diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/whitespace.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/whitespace.vim
index af1bb64d..0bcb51b6 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/whitespace.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/whitespace.vim
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ endfunction
 function! s:conflict_marker()
   " Checks for git conflict markers
   let annotation = '\%([0-9A-Za-z_.:]\+\)\?'
-  if &ft is# 'rst'
+  if match(['rst', 'markdown'], &ft) >= 0
     " rst filetypes use '=======' as header
     let pattern = '^\%(\%(<\{7} '.annotation. '\)\|\%(>\{7\} '.annotation.'\)\)$'
   else