diff --git a/book-example/book.toml b/book-example/book.toml
index 100247fa..d21c8487 100644
--- a/book-example/book.toml
+++ b/book-example/book.toml
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ description = "Create book from markdown files. Like Gitbook but implemented in
 authors = ["Mathieu David", "Michael-F-Bryan"]
 language = "en"
 
+[rust]
+edition = "2018"
+
 [output.html]
 mathjax-support = true
 
diff --git a/book-example/src/format/config.md b/book-example/src/format/config.md
index e1145aa8..82c896c3 100644
--- a/book-example/src/format/config.md
+++ b/book-example/src/format/config.md
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ title = "Example book"
 author = "John Doe"
 description = "The example book covers examples."
 
+[rust]
+edition = "2018"
+
 [build]
 build-dir = "my-example-book"
 create-missing = false
@@ -54,6 +57,22 @@ src = "my-src"  # the source files will be found in `root/my-src` instead of `ro
 language = "en"
 ```
 
+### Rust options
+
+Options for the Rust language, relevant to running tests and playground
+integration.
+
+- **edition**: Rust edition to use by default for the code snippets. Default
+  is "2015". Individual code blocks can be controlled with the `edition2015`
+  or `edition2018` annotations, such as:
+
+  ~~~text
+  ```rust,edition2015
+  // This only works in 2015.
+  let try = true;
+  ```
+  ~~~
+
 ### Build options
 
 This controls the build process of your book.
@@ -178,7 +197,7 @@ The following configuration options are available:
   an icon link will be output in the menu bar of the book.
 - **git-repository-icon:** The FontAwesome icon class to use for the git
   repository link. Defaults to `fa-github`.
-  
+
 Available configuration options for the `[output.html.fold]` table:
 
 - **enable:** Enable section-folding. When off, all folds are open.
diff --git a/src/book/mod.rs b/src/book/mod.rs
index 2015801c..57ae2e3f 100644
--- a/src/book/mod.rs
+++ b/src/book/mod.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ use crate::preprocess::{
 use crate::renderer::{CmdRenderer, HtmlHandlebars, MarkdownRenderer, RenderContext, Renderer};
 use crate::utils;
 
-use crate::config::Config;
+use crate::config::{Config, RustEdition};
 
 /// The object used to manage and build a book.
 pub struct MDBook {
@@ -262,11 +262,21 @@ impl MDBook {
                     let mut tmpf = utils::fs::create_file(&path)?;
                     tmpf.write_all(ch.content.as_bytes())?;
 
-                    let output = Command::new("rustdoc")
-                        .arg(&path)
-                        .arg("--test")
-                        .args(&library_args)
-                        .output()?;
+                    let mut cmd = Command::new("rustdoc");
+                    cmd.arg(&path).arg("--test").args(&library_args);
+
+                    if let Some(edition) = self.config.rust.edition {
+                        match edition {
+                            RustEdition::E2015 => {
+                                cmd.args(&["--edition", "2015"]);
+                            }
+                            RustEdition::E2018 => {
+                                cmd.args(&["--edition", "2018"]);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    let output = cmd.output()?;
 
                     if !output.status.success() {
                         bail!(ErrorKind::Subprocess(
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 18d70ed7..36190ebf 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub book: BookConfig,
     /// Information about the build environment.
     pub build: BuildConfig,
+    /// Information about Rust language support.
+    pub rust: RustConfig,
     rest: Value,
 }
 
@@ -280,6 +282,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
         Config {
             book: BookConfig::default(),
             build: BuildConfig::default(),
+            rust: RustConfig::default(),
             rest: Value::Table(Table::default()),
         }
     }
@@ -320,9 +323,15 @@ impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for Config {
             .and_then(|value| value.try_into().ok())
             .unwrap_or_default();
 
+        let rust: RustConfig = table
+            .remove("rust")
+            .and_then(|value| value.try_into().ok())
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+
         Ok(Config {
             book,
             build,
+            rust,
             rest: Value::Table(table),
         })
     }
@@ -331,6 +340,7 @@ impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for Config {
 impl Serialize for Config {
     fn serialize<S: Serializer>(&self, s: S) -> std::result::Result<S::Ok, S::Error> {
         use serde::ser::Error;
+        // TODO: This should probably be removed and use a derive instead.
 
         let mut table = self.rest.clone();
 
@@ -340,8 +350,10 @@ impl Serialize for Config {
                 return Err(S::Error::custom("Unable to serialize the BookConfig"));
             }
         };
+        let rust_config = Value::try_from(&self.rust).expect("should always be serializable");
 
         table.insert("book", book_config).expect("unreachable");
+        table.insert("rust", rust_config).expect("unreachable");
         table.serialize(s)
     }
 }
@@ -432,6 +444,25 @@ impl Default for BuildConfig {
     }
 }
 
+/// Configuration for the Rust compiler(e.g., for playpen)
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default, rename_all = "kebab-case")]
+pub struct RustConfig {
+    /// Rust edition used in playpen
+    pub edition: Option<RustEdition>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+/// Rust edition to use for the code.
