diff --git a/features/rendering.feature b/features/rendering.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f71e2cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/rendering.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+Feature: Rendering
+  As a hacker who likes to blog
+  I want to be able to make a static site
+  In order to share my awesome ideas with the interwebs
+  But I want to make it as simply as possible
+  So render with Liquid and place in Layouts
+
+  Scenario: Render Liquid and place in layout
+    Given I have a "index.html" page with layout "simple" that contains "Hi there, Jekyll {{ jekyll.environment }}!"
+    And I have a simple layout that contains "{{ content }}Ahoy, indeed!"
+    When I run jekyll build
+    Then the _site directory should exist
+    And I should see "Hi there, Jekyll development!\nAhoy, indeed" in "_site/index.html"
+
+  Scenario: Don't place asset files in layout
+    Given I have an "index.scss" page with layout "simple" that contains ".foo-bar { color:black; }"
+    And I have an "index.coffee" page with layout "simple" that contains "whatever()"
+    And I have a simple layout that contains "{{ content }}Ahoy, indeed!"
+    When I run jekyll build
+    Then the _site directory should exist
+    And I should not see "Ahoy, indeed!" in "_site/index.css"
+    And I should not see "Ahoy, indeed!" in "_site/index.js"
+
+  Scenario: Don't render liquid in Sass
+    Given I have an "index.scss" page that contains ".foo-bar { color:{{site.color}}; }"
+    When I run jekyll build
+    Then the _site directory should not exist
+    And I should see "Invalid CSS after" in the build output
+
+  Scenario: Don't render liquid in CoffeeScript
+    Given I have an "index.coffee" page that contains "hey='for {{site.animal}}'"
+    When I run jekyll build
+    Then the _site directory should exist
+    And I should see "hey = 'for {{site.animal}}';" in "_site/index.js"
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/jekyll_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/jekyll_steps.rb
index 4fe7edd2..1a4ec029 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/jekyll_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/jekyll_steps.rb
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ end
 
 When /^I run jekyll(.*)$/ do |args|
   status = run_jekyll(args)
-  if !status || args.include?("--verbose")
+  if args.include?("--verbose")
     puts jekyll_run_output
   end
 end
@@ -195,3 +195,7 @@ end
 Then /^I should see today's date in "(.*)"$/ do |file|
   assert_match Regexp.new(Date.today.to_s), file_contents(file)
 end
+
+Then /^I should see "(.*)" in the build output$/ do |text|
+  assert_match Regexp.new(text), jekyll_run_output
+end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb b/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
index 9d00d703..b423ac43 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
@@ -114,6 +114,10 @@ module Jekyll
       Utils.deep_merge_hashes defaults, Utils.deep_merge_hashes(data, further_data)
     end
 
+    # The type of a document,
+    #   i.e., its classname downcase'd and to_sym'd.
+    #
+    # Returns the type of self.
     def type
       if is_a?(Post)
         :post
@@ -124,6 +128,31 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
+    # Determine whether the document is an asset file.
+    # Asset files include CoffeeScript files and Sass/SCSS files.
+    #
+    # Returns true if the extname belongs to the set of extensions
+    #   that asset files use.
+    def asset_file?
+      %w[.sass .scss .coffee].include?(ext)
+    end
+
+    # Determine whether the file should be rendered with Liquid.
+    #
+    # Returns false if the document is either an asset file or a yaml file,
+    #   true otherwise.
+    def render_with_liquid?
+      !asset_file?
+    end
+
+    # Determine whether the file should be placed into layouts.
+    #
+    # Returns false if the document is either an asset file or a yaml file,
+    #   true otherwise.
+    def place_in_layout?
+      !asset_file?
+    end
+
     # Recursively render layouts
     #
     # layouts - a list of the layouts
@@ -167,13 +196,13 @@ module Jekyll
       payload["highlighter_prefix"] = converter.highlighter_prefix
       payload["highlighter_suffix"] = converter.highlighter_suffix
 
-      self.content = render_liquid(content, payload, info)
+      self.content = render_liquid(content, payload, info) if render_with_liquid?
       transform
 
       # output keeps track of what will finally be written
       self.output = content
 
-      render_all_layouts(layouts, payload, info)
+      render_all_layouts(layouts, payload, info) if place_in_layout?
     end
 
     # Write the generated page file to the destination directory.
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/document.rb b/lib/jekyll/document.rb
index 50aeaa14..0fb6719f 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/document.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/document.rb
@@ -88,6 +88,14 @@ module Jekyll
       !(asset_file? || yaml_file?)
     end
 
+    # Determine whether the file should be placed into layouts.
+    #
+    # Returns false if the document is either an asset file or a yaml file,
+    #   true otherwise.
+    def place_in_layout?
+      !(asset_file? || yaml_file?)
+    end
+
     # The URL template where the document would be accessible.
     #
     # Returns the URL template for the document.
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb b/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb
index e3d233df..f918cc0d 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb
@@ -47,11 +47,15 @@ module Jekyll
         output = render_liquid(output, payload, info)
       end
 
-      place_in_layouts(
-        convert(output),
-        payload,
-        info
-      )
+      if document.place_in_layout?
+        place_in_layouts(
+          convert(output),
+          payload,
+          info
+        )
+      else
+        convert(output)
+      end
     end
 
     # Convert the given content using the converters which match this renderer's document.