diff --git a/Project.toml b/Project.toml
index 3ffd73c..3c337f3 100644
--- a/Project.toml
+++ b/Project.toml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ version = "1.2.0"
 
 [deps]
 Logging = "56ddb016-857b-54e1-b83d-db4d58db5568"
+Markdown = "d6f4376e-aef5-505a-96c1-9c027394607a"
 TextWrap = "b718987f-49a8-5099-9789-dcd902bef87d"
 
 [compat]
diff --git a/src/ArgParse.jl b/src/ArgParse.jl
index 9a8be16..1d3fc6a 100644
--- a/src/ArgParse.jl
+++ b/src/ArgParse.jl
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ differences as well.
 """
 module ArgParse
 
-import TextWrap
+import TextWrap, Markdown
 
 if isdefined(Base, :Experimental) && isdefined(Base.Experimental, Symbol("@compiler_options"))
     @eval Base.Experimental.@compiler_options compile=min optimize=0 infer=false
diff --git a/src/settings.jl b/src/settings.jl
index 68ba286..5d3ee18 100644
--- a/src/settings.jl
+++ b/src/settings.jl
@@ -916,7 +916,10 @@ function add_arg_field!(settings::ArgParseSettings, name::ArgName; desc...)
     check_type(required, Bool, "required must be a Bool")
     check_type(range_tester, Function, "range_tester must be a Function")
     check_type(dest_name, AbstractString, "dest_name must be an AbstractString")
-    check_type(help, AbstractString, "help must be an AbstractString")
+    check_type(help, Union{AbstractString,Markdown.MD}, "help must be an AbstractString or Markdown.MD")
+    if help isa Markdown.MD
+        help = lstrip(repr("text/plain", help, context=:color=>true))
+    end
     # Check metavar's type to be either an AbstractString or a
     # Vector{T<:AbstractString}
     metavar_error = "metavar must be an AbstractString or a Vector{<:AbstractString}"