diff --git a/runtime/scripts.vim b/runtime/scripts.vim
index a690431014..c552f0202f 100644
--- a/runtime/scripts.vim
+++ b/runtime/scripts.vim
@@ -376,6 +376,10 @@ else
   elseif s:line1 =~? '-\*-.*erlang.*-\*-'
     set ft=erlang
 
+  " YAML
+  elseif s:line1 =~# '^%YAML'
+    set ft=yaml
+
   " CVS diff
   else
     let s:lnum = 1
diff --git a/src/nvim/testdir/test_filetype.vim b/src/nvim/testdir/test_filetype.vim
index 7290cceb0b..9605348389 100644
--- a/src/nvim/testdir/test_filetype.vim
+++ b/src/nvim/testdir/test_filetype.vim
@@ -600,6 +600,7 @@ let s:script_checks = {
       \ 'haskell': [['#!/path/haskell']],
       \ 'cpp': [['// Standard iostream objects -*- C++ -*-'],
       \         ['// -*- C++ -*-']],
+      \ 'yaml': [['%YAML 1.2']],
       \ }
 
 func Test_script_detection()