+pub enum RustEdition {
+    /// The 2018 edition of Rust
+    #[serde(rename = "2018")]
+    E2018,
+    /// The 2015 edition of Rust
+    #[serde(rename = "2015")]
+    E2015,
+}
+
 /// Configuration for the HTML renderer.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(default, rename_all = "kebab-case")]
@@ -653,6 +684,7 @@ mod tests {
             create_missing: false,
             use_default_preprocessors: true,
         };
+        let rust_should_be = RustConfig { edition: None };
         let playpen_should_be = Playpen {
             editable: true,
             copyable: true,
@@ -675,9 +707,62 @@ mod tests {
 
         assert_eq!(got.book, book_should_be);
         assert_eq!(got.build, build_should_be);
+        assert_eq!(got.rust, rust_should_be);
         assert_eq!(got.html_config().unwrap(), html_should_be);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn edition_2015() {
+        let src = r#"
+        [book]
+        title = "mdBook Documentation"
+        description = "Create book from markdown files. Like Gitbook but implemented in Rust"
+        authors = ["Mathieu David"]
+        src = "./source"
+        [rust]
+        edition = "2015"
+        "#;
+
+        let book_should_be = BookConfig {
+            title: Some(String::from("mdBook Documentation")),
+            description: Some(String::from(
+                "Create book from markdown files. Like Gitbook but implemented in Rust",
+            )),
+            authors: vec![String::from("Mathieu David")],
+            src: PathBuf::from("./source"),
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+
+        let got = Config::from_str(src).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(got.book, book_should_be);
+
+        let rust_should_be = RustConfig {
+            edition: Some(RustEdition::E2015),
+        };
+        let got = Config::from_str(src).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(got.rust, rust_should_be);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn edition_2018() {
+        let src = r#"
+        [book]
+        title = "mdBook Documentation"
+        description = "Create book from markdown files. Like Gitbook but implemented in Rust"
+        authors = ["Mathieu David"]
+        src = "./source"
+        [rust]
+        edition = "2018"
+        "#;
+
+        let rust_should_be = RustConfig {
+            edition: Some(RustEdition::E2018),
+        };
+
+        let got = Config::from_str(src).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(got.rust, rust_should_be);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn load_arbitrary_output_type() {
         #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
diff --git a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
index e0d3fd4b..14012c12 100644
--- a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
+++ b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::book::{Book, BookItem};
-use crate::config::{Config, HtmlConfig, Playpen};
+use crate::config::{Config, HtmlConfig, Playpen, RustEdition};
 use crate::errors::*;
 use crate::renderer::html_handlebars::helpers;
 use crate::renderer::{RenderContext, Renderer};
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ impl HtmlHandlebars {
             debug!("Render template");
             let rendered = ctx.handlebars.render("index", &ctx.data)?;
 
-            let rendered = self.post_process(rendered, &ctx.html_config.playpen);
+            let rendered = self.post_process(rendered, &ctx.html_config.playpen, ctx.edition);
 
             // Write to file
             debug!("Creating {}", filepath.display());
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ impl HtmlHandlebars {
                 ctx.data.insert("path_to_root".to_owned(), json!(""));
                 ctx.data.insert("is_index".to_owned(), json!("true"));
                 let rendered_index = ctx.handlebars.render("index", &ctx.data)?;
-                let rendered_index = self.post_process(rendered_index, &ctx.html_config.playpen);
+                let rendered_index =
+                    self.post_process(rendered_index, &ctx.html_config.playpen, ctx.edition);
                 debug!("Creating index.html from {}", path);
                 utils::fs::write_file(&ctx.destination, "index.html", rendered_index.as_bytes())?;
             }
@@ -106,10 +107,15 @@ impl HtmlHandlebars {
     }
 
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "cargo-clippy", allow(clippy::let_and_return))]
-    fn post_process(&self, rendered: String, playpen_config: &Playpen) -> String {
+    fn post_process(
+        &self,
+        rendered: String,
+        playpen_config: &Playpen,
+        edition: Option<RustEdition>,
+    ) -> String {
         let rendered = build_header_links(&rendered);
         let rendered = fix_code_blocks(&rendered);
-        let rendered = add_playpen_pre(&rendered, playpen_config);
+        let rendered = add_playpen_pre(&rendered, playpen_config, edition);
 
         rendered
     }
@@ -343,6 +349,7 @@ impl Renderer for HtmlHandlebars {
                 data: data.clone(),
                 is_index,
                 html_config: html_config.clone(),
+                edition: ctx.config.rust.edition,
             };
             self.render_item(item, ctx, &mut print_content)?;
             is_index = false;
@@ -358,7 +365,7 @@ impl Renderer for HtmlHandlebars {
