diff --git a/mkdocs/build.py b/mkdocs/build.py
index cf50b551..e1262d86 100644
--- a/mkdocs/build.py
+++ b/mkdocs/build.py
@@ -2,59 +2,22 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 from datetime import datetime
-
-from jinja2.exceptions import TemplateNotFound
-import mkdocs
-from mkdocs import nav, toc, utils
-from mkdocs.compat import urljoin
-from mkdocs.relative_path_ext import RelativePathExtension
-import jinja2
 import json
-import markdown
 import os
 import logging
 from io import open
 
+from jinja2.exceptions import TemplateNotFound
+import jinja2
+
+import mkdocs
+from mkdocs import nav, utils
+from mkdocs.compat import urljoin
+from mkdocs.utils import convert_markdown
+
 log = logging.getLogger('mkdocs')
 
 
-def convert_markdown(markdown_source, site_navigation=None, extensions=(), strict=False):
-    """
-    Convert the Markdown source file to HTML content, and additionally
-    return the parsed table of contents, and a dictionary of any metadata
-    that was specified in the Markdown file.
-
-    `extensions` is an optional sequence of Python Markdown extensions to add
-    to the default set.
-    """
-
-    # Generate the HTML from the markdown source
-    if isinstance(extensions, dict):
-        user_extensions = list(extensions.keys())
-        extension_configs = dict([(k, v) for k, v in extensions.items() if isinstance(v, dict)])
-    else:
-        user_extensions = list(extensions)
-        extension_configs = {}
-    builtin_extensions = ['meta', 'toc', 'tables', 'fenced_code']
-    mkdocs_extensions = [RelativePathExtension(site_navigation, strict), ]
-    extensions = set(builtin_extensions + mkdocs_extensions + user_extensions)
-    md = markdown.Markdown(
-        extensions=extensions,
-        extension_configs=extension_configs
-    )
-    html_content = md.convert(markdown_source)
-
-    # On completely blank markdown files, no Meta or tox properties are added
-    # to the generated document.
-    meta = getattr(md, 'Meta', {})
-    toc_html = getattr(md, 'toc', '')
-
-    # Post process the generated table of contents into a data structure
-    table_of_contents = toc.TableOfContents(toc_html)
-
-    return (html_content, table_of_contents, meta)
-
-
 def get_global_context(nav, config):
     """
     Given the SiteNavigation and config, generate the context which is relevant
diff --git a/mkdocs/nav.py b/mkdocs/nav.py
index 407c8bf2..85528e77 100644
--- a/mkdocs/nav.py
+++ b/mkdocs/nav.py
@@ -17,12 +17,13 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 def file_to_tile(filename):
     """
     Automatically generate a default title, given a filename.
+
+    The method parses the file to check for a title, uses the filename
+     as a title otherwise.
     """
     if utils.is_homepage(filename):
         return 'Home'
 
-    #todo check if there's a header in the doc first
-
     title = os.path.splitext(filename)[0]
     title = title.replace('-', ' ').replace('_', ' ')
     # Capitalize if the filename was all lowercase, otherwise leave it as-is.
diff --git a/mkdocs/tests/build_tests.py b/mkdocs/tests/build_tests.py
index 8c0808d5..6e5da108 100644
--- a/mkdocs/tests/build_tests.py
+++ b/mkdocs/tests/build_tests.py
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@ from mkdocs import build, nav, config
 from mkdocs.compat import zip
 from mkdocs.exceptions import MarkdownNotFound
 from mkdocs.tests.base import dedent
+from mkdocs.utils import convert_markdown
 
 
 class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_empty_document(self):
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown("")
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown("")
 
         self.assertEqual(html, '')
         self.assertEqual(len(list(toc)), 0)
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
         Ensure that basic Markdown -> HTML and TOC works.
         """
 
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(dedent("""
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(dedent("""
             page_title: custom title
 
