diff --git a/lib/linguist/language.rb b/lib/linguist/language.rb
index 71ddf61b..a528e0b9 100644
--- a/lib/linguist/language.rb
+++ b/lib/linguist/language.rb
@@ -222,6 +222,13 @@ module Linguist
       @overrides  = attributes[:overrides]  || []
       @filenames  = attributes[:filenames]  || []
 
+      @primary_extension = default_primary_extension || extensions.first
+
+      # Prepend primary extension unless its already included
+      if primary_extension && !extensions.include?(primary_extension)
+        @extensions = [primary_extension] + extensions
+      end
+
       # Set popular, and searchable flags
       @popular    = attributes.key?(:popular)    ? attributes[:popular]    : false
       @searchable = attributes.key?(:searchable) ? attributes[:searchable] : true
@@ -288,6 +295,14 @@ module Linguist
     # Returns the extensions Array
     attr_reader :extensions
 
+    # Public: Get primary extension
+    #
+    # Defaults to the first extension but can be overriden
+    # in the languages.yml.
+    #
+    # Returns the extension String.
+    attr_reader :primary_extension
+
     # Internal: Get overridden extensions.
     #
     # Returns the extensions Array.
@@ -309,6 +324,13 @@ module Linguist
       name.downcase.gsub(/\s/, '-')
     end
 
+    # Internal: Get default primary extension.
+    #
+    # Returns the extension String.
+    def default_primary_extension
+      extensions.first
+    end
+
     # Public: Get Language group
     #
     # Returns a Language
diff --git a/test/test_language.rb b/test/test_language.rb
index 7dc1755c..1906763b 100644
--- a/test/test_language.rb
+++ b/test/test_language.rb
@@ -273,6 +273,12 @@ class TestLanguage < Test::Unit::TestCase
     assert Language['Ruby'].extensions.include?('.rb')
   end
 
+  def test_primary_extension
+    assert_equal '.pl', Language['Perl'].primary_extension
+    assert_equal '.py', Language['Python'].primary_extension
+    assert_equal '.rb', Language['Ruby'].primary_extension
+  end
+
   def test_eql
     assert Language['Ruby'].eql?(Language['Ruby'])
     assert !Language['Ruby'].eql?(Language['Python'])