         debug!("Render template");
         let rendered = handlebars.render("index", &data)?;
 
-        let rendered = self.post_process(rendered, &html_config.playpen);
+        let rendered = self.post_process(rendered, &html_config.playpen, ctx.config.rust.edition);
 
         utils::fs::write_file(&destination, "print.html", rendered.as_bytes())?;
         debug!("Creating print.html ✓");
@@ -605,7 +612,7 @@ fn fix_code_blocks(html: &str) -> String {
         .into_owned()
 }
 
-fn add_playpen_pre(html: &str, playpen_config: &Playpen) -> String {
+fn add_playpen_pre(html: &str, playpen_config: &Playpen, edition: Option<RustEdition>) -> String {
     let regex = Regex::new(r##"((?s)<code[^>]?class="([^"]+)".*?>(.*?)</code>)"##).unwrap();
     regex
         .replace_all(html, |caps: &Captures<'_>| {
@@ -617,10 +624,24 @@ fn add_playpen_pre(html: &str, playpen_config: &Playpen) -> String {
                 if (!classes.contains("ignore") && !classes.contains("noplaypen"))
                     || classes.contains("mdbook-runnable")
                 {
+                    let contains_e2015 = classes.contains("edition2015");
+                    let contains_e2018 = classes.contains("edition2018");
+                    let edition_class = if contains_e2015 || contains_e2018 {
+                        // the user forced edition, we should not overwrite it
+                        ""
+                    } else {
+                        match edition {
+                            Some(RustEdition::E2015) => " edition2015",
+                            Some(RustEdition::E2018) => " edition2018",
+                            None => "",
+                        }
+                    };
+
                     // wrap the contents in an external pre block
                     format!(
-                        "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"{}\">{}</code></pre>",
+                        "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"{}{}\">{}</code></pre>",
                         classes,
+                        edition_class,
                         {
                             let content: Cow<'_, str> = if playpen_config.editable
                                 && classes.contains("editable")
@@ -711,6 +732,7 @@ struct RenderItemContext<'a> {
     data: serde_json::Map<String, serde_json::Value>,
     is_index: bool,
     html_config: HtmlConfig,
+    edition: Option<RustEdition>,
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -777,6 +799,55 @@ mod tests {
                     editable: true,
                     ..Playpen::default()
                 },
+                None,
+            );
+            assert_eq!(&*got, *should_be);
+        }
+    }
+    #[test]
+    fn add_playpen_edition2015() {
+        let inputs = [
+          ("<code class=\"language-rust\">x()</code>",
+           "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"language-rust edition2015\">\n<span class=\"boring\">#![allow(unused)]\n</span><span class=\"boring\">fn main() {\n</span>x()\n<span class=\"boring\">}\n</span></code></pre>"),
+          ("<code class=\"language-rust\">fn main() {}</code>",
+           "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"language-rust edition2015\">fn main() {}\n</code></pre>"),
+          ("<code class=\"language-rust edition2015\">fn main() {}</code>",
+           "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"language-rust edition2015\">fn main() {}\n</code></pre>"),
+          ("<code class=\"language-rust edition2018\">fn main() {}</code>",
+           "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"language-rust edition2018\">fn main() {}\n</code></pre>"),
+        ];
+        for (src, should_be) in &inputs {
+            let got = add_playpen_pre(
+                src,
+                &Playpen {
+                    editable: true,
+                    ..Playpen::default()
+                },
+                Some(RustEdition::E2015),
+            );
+            assert_eq!(&*got, *should_be);
+        }
+    }
+    #[test]
+    fn add_playpen_edition2018() {
+        let inputs = [
+          ("<code class=\"language-rust\">x()</code>",
+           "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"language-rust edition2018\">\n<span class=\"boring\">#![allow(unused)]\n</span><span class=\"boring\">fn main() {\n</span>x()\n<span class=\"boring\">}\n</span></code></pre>"),
+          ("<code class=\"language-rust\">fn main() {}</code>",
+           "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"language-rust edition2018\">fn main() {}\n</code></pre>"),
+          ("<code class=\"language-rust edition2015\">fn main() {}</code>",
+           "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"language-rust edition2015\">fn main() {}\n</code></pre>"),
+          ("<code class=\"language-rust edition2018\">fn main() {}</code>",
+           "<pre class=\"playpen\"><code class=\"language-rust edition2018\">fn main() {}\n</code></pre>"),
+        ];
+        for (src, should_be) in &inputs {
+            let got = add_playpen_pre(
+                src,
+                &Playpen {
+                    editable: true,
+                    ..Playpen::default()
+                },
+                Some(RustEdition::E2018),
             );
             assert_eq!(&*got, *should_be);
         }