diff --git a/docs/src/outputformats.md b/docs/src/outputformats.md
index d300da3..012dfdd 100644
--- a/docs/src/outputformats.md
+++ b/docs/src/outputformats.md
@@ -51,6 +51,22 @@ arguments to [`Literate.notebook`](@ref):
 Literate.notebook
 ```
 
+### Notebook metadata
+
+Jupyter notebook cells (both code cells and markdown cells) can contain metadata. This is enabled
+in Literate by the `%%` token, similar to
+[Jupytext](https://jupytext.readthedocs.io/en/latest/formats.html#the-percent-format).
+The format is as follows
+
+```
+%% optional ignored text [type] {optional metadata JSON}
+```
+
+Cell metadata can, for example, be used for
+[nbgrader](https://nbgrader.readthedocs.io/en/stable/contributor_guide/metadata.html)
+and the [reveal.js](https://github.com/hakimel/reveal.js) notebook extension
+[RISE](https://github.com/damianavila/RISE).
+
 
 ## [**4.3.** Script Output](@id Script-Output)
 
diff --git a/src/Literate.jl b/src/Literate.jl
index 3f1d0aa..b95a013 100644
--- a/src/Literate.jl
+++ b/src/Literate.jl
@@ -398,6 +398,19 @@ end
 
 const JUPYTER_VERSION = v"4.3.0"
 
+parse_nbmeta(line::Pair) = parse_nbmeta(line.second)
+function parse_nbmeta(line)
+    # Format: %% optional ignored text [type] {optional metadata JSON}
+    # Cf. https://jupytext.readthedocs.io/en/latest/formats.html#the-percent-format
+    m = match(r"^%% ([^[{]+)?\s*(?:\[(\w+)\])?\s*(\{.*)?$", line)
+    typ = m.captures[2]
+    name = m.captures[1] === nothing ? Dict{String, String}() : Dict("name" => m.captures[1])
+    meta = m.captures[3] === nothing ? Dict{String, Any}() : JSON.parse(m.captures[3])
+    return typ, merge(name, meta)
+end
+line_is_nbmeta(line::Pair) = line_is_nbmeta(line.second)
+line_is_nbmeta(line) = startswith(line, "%% ")
+
 """
     Literate.notebook(inputfile, outputdir; kwargs...)
 
@@ -451,20 +464,24 @@ function notebook(inputfile, outputdir; preprocess = identity, postprocess = ide
     cells = []
     for chunk in chunks
         cell = Dict()
-        if isa(chunk, MDChunk)
-            cell["cell_type"] = "markdown"
-            cell["metadata"] = Dict()
-            lines = String[x.second for x in chunk.lines] # skip indent
-            @views map!(x -> x * '\n', lines[1:end-1], lines[1:end-1])
-            cell["source"] = lines
-            cell["outputs"] = []
-        else # isa(chunk, CodeChunk)
-            cell["cell_type"] = "code"
-            cell["metadata"] = Dict()
-            @views map!(x -> x * '\n', chunk.lines[1:end-1], chunk.lines[1:end-1])
-            cell["source"] = chunk.lines
+        chunktype = isa(chunk, MDChunk) ? "markdown" : "code"
+        if !isempty(chunk.lines) && line_is_nbmeta(chunk.lines[1])
+            metatype, metadata = parse_nbmeta(chunk.lines[1])
+            metatype !== nothing && metatype != chunktype && error("specifying a different cell type is not supported")
+            popfirst!(chunk.lines)
+        else
+            metadata = Dict{String, Any}()
+        end
+        lines = isa(chunk, MDChunk) ?
+                    String[x.second for x in chunk.lines] : # skip indent
+                    chunk.lines
+        @views map!(x -> x * '\n', lines[1:end-1], lines[1:end-1])
+        cell["cell_type"] = chunktype
+        cell["metadata"] = metadata
+        cell["source"] = lines
+        cell["outputs"] = []
+        if chunktype == "code"
             cell["execution_count"] = nothing
-            cell["outputs"] = []
         end
         push!(cells, cell)
     end
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index 8aff492..f735fbe 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -208,6 +208,18 @@ content = """
     #+
         ## Indented comment
     end
+
+    #nb # A notebook cell with special metadata
+    #nb %% Meta1 {"meta": "data"}
+    #nb 1+1
+    #nb #-
+    #nb # A explicit code notebook cell
+    #nb #-
+    #nb %% [code]
+    #nb 1+2
+    #nb #-
+    #nb # %% [markdown] {"meta": "data"}
+    #nb # # Explicit markdown cell with metadata
     """
 
 @testset "Literate.script" begin
@@ -584,6 +596,12 @@ end
                ]
             """,
 
+            """
+               "metadata": {
+                "meta": "data"
+               }
+            """,
+
             """
                "source": [
                 "*This notebook was generated using [Literate.jl](https://github.com/fredrikekre/Literate.jl).*"
@@ -691,6 +709,7 @@ end
             r = try
                 Literate.notebook(inputfile, outdir)
             catch err
+                @info "^^ the above error log message is expected ^^"
                 err
             end
             @test isa(r, ErrorException)