diff --git a/features/collections.feature b/features/collections.feature
index 6ff41080..6e8d76a8 100644
--- a/features/collections.feature
+++ b/features/collections.feature
@@ -9,30 +9,50 @@ Feature: Collections
     And I have a configuration file with "collections" set to "['methods']"
     When I run jekyll build
     Then the _site directory should exist
-    And I should see "Collections: Use `{{ page.title }}` to build a full configuration for use w/Jekyll.\n\nWhatever: {{ page.whatever }}\n`{{ page.title }}` is used to make sure your path is in your source.\nRun your generators! {{ page.layout }}\nCreate dat site.\nRun your generators! {{ page.layout }}" in "_site/index.html"
+    And I should see "Collections: <p>Use <code>Jekyll.configuration</code> to build a full configuration for use w/Jekyll.</p>\n\n<p>Whatever: foo.bar</p>\n<p><code>Jekyll.sanitized_path</code> is used to make sure your path is in your source.</p>\n<p>Run your generators! default</p>\n<p>Create dat site.</p>\n<p>Run your generators! default</p>" in "_site/index.html"
+    And the "_site/methods/configuration.html" file should not exist
 
   Scenario: Rendered collection
     Given I have an "index.html" page that contains "Collections: {{ site.collections }}"
+    And I have an "collection_metadata.html" page that contains "Methods metadata: {{ site.collections.methods.foo }} {{ site.collections.methods }}"
     And I have fixture collections
-    And I have a configuration file with:
-      | key         | value       |
-      | collections | ['methods'] |
-      | render      | ['methods'] |
+    And I have a "_config.yml" file with content:
+    """
+    collections:
+      methods:
+        write: true
+        foo:   bar
+    """
     When I run jekyll build
     Then the _site directory should exist
-    And I should see "Collections: methods" in "_site/index.html"
+    And I should see "Collections: {\"methods" in "_site/index.html"
+    And I should see "Methods metadata: bar" in "_site/collection_metadata.html"
     And I should see "<p>Whatever: foo.bar</p>" in "_site/methods/configuration.html"
 
   Scenario: Rendered document in a layout
     Given I have an "index.html" page that contains "Collections: {{ site.collections }}"
     And I have a default layout that contains "<div class='title'>Tom Preston-Werner</div> {{content}}"
     And I have fixture collections
-    And I have a configuration file with:
-      | key         | value       |
-      | collections | ['methods'] |
-      | render      | ['methods'] |
+    And I have a "_config.yml" file with content:
+    """
+    collections:
+      methods:
+        write: true
+        foo:   bar
+    """
     When I run jekyll build
     Then the _site directory should exist
-    And I should see "Collections: methods" in "_site/index.html"
+    And I should see "Collections: {\"methods" in "_site/index.html"
     And I should see "<p>Run your generators! default</p>" in "_site/methods/site/generate.html"
-    And I should see "<div class='title'>Tom Preston-Werner</div>" in "_site/methods/site/generate.html"
\ No newline at end of file
+    And I should see "<div class='title'>Tom Preston-Werner</div>" in "_site/methods/site/generate.html"
+
+  Scenario: Collections directly on the site
+    Given I have an "index.html" page that contains "Collections: {% for method in site.methods %}{{ method.relative_path }} {% endfor %}"
+    And I have fixture collections
+    And I have a "_config.yml" file with content:
+    """
+    collections: [methods]
+    """
+    When I run jekyll
+    Then the _site directory should exist
+    And I should see "Collections: _methods/configuration.md _methods/sanitized_path.md _methods/site/generate.md _methods/site/initialize.md _methods/um_hi.md" in "_site/index.html"
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/collection.rb b/lib/jekyll/collection.rb
index be590e0d..ba8f8d91 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/collection.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/collection.rb
@@ -115,7 +115,13 @@ module Jekyll
     #
     # Returns a representation of this collection for use in Liquid.
     def to_liquid
-      docs
+      metadata.merge({
+        "label"     => label,
+        "docs"      => docs,
+        "directory" => directory,
+        "written"   => write?,
+        "relative_directory" => relative_directory
+      })
     end
 
     # Whether the collection's documents ought to be written as individual
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/site.rb b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
index 4f3d04fe..ccc6d2c6 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/site.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ module Jekyll
     def site_payload
       {"jekyll" => { "version" => Jekyll::VERSION },
        "site"   => Utils.deep_merge_hashes(config,
-         Utils.deep_merge_hashes(collections, {
+         Utils.deep_merge_hashes(Hash[collections.map{|label, coll| [label, coll.docs]}], {
           "time"         => time,
           "posts"        => posts.sort { |a, b| b <=> a },
           "pages"        => pages,
@@ -324,6 +324,7 @@ module Jekyll
           "html_pages"   => pages.reject { |page| !page.html? },
           "categories"   => post_attr_hash('categories'),
           "tags"         => post_attr_hash('tags'),
+          "collections"  => collections,
           "data"         => site_data
         }))
       }