             # Heading 1
@@ -59,25 +60,25 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_convert_internal_link(self):
         md_text = 'An [internal link](internal.md) to another document.'
         expected = '<p>An <a href="internal/">internal link</a> to another document.</p>'
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(md_text)
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(md_text)
         self.assertEqual(html.strip(), expected.strip())
 
     def test_convert_multiple_internal_links(self):
         md_text = '[First link](first.md) [second link](second.md).'
         expected = '<p><a href="first/">First link</a> <a href="second/">second link</a>.</p>'
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(md_text)
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(md_text)
         self.assertEqual(html.strip(), expected.strip())
 
     def test_convert_internal_link_differing_directory(self):
         md_text = 'An [internal link](../internal.md) to another document.'
         expected = '<p>An <a href="../internal/">internal link</a> to another document.</p>'
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(md_text)
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(md_text)
         self.assertEqual(html.strip(), expected.strip())
 
     def test_convert_internal_link_with_anchor(self):
         md_text = 'An [internal link](internal.md#section1.1) to another document.'
         expected = '<p>An <a href="internal/#section1.1">internal link</a> to another document.</p>'
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(md_text)
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(md_text)
         self.assertEqual(html.strip(), expected.strip())
 
     def test_convert_internal_media(self):
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
         for (page, expected) in zip(site_navigation.walk_pages(), expected_results):
             md_text = '![The initial MkDocs layout](img/initial-layout.png)'
-            html, _, _ = build.convert_markdown(md_text, site_navigation=site_navigation)
+            html, _, _ = convert_markdown(md_text, site_navigation=site_navigation)
             self.assertEqual(html, template % expected)
 
     def test_convert_internal_asbolute_media(self):
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
         for (page, expected) in zip(site_navigation.walk_pages(), expected_results):
             md_text = '![The initial MkDocs layout](/img/initial-layout.png)'
-            html, _, _ = build.convert_markdown(md_text, site_navigation=site_navigation)
+            html, _, _ = convert_markdown(md_text, site_navigation=site_navigation)
             self.assertEqual(html, template % expected)
 
     def test_dont_convert_code_block_urls(self):
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
         for page in site_navigation.walk_pages():
             markdown = 'An HTML Anchor::\n\n    <a href="index.md">My example link</a>\n'
-            html, _, _ = build.convert_markdown(markdown, site_navigation=site_navigation)
+            html, _, _ = convert_markdown(markdown, site_navigation=site_navigation)
             self.assertEqual(dedent(html), expected)
 
     def test_anchor_only_link(self):
@@ -158,13 +159,13 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
         for page in site_navigation.walk_pages():
             markdown = '[test](#test)'
-            html, _, _ = build.convert_markdown(markdown, site_navigation=site_navigation)
+            html, _, _ = convert_markdown(markdown, site_navigation=site_navigation)
             self.assertEqual(html, '<p><a href="#test">test</a></p>')
 
     def test_ignore_external_link(self):
         md_text = 'An [external link](http://example.com/external.md).'
         expected = '<p>An <a href="http://example.com/external.md">external link</a>.</p>'
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(md_text)
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(md_text)
         self.assertEqual(html.strip(), expected.strip())
 
     def test_not_use_directory_urls(self):
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
             ('internal.md',)
         ]
         site_navigation = nav.SiteNavigation(pages, use_directory_urls=False)
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(md_text, site_navigation=site_navigation)
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(md_text, site_navigation=site_navigation)
         self.assertEqual(html.strip(), expected.strip())
 
     def test_markdown_table_extension(self):
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
         Ensure that the table extension is supported.
         """
 
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(dedent("""
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(dedent("""
         First Header   | Second Header
         -------------- | --------------
         Content Cell 1 | Content Cell 2
@@ -217,7 +218,7 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
         Ensure that the fenced code extension is supported.
         """
 
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(dedent("""
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(dedent("""
         ```
         print 'foo'
         ```
@@ -238,12 +239,12 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
         # Check that the plugin is not active when not requested.
         expected_without_smartstrong = "<p>foo<strong>bar</strong>baz</p>"
-        html_base, _, _ = build.convert_markdown(md_input)
+        html_base, _, _ = convert_markdown(md_input)
         self.assertEqual(html_base.strip(), expected_without_smartstrong)
 
