diff --git a/WebsiteGenerator/Generators/PageGenerator.swift b/WebsiteGenerator/Generators/PageGenerator.swift
index 15a551a..f2d89a5 100644
--- a/WebsiteGenerator/Generators/PageGenerator.swift
+++ b/WebsiteGenerator/Generators/PageGenerator.swift
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ struct PageGenerator {
         let inputContentPath = page.path + "/\(language).md"
         let metadata = page.localized(for: language)
         let nextLanguage = page.nextLanguage(for: language)
-        let pageContent = makeContent(page: page, language: language, path: inputContentPath)
-        let pageIncludesCode = pageContent?.includesCode ?? false
-        
+        let (pageContent, pageIncludesCode, pageIsEmpty) = makeContent(
+            page: page, metadata: metadata, language: language, path: inputContentPath)
+
         var content = [PageTemplate.Key : String]()
         content[.head] = factory.pageHead.generate(page: page, language: language, includesCode: pageIncludesCode)
         let sectionUrl = page.sectionUrl(for: language)
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ struct PageGenerator {
         if !page.useCustomHeader {
             content[.header] = makeHeader(page: page, metadata: metadata, language: language)
         }
-        content[.content] = pageContent?.content ?? factory.makePlaceholder(metadata: metadata)
+        content[.content] = pageContent
         content[.previousPageLinkText] = previousPage.unwrapped { factory.factory.html.makePrevText($0.text) }
         content[.previousPageUrl] = previousPage?.link
         content[.nextPageLinkText] = nextPage.unwrapped { factory.factory.html.makeNextText($0.text) }
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ struct PageGenerator {
         let url = files.urlInOutputFolder(path)
         if page.state == .draft {
             files.isDraft(path: page.path)
-        } else if pageContent == nil, page.state != .hidden {
+        } else if pageIsEmpty, page.state != .hidden {
             files.isEmpty(page: path)
         }
         guard factory.page.generate(content, to: url) else {
@@ -60,13 +60,18 @@ struct PageGenerator {
         files.generated(page: path)
     }
 
-    private func makeContent(page: Element, language: String, path: String) -> (content: String, includesCode: Bool)? {
-        guard let content = files.contentOfOptionalFile(atPath: path, source: page.path, createEmptyFileIfMissing: true),
-              content.trimmed != "" else {
-            return nil
+    private func makeContent(page: Element, metadata: Element.LocalizedMetadata, language: String, path: String) -> (content: String, includesCode: Bool, isEmpty: Bool) {
+        if let raw = files.contentOfOptionalFile(atPath: path, source: page.path, createEmptyFileIfMissing: true)?
+            .trimmed.nonEmpty {
+            let (content, includesCode) = PageContentGenerator(factory: factory.factory)
+                .generate(page: page, language: language, content: raw)
+            return (content, includesCode, false)
+        } else {
+            let (content, includesCode) = PageContentGenerator(factory: factory.factory)
+                .generate(page: page, language: language, content: metadata.placeholderText)
+            let placeholder = factory.makePlaceholder(title: metadata.placeholderTitle, text: content)
+            return (placeholder, includesCode, true)
         }
-        return PageContentGenerator(factory: factory.factory)
-            .generate(page: page, language: language, content: content)
     }
 
     private func makeHeader(page: Element, metadata: Element.LocalizedMetadata, language: String) -> String {
diff --git a/WebsiteGenerator/Templates/Filled/LocalizedSiteTemplate.swift b/WebsiteGenerator/Templates/Filled/LocalizedSiteTemplate.swift
index 254e3d6..f61d46b 100644
--- a/WebsiteGenerator/Templates/Filled/LocalizedSiteTemplate.swift
+++ b/WebsiteGenerator/Templates/Filled/LocalizedSiteTemplate.swift
@@ -75,9 +75,13 @@ struct LocalizedSiteTemplate {
     // MARK: Content
 
     func makePlaceholder(metadata: Element.LocalizedMetadata) -> String {
+        makePlaceholder(title: metadata.placeholderTitle, text: metadata.placeholderText)
+    }
+
+    func makePlaceholder(title: String, text: String) -> String {
         factory.placeholder.generate([
-            .title: metadata.placeholderTitle,
-            .text: metadata.placeholderText])
+            .title: title,
+            .text: text])
     }
 
     func makeBackLink(text: String, language: String) -> String {