diff --git a/config.example.yaml b/config.example.yaml
index 601e115..a17487b 100644
--- a/config.example.yaml
+++ b/config.example.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ agent_session: null              # Set a session to use when starting an agent (
 
 # ---- Appearance ----
 highlight: true                  # Controls syntax highlighting
+raw_markdown: false              # When true, render markdown as raw text with syntax highlighting only. When false (default), transforms markdown syntax (headings, bold, lists, etc.) into styled terminal output
 light_theme: false               # Activates a light color theme when true. env: COYOTE_LIGHT_THEME
 
 # ---- Miscellaneous ----
diff --git a/src/cli/mod.rs b/src/cli/mod.rs
index 05a5a91..0a8ab3b 100644
--- a/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ pub struct Cli {
     /// Turn off stream mode
     #[arg(short = 'S', long)]
     pub no_stream: bool,
+    /// Render markdown as raw text with syntax highlighting only (skip the rich markdown renderer)
+    #[arg(long)]
+    pub raw_markdown: bool,
     /// Display the message without sending it
     #[arg(long)]
     pub dry_run: bool,
diff --git a/src/config/app_config.rs b/src/config/app_config.rs
index 0c19ede..d269ef0 100644
--- a/src/config/app_config.rs
+++ b/src/config/app_config.rs
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ pub struct AppConfig {
     pub document_loaders: HashMap<String, String>,
 
     pub highlight: bool,
+    pub raw_markdown: bool,
     pub theme: Option<String>,
     pub left_prompt: Option<String>,
     pub right_prompt: Option<String>,
@@ -165,6 +166,7 @@ impl Default for AppConfig {
             document_loaders: Default::default(),
 
             highlight: true,
+            raw_markdown: false,
             theme: None,
             left_prompt: None,
             right_prompt: None,
@@ -246,6 +248,7 @@ impl AppConfig {
             document_loaders: config.document_loaders,
 
             highlight: config.highlight,
+            raw_markdown: config.raw_markdown,
             theme: config.theme,
             left_prompt: config.left_prompt,
             right_prompt: config.right_prompt,
@@ -405,7 +408,13 @@ impl AppConfig {
             env::var("COLORTERM").as_ref().map(|v| v.as_str()),
             Ok("truecolor")
         );
-        Ok(RenderOptions::new(theme, wrap, self.wrap_code, truecolor))
+        Ok(RenderOptions::new(
+            theme,
+            wrap,
+            self.wrap_code,
+            self.raw_markdown,
+            truecolor,
+        ))
     }
 
     pub fn print_markdown(&self, text: &str) -> Result<()> {
@@ -589,6 +598,9 @@ impl AppConfig {
         if *NO_COLOR {
             self.highlight = false;
         }
+        if let Some(Some(v)) = super::read_env_bool(&get_env_name("raw_markdown")) {
+            self.raw_markdown = v;
+        }
         if self.highlight && self.theme.is_none() {
             if let Some(v) = super::read_env_value::<String>(&get_env_name("theme")) {
                 self.theme = v;
diff --git a/src/config/mod.rs b/src/config/mod.rs
index 022e937..cd05a38 100644
--- a/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub document_loaders: HashMap<String, String>,
 
     pub highlight: bool,
+    pub raw_markdown: bool,
     pub theme: Option<String>,
     pub left_prompt: Option<String>,
     pub right_prompt: Option<String>,
@@ -339,6 +340,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             document_loaders: Default::default(),
 
             highlight: true,
+            raw_markdown: false,
             theme: None,
             left_prompt: None,
             right_prompt: None,
diff --git a/src/config/request_context.rs b/src/config/request_context.rs
index 476e385..f2b1af6 100644
--- a/src/config/request_context.rs
+++ b/src/config/request_context.rs
@@ -1598,6 +1598,7 @@ impl RequestContext {
             ("wrap", wrap),
             ("wrap_code", app.wrap_code.to_string()),
             ("highlight", app.highlight.to_string()),
+            ("raw_markdown", app.raw_markdown.to_string()),
             ("theme", super::format_option_value(&app.theme)),
             ("config_file", display_path(&paths::config_file())),
             ("env_file", display_path(&paths::env_file())),
@@ -2724,6 +2725,10 @@ impl RequestContext {
                 let value = value.parse().with_context(|| "Invalid value")?;
                 self.update_app_config(|app| app.highlight = value);
             }
+            "raw_markdown" => {
+                let value = value.parse().with_context(|| "Invalid value")?;
+                self.update_app_config(|app| app.raw_markdown = value);
+            }
             "auto_continue" => {
                 let value: bool = value.parse().with_context(|| "Invalid value")?;
                 if value && !self.app.config.function_calling_support {
@@ -2928,6 +2933,7 @@ impl RequestContext {
                         "stream",
                         "save",
                         "highlight",
+                        "raw_markdown",
                     ];
                     if !self.current_model().reasoning_levels().is_empty() {
                         values.push("reasoning_effort");
@@ -3187,6 +3193,7 @@ impl RequestContext {
                     .map(|v| v.id())
                     .collect(),
                 "highlight" => super::complete_bool(app.highlight),
+                "raw_markdown" => super::complete_bool(app.raw_markdown),
                 "auto_continue" => {
                     let config = self.auto_continue_config();
                     super::complete_bool(config.enabled)
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 1afa726..e6eaaeb 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -367,6 +367,9 @@ async fn run(
     if cli.no_stream {
         update_app_config(&mut ctx, |app| app.stream = false);
     }
+    if cli.raw_markdown {
+        update_app_config(&mut ctx, |app| app.raw_markdown = true);
+    }
     if cli.no_memory {
         update_app_config(&mut ctx, |app| app.memory = Some(false));
     }
diff --git a/src/render/markdown.rs b/src/render/markdown.rs
index 3cb3821..76100ac 100644
--- a/src/render/markdown.rs
+++ b/src/render/markdown.rs
@@ -202,6 +202,8 @@ pub struct RenderOptions {
     pub theme: Option<Theme>,
     pub wrap: Option<String>,
     pub wrap_code: bool,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub raw_markdown: bool,
     pub truecolor: bool,
 }
 
@@ -210,12 +212,14 @@ impl RenderOptions {
         theme: Option<Theme>,
         wrap: Option<String>,
         wrap_code: bool,
+        raw_markdown: bool,
         truecolor: bool,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
             theme,
             wrap,
             wrap_code,
+            raw_markdown,
             truecolor,
         }
     }