diff --git a/lib/jekyll/post.rb b/lib/jekyll/post.rb
index 50fd983c..2def58ed 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/post.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/post.rb
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ module Jekyll
     # Returns nothing.
     def read_yaml(base, name)
       super(base, name)
-      self.excerpt = self.extract_excerpt
+      self.excerpt = self.data["excerpt"] || self.extract_excerpt
       self.data['layout'] = 'post' unless self.data.has_key?('layout')
     end