diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
index d279b3425ee..d0a8ca1c72b 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ Release 2.3.0 - UNRELEASED
 
   IMPROVEMENTS
 
+    HADOOP-9432 Add support for markdown .md files in site documentation (stevel)
+
   OPTIMIZATIONS
 
   BUG FIXES
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 04a4f682d85..01309015c41 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -143,13 +143,18 @@ xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xs
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-site-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>3.0</version>
+          <version>3.2</version>
           <dependencies>
             <dependency><!-- add support for ssh/scp -->
               <groupId>org.apache.maven.wagon</groupId>
               <artifactId>wagon-ssh</artifactId>
               <version>1.0</version>
             </dependency>
+            <dependency> <!-- add support for markdown -->
+              <groupId>org.apache.maven.doxia</groupId>
+              <artifactId>doxia-module-markdown</artifactId>
+              <version>1.3</version>
+            </dependency>
           </dependencies>
         </plugin>
         <plugin>