diff --git a/core/index.js b/core/index.js
index b01ffb1d5..5b61e592f 100644
--- a/core/index.js
+++ b/core/index.js
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ const patternlab_module = function (config) {
 
       //dive again to recursively include partials, filling out the
       //extendedTemplate property of the patternlab.patterns elements
+
       return patternlab.processAllPatternsRecursive(paths.source.patterns).then(() => {
 
         //take the user defined head and foot and process any data and patterns that apply
@@ -193,14 +194,6 @@ const patternlab_module = function (config) {
           //cascade any patternStates
           lineage_hunter.cascade_pattern_states(patternlab);
 
-          //set pattern-specific header if necessary
-          let head;
-          if (patternlab.userHead) {
-            head = patternlab.userHead;
-          } else {
-            head = patternlab.header;
-          }
-
           //set the pattern-specific header by compiling the general-header with data, and then adding it to the meta header
           return render(Pattern.createEmpty({extendedTemplate: patternlab.header}), {
             cacheBuster: patternlab.cacheBuster
@@ -237,7 +230,7 @@ const patternlab_module = function (config) {
             //render all patterns last, so lineageR works
             return patternsToBuild
               .reduce((previousPromise, pattern) => {
-                return previousPromise.then(() => patternlab.renderSinglePattern(pattern, head));
+                return previousPromise.then(() => patternlab.renderSinglePattern(pattern));
               }, Promise.resolve())
               .then(() => {
                 // Saves the pattern graph when all files have been compiled
diff --git a/core/lib/buildFooter.js b/core/lib/buildFooter.js
index 50d01f6bd..f993ccea4 100644
--- a/core/lib/buildFooter.js
+++ b/core/lib/buildFooter.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ module.exports = function (patternlab, patternPartial) {
     }
     allFooterData.patternLabFoot = footerPartial;
 
-    return render(Pattern.createEmpty({extendedTemplate: patternlab.userFoot}), allFooterData);
+    return render(patternlab.userFoot, allFooterData);
   }).catch(reason => {
     console.log(reason);
     logger.error('Error building buildFooterHTML');
diff --git a/core/lib/patternlab.js b/core/lib/patternlab.js
index 6a19c50de..4b275c4d0 100644
--- a/core/lib/patternlab.js
+++ b/core/lib/patternlab.js
@@ -271,8 +271,7 @@ module.exports = class PatternLab {
     }
   }
 
-  renderSinglePattern(pattern, head) {
-
+  renderSinglePattern(pattern) {
     // Pattern does not need to be built and recompiled more than once
     if (!pattern.isPattern || pattern.compileState === CompileState.CLEAN) {
       return Promise.resolve(false);
@@ -306,9 +305,12 @@ module.exports = class PatternLab {
     ///////////////
 
     //re-rendering the headHTML each time allows pattern-specific data to influence the head of the pattern
-    pattern.header = head;
-
-    const headPromise = render(Pattern.createEmpty({extendedTemplate: pattern.header}), allData);
+    let headPromise;
+    if (this.userHead) {
+      headPromise = render(this.userHead, allData);
+    } else {
+      headPromise = render(Pattern.createEmpty({ extendedTemplate: this.header }), allData);
+    }
 
     ///////////////
     // PATTERN
@@ -383,7 +385,7 @@ module.exports = class PatternLab {
       allFooterData = _.merge(allFooterData, pattern.jsonFileData);
       allFooterData.patternLabFoot = footerPartial;
 
-      return render(Pattern.createEmpty({extendedTemplate: self.userFoot}), allFooterData).then(footerHTML => {
+      return render(self.userFoot, allFooterData).then(footerHTML => {
 
         ///////////////
         // WRITE FILES
diff --git a/core/lib/processMetaPattern.js b/core/lib/processMetaPattern.js
index 0bf2c79ce..7d21391d7 100644
--- a/core/lib/processMetaPattern.js
+++ b/core/lib/processMetaPattern.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module.exports = function (fileName, metaType, patternlab) {
   metaPattern.isPattern = false;
   metaPattern.isMetaPattern = true;
   return decompose(metaPattern, patternlab, true).then(() => {
-    patternlab[metaType] = metaPattern.extendedTemplate;
+    patternlab[metaType] = metaPattern;
   }).catch(reason => {
     logger.warning(`Could not find the user-editable template ${fileName}, currently configured to be at ${patternlab.config.paths.source.meta}. Your configured path may be incorrect (check paths.source.meta in your config file), the file may have been deleted, or it may have been left in the wrong place during a migration or update.`);
     logger.warning(reason);
diff --git a/core/lib/ui_builder.js b/core/lib/ui_builder.js
index c81d7679b..c0f860476 100644
--- a/core/lib/ui_builder.js
+++ b/core/lib/ui_builder.js
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ const ui_builder = function () {
       const headFootData = patternlab.data;
       headFootData.patternLabHead = headerPartial;
       headFootData.cacheBuster = patternlab.cacheBuster;
-      return render(Pattern.createEmpty({extendedTemplate: patternlab.userHead}), headFootData);
+      return render(patternlab.userHead, headFootData);
     }).catch(reason => {
       console.log(reason);
       logger.error('error during header render()');
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ const ui_builder = function () {
     }).then(footerPartial => {
       const headFootData = patternlab.data;
       headFootData.patternLabFoot = footerPartial;
-      return render(Pattern.createEmpty({extendedTemplate: patternlab.userFoot}), headFootData);
+      return render(patternlab.userFoot, headFootData);
     }).catch(reason => {
       console.log(reason);
       logger.error('error during footer render()');