diff --git a/main-base.rkt b/main-base.rkt
index a5ed125..dcf66f8 100644
--- a/main-base.rkt
+++ b/main-base.rkt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
      (with-syntax ([new-module-begin (format-id stx "new-module-begin")])
        #'(begin
            (provide (except-out (all-from-out racket/base) #%module-begin)
-                    (rename-out [new-module-begin #%module-begin]))
+                   (rename-out [new-module-begin #%module-begin]))
            (define-syntax (new-module-begin stx-arg)
              (syntax-case stx-arg ()
                [(_ body-exprs (... ...))
@@ -44,16 +44,16 @@
                     ;; todo: this won't work with inline submodules
                     (define parser-mode 
                       (if (not (procedure? reader-mode))
-                          (if (equal? reader-mode world:mode-auto)
-                              (let* ([file-ext-pattern (pregexp "\\w+$")]
-                                     [here-ext (string->symbol (car (regexp-match file-ext-pattern here-path)))])
-                                (cond
-                                  [(equal? here-ext world:pagetree-source-ext) world:mode-pagetree]
-                                  [(equal? here-ext world:markup-source-ext) world:mode-markup]
-                                  [(equal? here-ext world:markdown-source-ext) world:mode-markdown]
-                                  [else world:mode-preproc]))
-                              reader-mode)
-                          mode-arg))
+                         (if (equal? reader-mode world:mode-auto)
+                            (let* ([file-ext-pattern (pregexp "\\w+$")]
+                                   [here-ext (string->symbol (car (regexp-match file-ext-pattern here-path)))])
+                              (cond
+                                [(equal? here-ext world:pagetree-source-ext) world:mode-pagetree]
+                                [(equal? here-ext world:markup-source-ext) world:mode-markup]
+                                [(equal? here-ext world:markdown-source-ext) world:mode-markdown]
+                                [else world:mode-preproc]))
+                            reader-mode)
+                         mode-arg))
                     
                     
                     ;; Split out the metas.   
@@ -61,17 +61,17 @@
                       (define (meta-key x) (car (caadr x)))
                       (define (meta-value x) (cadr (caadr x)))
                       (define is-meta-element? (λ(x) (and (list? x) ; possible txexpr
-                                                          (= (length x) 2) ; = tag + attribute
-                                                          (equal? 'meta (car x)) ; tag is 'meta
-                                                          (symbol? (meta-key x)) ; attribute key is symbol
-                                                          (string? (meta-value x))))) ; attribute value is string
+                                                         (= (length x) 2) ; = tag + attribute
+                                                         (equal? 'meta (car x)) ; tag is 'meta
+                                                         (symbol? (meta-key x)) ; attribute key is symbol
+                                                         (string? (meta-value x))))) ; attribute value is string
                       (define (splitter x)
                         (define meta-acc null)
                         (define (split-metas x)
                           (cond
                             [(list? x) (define-values (new-metas rest) (values (filter is-meta-element? x) (filter (compose1 not is-meta-element?) x)))
-                                       (set! meta-acc (append new-metas meta-acc))
-                                       (map split-metas rest)]
+                                      (set! meta-acc (append new-metas meta-acc))
+                                      (map split-metas rest)]
                             [else x]))
                         (define result (split-metas x))
                         (values result meta-acc))
@@ -81,17 +81,20 @@
                       (define metas (make-hash (map meta-element->assoc meta-elements)))
                       (values doc-without-metas metas)) 
                     
+                    
+                    (require racket/list)
                     (define doc-with-metas
                       (let ([doc-raw (if (equal? parser-mode world:mode-markdown)
-                                         (apply (compose1 (dynamic-require 'markdown 'parse-markdown) string-append) doc-raw)
-                                         doc-raw)])
+                                        (apply (compose1 (dynamic-require 'markdown 'parse-markdown) string-append) doc-raw)
+                                        doc-raw)])
                         `(placeholder-root 
                           ,@(cons (meta 'here-path: here-path) 
-                                  ;; cdr strips initial linebreak, but make sure doc-raw isn't blank
-                                  (if (and (list? doc-raw) (> (length doc-raw) 0) (equal? (car doc-raw) "\n")) (cdr doc-raw) doc-raw))))) 
-                                       
+                                 (if (list? doc-raw) 
+                                    (dropf doc-raw (λ(i) (equal? i "\n"))) ; discard all newlines at front of file
+                                    doc-raw))))) 
+                    
                     (define-values (doc-without-metas metas) (split-metas-to-hash doc-with-metas))
-
+                    
                     ;; set up the 'doc export
                     (require pollen/decode)
                     (define doc (apply (cond
@@ -99,18 +102,18 @@
                                          ;; 'root is the hook for the decoder function.
                                          ;; If it's not a defined identifier, it just hits #%top and becomes `(root ,@body ...)
                                          [(or (equal? parser-mode world:mode-markup)
-                                              (equal? parser-mode world:mode-markdown)) root]
+                                             (equal? parser-mode world:mode-markdown)) root]
                                          ;; for preprocessor output, just make a string.
                                          [else (λ xs (apply string-append (map to-string xs)))]) ; default mode is preprocish
-                                       (cdr doc-without-metas))) ;; cdr strips placeholder-root tag
+                                      (cdr doc-without-metas))) ;; cdr strips placeholder-root tag
                     
                     
                     (provide metas doc
-                             ;; hide the exports that were only for internal use.
-                             (except-out (all-from-out 'inner) doc-raw #%top))
+                            ;; hide the exports that were only for internal use.
+                            (except-out (all-from-out 'inner) doc-raw #%top))
                     
                     ;; for output in DrRacket
                     (module+ main
                       (if (or (equal? parser-mode world:mode-preproc) (equal? parser-mode world:mode-template))
-                          (display doc)
-                          (print doc)))))]))))]))
\ No newline at end of file
+                         (display doc)
+                         (print doc)))))]))))]))
\ No newline at end of file