         # Check that the plugin is active when requested.
         expected_with_smartstrong = "<p>foo__bar__baz</p>"
-        html_ext, _, _ = build.convert_markdown(md_input, extensions=['smart_strong'])
+        html_ext, _, _ = convert_markdown(md_input, extensions=['smart_strong'])
         self.assertEqual(html_ext.strip(), expected_with_smartstrong)
 
     def test_markdown_duplicate_custom_extension(self):
@@ -251,7 +252,7 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
         Duplicated extension names should not cause problems.
         """
         md_input = "foo"
-        html_ext, _, _ = build.convert_markdown(md_input, ['toc'])
+        html_ext, _, _ = convert_markdown(md_input, ['toc'])
         self.assertEqual(html_ext.strip(), '<p>foo</p>')
 
     def test_copying_media(self):
@@ -303,8 +304,8 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
         site_nav = nav.SiteNavigation(pages)
 
         valid = "[test](internal.md)"
-        build.convert_markdown(valid, site_nav, strict=False)
-        build.convert_markdown(valid, site_nav, strict=True)
+        convert_markdown(valid, site_nav, strict=False)
+        convert_markdown(valid, site_nav, strict=True)
 
     def test_strict_mode_invalid(self):
         pages = [
@@ -315,11 +316,11 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
         site_nav = nav.SiteNavigation(pages)
 
         invalid = "[test](bad_link.md)"
-        build.convert_markdown(invalid, site_nav, strict=False)
+        convert_markdown(invalid, site_nav, strict=False)
 
         self.assertRaises(
             MarkdownNotFound,
-            build.convert_markdown, invalid, site_nav, strict=True)
+            convert_markdown, invalid, site_nav, strict=True)
 
     def test_extension_config(self):
         """
@@ -330,7 +331,7 @@ class BuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
             'toc': {'permalink': True},
             'meta': None  # This gets ignored as it is an invalid config
         }
-        html, toc, meta = build.convert_markdown(dedent("""
+        html, toc, meta = convert_markdown(dedent("""
         # A Header
         """), extensions=markdown_extensions)
 
diff --git a/mkdocs/utils.py b/mkdocs/utils.py
index 55c8d154..0890556c 100644
--- a/mkdocs/utils.py
+++ b/mkdocs/utils.py
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@ and structure of the site and pages in the site.
 
 import os
 import shutil
+import markdown
+from mkdocs import toc
 
 from mkdocs.compat import urlparse, pathname2url
+from mkdocs.relative_path_ext import RelativePathExtension
 
 
 def copy_file(source_path, output_path):
@@ -226,3 +229,40 @@ def path_to_url(path):
         return path
 
     return pathname2url(path)
+
+
+def convert_markdown(markdown_source, site_navigation=None, extensions=(), strict=False):
+    """
+    Convert the Markdown source file to HTML content, and additionally
+    return the parsed table of contents, and a dictionary of any metadata
+    that was specified in the Markdown file.
+
+    `extensions` is an optional sequence of Python Markdown extensions to add
+    to the default set.
+    """
+
+    # Generate the HTML from the markdown source
+    if isinstance(extensions, dict):
+        user_extensions = list(extensions.keys())
+        extension_configs = dict([(k, v) for k, v in extensions.items() if isinstance(v, dict)])
+    else:
+        user_extensions = list(extensions)
+        extension_configs = {}
+    builtin_extensions = ['meta', 'toc', 'tables', 'fenced_code']
+    mkdocs_extensions = [RelativePathExtension(site_navigation, strict), ]
+    extensions = set(builtin_extensions + mkdocs_extensions + user_extensions)
+    md = markdown.Markdown(
+        extensions=extensions,
+        extension_configs=extension_configs
+    )
+    html_content = md.convert(markdown_source)
+
+    # On completely blank markdown files, no Meta or tox properties are added
+    # to the generated document.
+    meta = getattr(md, 'Meta', {})
+    toc_html = getattr(md, 'toc', '')
+
+    # Post process the generated table of contents into a data structure
+    table_of_contents = toc.TableOfContents(toc_html)
+
+    return (html_content, table_of_contents, meta)
\ No newline at end of file