContentType) -> HBMustacheContext {
+        return .init(
+            stack: self.stack,
+            sequenceContext: self.sequenceContext,
+            indentation: self.indentation,
+            inherited: self.inherited,
+            contentType: contentType
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Parser.swift b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Parser.swift
index 5d49b67..1ca743d 100644
--- a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Parser.swift
+++ b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Parser.swift
@@ -234,6 +234,19 @@ extension HBParser {
         return self.buffer[startIndex..<self.position]
     }
 
+    /// Read while closure returns true
+    /// - Parameter while: closure
+    /// - Returns: String read from buffer
+    @discardableResult mutating func read(while cb: (Character) -> Bool) -> Substring {
+        let startIndex = self.position
+        while !self.reachedEnd(),
+              cb(unsafeCurrent())
+        {
+            unsafeAdvance()
+        }
+        return self.buffer[startIndex..<self.position]
+    }
+
     /// Read while character at current position is in supplied set
     /// - Parameter while: character set to check
     /// - Returns: String read from buffer
diff --git a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template+Parser.swift b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template+Parser.swift
index 492c6b0..72ceb7e 100644
--- a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template+Parser.swift
+++ b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template+Parser.swift
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ extension HBMustacheTemplate {
         case illegalTokenInsideInheritSection
         /// text found inside inherit section of partial
         case textInsideInheritSection
+        /// config variable syntax is wrong
+        case invalidConfigVariableSyntax
+        /// unrecognised config variable
+        case unrecognisedConfigVariable
     }
 
     struct ParserState {
@@ -51,13 +55,6 @@ extension HBMustacheTemplate {
             newValue.endDelimiter = end
             return newValue
         }
-
-        func withDefaultDelimiters(start _: String, end _: String) -> ParserState {
-            var newValue = self
-            newValue.startDelimiter = "{{"
-            newValue.endDelimiter = "}}"
-            return newValue
-        }
     }
 
     /// parse mustache text to generate a list of tokens
@@ -236,6 +233,14 @@ extension HBMustacheTemplate {
                 state = try self.parserSetDelimiter(&parser, state: state)
                 setNewLine = self.isStandalone(&parser, state: state)
 
+            case "%":
+                // read config variable
+                parser.unsafeAdvance()
+                if let token = try self.readConfigVariable(&parser, state: state) {
+                    tokens.append(token)
+                }
+                setNewLine = self.isStandalone(&parser, state: state)
+
             default:
                 // variable
                 if whiteSpaceBefore.count > 0 {
@@ -327,6 +332,34 @@ extension HBMustacheTemplate {
         return state.withDelimiters(start: String(startDelimiter), end: String(endDelimiter))
     }
 
+    static func readConfigVariable(_ parser: inout HBParser, state: ParserState) throws -> Token? {
+        let variable: Substring
+        let value: Substring
+
+        do {
+            parser.read(while: \.isWhitespace)
+            variable = parser.read(while: self.sectionNameCharsWithoutBrackets)
+            parser.read(while: \.isWhitespace)
+            guard try parser.read(":") else { throw Error.invalidConfigVariableSyntax }
+            parser.read(while: \.isWhitespace)
+            value = parser.read(while: self.sectionNameCharsWithoutBrackets)
+            guard try parser.read(string: state.endDelimiter) else { throw Error.invalidConfigVariableSyntax }
+        } catch {
+            throw Error.invalidConfigVariableSyntax
+        }
+
+        // do both variable and value have content
+        guard variable.count > 0, value.count > 0 else { throw Error.invalidConfigVariableSyntax }
+
+        switch variable {
+        case "CONTENT_TYPE":
+            guard let contentType = HBMustacheContentTypes.get(String(value)) else { throw Error.unrecognisedConfigVariable }
+            return .contentType(contentType)
+        default:
+            throw Error.unrecognisedConfigVariable
+        }
+    }
+
     static func hasLineFinished(_ parser: inout HBParser) -> Bool {
         var parser2 = parser
         if parser.reachedEnd() { return true }
diff --git a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template+Render.swift b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template+Render.swift
index 92eba70..4220dbd 100644
--- a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template+Render.swift
+++ b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template+Render.swift
@@ -8,22 +8,24 @@ extension HBMustacheTemplate {
     /// - Returns: Rendered text
     func render(context: HBMustacheContext) -> String {
         var string = ""
+        var context = context
+
         if let indentation = context.indentation, indentation != "" {
             for token in tokens {
                 if string.last == "\n" {
                     string += indentation
                 }
-                string += self.renderToken(token, context: context)
+                string += self.renderToken(token, context: &context)
             }
         } else {
             for token in tokens {
-                string += self.renderToken(token, context: context)
+                string += self.renderToken(token, context: &context)
             }
         }
         return string
     }
 
