diff --git a/lib/jekyll/site.rb b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
index 85cdac18..3af47672 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/site.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
@@ -258,16 +258,23 @@ module Jekyll
         if File.directory?(path)
           read_data_to(path, data[key] = {})
         else
-          case File.extname(path).downcase
-          when '.csv'
-            data[key] = CSV.read(path, :headers => true).map(&:to_hash)
-          else
-            data[key] = SafeYAML.load_file(path)
-          end
+          data[key] = read_data_file(path)
         end
       end
     end
-
+    
+    # Determines how to read a data file.
+    #
+    # Returns the contents of the data file.
+    def read_data_file(path)
+      case File.extname(path).downcase
+      when '.csv'
+        CSV.read(path, :headers => true).map(&:to_hash)
+      else
+        SafeYAML.load_file(path)
+      end
+    end
+      
     # Read in all collections specified in the configuration
     #
     # Returns nothing.
diff --git a/test/test_site.rb b/test/test_site.rb
index 1fe86b76..409392fd 100644
--- a/test/test_site.rb
+++ b/test/test_site.rb
@@ -369,6 +369,16 @@ class TestSite < Test::Unit::TestCase
         assert_equal site.site_payload['site']['data']['members'], file_content
       end
 
+      should 'load yaml files from extracted method' do
+        site = Site.new(site_configuration)
+        site.process
+
+        file_content = site.read_data_file(source_dir('_data', 'members.yaml'))
+
+        assert_equal site.data['members'], file_content
+        assert_equal site.site_payload['site']['data']['members'], file_content
+      end
+
       should 'auto load yml files' do
         site = Site.new(site_configuration)
         site.process