diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 9062d5b3..e7606a20 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ Version 1.1.0 (released ??-???-????)
     - Subversion authz files
     - regexp-based path hiding
     - file glob top-level directory hiding (for compat with 1.0.x)
+  * allow default file view to be "markup" (issue #305)
 
 Version 1.0.4 (released 10-Apr-2007)
 
diff --git a/lib/viewvc.py b/lib/viewvc.py
index ee7cd145..c6fa9d62 100644
--- a/lib/viewvc.py
+++ b/lib/viewvc.py
@@ -330,8 +330,9 @@ class Request:
             self.view_func = view_cvsgraph_image
         elif self.query_dict.has_key('revision') \
                  or cfg.options.default_file_view != "log":
-          if self.query_dict.get('content-type', None) in (viewcvs_mime_type,
-                                                           alt_mime_type):
+          if cfg.options.default_file_view == "markup" \
+             or self.query_dict.get('content-type', None) \
+                 in (viewcvs_mime_type, alt_mime_type):
             self.view_func = view_markup
           else:
             self.view_func = view_checkout
@@ -512,13 +513,19 @@ class Request:
       view_func = None
 
     # no need to explicitly specify checkout view when it's the default
-    # view, when checkout_magic is enabled, or when "revision" is present
+    # view or when checkout_magic is enabled
     if view_func is view_checkout:
-      if ((cfg.options.default_file_view != "log" and pathtype == vclib.FILE)
-          or cfg.options.checkout_magic
-          or params.get('revision') is not None):
+      if ((cfg.options.default_file_view == "co" and pathtype == vclib.FILE)
+          or cfg.options.checkout_magic):
         view_func = None
 
+    # no need to explicitly specify markup view when it's the default view
+    if view_func is view_markup:
+      if (cfg.options.default_file_view == "markup" \
+          and pathtype == vclib.FILE):
+        view_func = None
+
+    # set the view parameter
     view_code = _view_codes.get(view_func)
     if view_code and not (params.has_key('view') and params['view'] is None):
       params['view'] = view_code
diff --git a/viewvc.conf.dist b/viewvc.conf.dist
index ae9a85a2..78f676bb 100644
--- a/viewvc.conf.dist
+++ b/viewvc.conf.dist
@@ -330,16 +330,16 @@ authorizer = forbidden
 # addresses that appear in version control metadata (e.g. log messages).
 mangle_email_addresses = 0
 
-# default_file_view: "log" or "co"
+# default_file_view: "log", "co", or "markup"
 # Controls whether the default view for file URLs is a checkout view or
 # a log view. "log" is the default for backwards compatibility with old
 # ViewCVS URLs, but "co" has the advantage that it allows ViewVC to serve
 # static HTML pages directly from a repository with working links
 # to other repository files
-# Note: Changing this option may cause old ViewCVS URLs that referred
-# to log pages to load checkout pages instead.
-# Also note: If you choose the "co" view, be sure to enable it (via
-# the allowed_views option)
+# Note: Changing this option may break compatibility with existing
+# bookmarked URLs.
+# Also note: If you choose one of the "co" or "markup" views, be sure
+# to enable it (via the allowed_views option)
 default_file_view = log
 
 # http_expiration_time: Expiration time (in seconds) for cacheable