-    func renderToken(_ token: Token, context: HBMustacheContext) -> String {
+    func renderToken(_ token: Token, context: inout HBMustacheContext) -> String {
         switch token {
         case .text(let text):
             return text
@@ -32,7 +34,7 @@ extension HBMustacheTemplate {
                 if let template = child as? HBMustacheTemplate {
                     return template.render(context: context)
                 } else {
-                    return String(describing: child).htmlEscape()
+                    return context.contentType.escapeText(String(describing: child))
                 }
             }
         case .unescapedVariable(let variable, let transform):
@@ -58,6 +60,9 @@ extension HBMustacheTemplate {
             if let template = library?.getTemplate(named: name) {
                 return template.render(context: context.withPartial(indented: indentation, inheriting: overrides))
             }
+
+        case .contentType(let contentType):
+            context = context.withContentType(contentType)
         }
         return ""
     }
diff --git a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template.swift b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template.swift
index c010429..54bcf9f 100644
--- a/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template.swift
+++ b/Sources/HummingbirdMustache/Template.swift
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public final class HBMustacheTemplate {
         case invertedSection(name: String, transform: String? = nil, template: HBMustacheTemplate)
         case inheritedSection(name: String, template: HBMustacheTemplate)
         case partial(String, indentation: String?, inherits: [String: HBMustacheTemplate]?)
+        case contentType(HBMustacheContentType)
     }
 
     let tokens: [Token]
diff --git a/Tests/HummingbirdMustacheTests/TemplateParserTests.swift b/Tests/HummingbirdMustacheTests/TemplateParserTests.swift
index 826a09c..83b9587 100644
--- a/Tests/HummingbirdMustacheTests/TemplateParserTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/HummingbirdMustacheTests/TemplateParserTests.swift
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ final class TemplateParserTests: XCTestCase {
         let template = try HBMustacheTemplate(string: "{{ section }}")
         XCTAssertEqual(template.tokens, [.variable(name: "section")])
     }
+
+    func testContentType() throws {
+        let template = try HBMustacheTemplate(string: "{{% CONTENT_TYPE:TEXT}}")
+        XCTAssertEqual(template.tokens, [.contentType(HBTextContentType())])
+    }
 }
 
 extension HBMustacheTemplate: Equatable {
@@ -52,6 +57,8 @@ extension HBMustacheTemplate.Token: Equatable {
             return lhs1 == rhs1 && lhs2 == rhs2 && lhs3 == rhs3
         case (.partial(let name1, let indent1, _), .partial(let name2, let indent2, _)):
             return name1 == name2 && indent1 == indent2
+        case (.contentType(let contentType), .contentType(let contentType2)):
+            return type(of: contentType) == type(of: contentType2)
         default:
             return false
         }
diff --git a/Tests/HummingbirdMustacheTests/TemplateRendererTests.swift b/Tests/HummingbirdMustacheTests/TemplateRendererTests.swift
index 7926ab2..6cb1551 100644
--- a/Tests/HummingbirdMustacheTests/TemplateRendererTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/HummingbirdMustacheTests/TemplateRendererTests.swift
@@ -92,6 +92,13 @@ final class TemplateRendererTests: XCTestCase {
         XCTAssertEqual(template.render(Test(test: .init(string: "sub"))), "test sub")
     }
 
+    func testTextEscaping() throws {
+        let template1 = try HBMustacheTemplate(string: "{{% CONTENT_TYPE:TEXT}}{{.}}")
+        XCTAssertEqual(template1.render("<>"), "<>")
+        let template2 = try HBMustacheTemplate(string: "{{% CONTENT_TYPE:HTML}}{{.}}")
+        XCTAssertEqual(template2.render("<>"), "&lt;&gt;")
+    }
+
     /// variables
     func testMustacheManualExample1() throws {
         let template = try HBMustacheTemplate(string: """