diff --git a/cmd/chroma/main.go b/cmd/chroma/main.go
index 216bf9e..738ef58 100644
--- a/cmd/chroma/main.go
+++ b/cmd/chroma/main.go
@@ -43,18 +43,19 @@ var (
 
 	jsonFlag = kingpin.Flag("json", "Output JSON representation of tokens.").Bool()
 
-	htmlFlag               = kingpin.Flag("html", "Enable HTML mode (equivalent to '--formatter html').").Bool()
-	htmlPrefixFlag         = kingpin.Flag("html-prefix", "HTML CSS class prefix.").PlaceHolder("PREFIX").String()
-	htmlStylesFlag         = kingpin.Flag("html-styles", "Output HTML CSS styles.").Bool()
-	htmlOnlyFlag           = kingpin.Flag("html-only", "Output HTML fragment.").Bool()
-	htmlInlineStyleFlag    = kingpin.Flag("html-inline-styles", "Output HTML with inline styles (no classes).").Bool()
-	htmlTabWidthFlag       = kingpin.Flag("html-tab-width", "Set the HTML tab width.").Default("8").Int()
-	htmlLinesFlag          = kingpin.Flag("html-lines", "Include line numbers in output.").Bool()
-	htmlLinesTableFlag     = kingpin.Flag("html-lines-table", "Split line numbers and code in a HTML table").Bool()
-	htmlLinesStyleFlag     = kingpin.Flag("html-lines-style", "Style for line numbers.").String()
-	htmlHighlightFlag      = kingpin.Flag("html-highlight", "Highlight these lines.").PlaceHolder("N[:M][,...]").String()
-	htmlHighlightStyleFlag = kingpin.Flag("html-highlight-style", "Style used for highlighting lines.").String()
-	htmlBaseLineFlag       = kingpin.Flag("html-base-line", "Base line number.").Default("1").Int()
+	htmlFlag                      = kingpin.Flag("html", "Enable HTML mode (equivalent to '--formatter html').").Bool()
+	htmlPrefixFlag                = kingpin.Flag("html-prefix", "HTML CSS class prefix.").PlaceHolder("PREFIX").String()
+	htmlStylesFlag                = kingpin.Flag("html-styles", "Output HTML CSS styles.").Bool()
+	htmlOnlyFlag                  = kingpin.Flag("html-only", "Output HTML fragment.").Bool()
+	htmlInlineStyleFlag           = kingpin.Flag("html-inline-styles", "Output HTML with inline styles (no classes).").Bool()
+	htmlTabWidthFlag              = kingpin.Flag("html-tab-width", "Set the HTML tab width.").Default("8").Int()
+	htmlLinesFlag                 = kingpin.Flag("html-lines", "Include line numbers in output.").Bool()
+	htmlLinesTableFlag            = kingpin.Flag("html-lines-table", "Split line numbers and code in a HTML table").Bool()
+	htmlLinesStyleFlag            = kingpin.Flag("html-lines-style", "Style for line numbers.").String()
+	htmlHighlightFlag             = kingpin.Flag("html-highlight", "Highlight these lines.").PlaceHolder("N[:M][,...]").String()
+	htmlHighlightStyleFlag        = kingpin.Flag("html-highlight-style", "Style used for highlighting lines.").String()
+	htmlBaseLineFlag              = kingpin.Flag("html-base-line", "Base line number.").Default("1").Int()
+	htmlPreventSurroundingPreFlag = kingpin.Flag("html-prevent-surrounding-pre", "Prevent the surrounding pre tag.").Bool()
 
 	filesArgs = kingpin.Arg("files", "Files to highlight.").ExistingFiles()
 )
@@ -151,6 +152,9 @@ command, for Go.
 		if *htmlLinesTableFlag {
 			options = append(options, html.LineNumbersInTable())
 		}
+		if *htmlPreventSurroundingPreFlag {
+			options = append(options, html.PreventSurroundingPre())
+		}
 		if len(*htmlHighlightFlag) > 0 {
 			ranges := [][2]int{}
 			for _, span := range strings.Split(*htmlHighlightFlag, ",") {
diff --git a/formatters/html/html.go b/formatters/html/html.go
index 806721c..05e464f 100644
--- a/formatters/html/html.go
+++ b/formatters/html/html.go
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ func WithClasses() Option { return func(f *Formatter) { f.Classes = true } }
 // TabWidth sets the number of characters for a tab. Defaults to 8.
 func TabWidth(width int) Option { return func(f *Formatter) { f.tabWidth = width } }
 
+// PreventSurroundingPre prevents the surrounding pre tags around the generated code
+func PreventSurroundingPre() Option { return func(f *Formatter) { f.preventSurroundingPre = true } }
+
 // WithLineNumbers formats output with line numbers.
 func WithLineNumbers() Option {
 	return func(f *Formatter) {
@@ -70,14 +73,15 @@ func New(options ...Option) *Formatter {
 
 // Formatter that generates HTML.
 type Formatter struct {
-	standalone         bool
-	prefix             string
-	Classes            bool // Exported field to detect when classes are being used
-	tabWidth           int
-	lineNumbers        bool
-	lineNumbersInTable bool
-	highlightRanges    highlightRanges
-	baseLineNumber     int
+	standalone            bool
+	prefix                string
+	Classes               bool // Exported field to detect when classes are being used
+	preventSurroundingPre bool
+	tabWidth              int
+	lineNumbers           bool
+	lineNumbersInTable    bool
+	highlightRanges       highlightRanges
+	baseLineNumber        int
 }
 
 type highlightRanges [][2]int
@@ -158,7 +162,9 @@ func (f *Formatter) writeHTML(w io.Writer, style *chroma.Style, tokens []*chroma
 		fmt.Fprintf(w, "<div%s>\n", f.styleAttr(css, chroma.Background))
 		fmt.Fprintf(w, "<table%s><tr>", f.styleAttr(css, chroma.LineTable))
 		fmt.Fprintf(w, "<td%s>\n", f.styleAttr(css, chroma.LineTableTD))
-		fmt.Fprintf(w, "<pre%s>", f.styleAttr(css, chroma.Background))
+		if !f.preventSurroundingPre {
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "<pre%s>", f.styleAttr(css, chroma.Background))
+		}
 		for index := range lines {
 			line := f.baseLineNumber + index
 			highlight, next := f.shouldHighlight(highlightIndex, line)
@@ -175,11 +181,16 @@ func (f *Formatter) writeHTML(w io.Writer, style *chroma.Style, tokens []*chroma
 				fmt.Fprintf(w, "</span>")
 			}
 		}
-		fmt.Fprint(w, "</pre></td>\n")
+		if !f.preventSurroundingPre {
+			fmt.Fprint(w, "</pre>")
+		}
+		fmt.Fprint(w, "</td>\n")
 		fmt.Fprintf(w, "<td%s>\n", f.styleAttr(css, chroma.LineTableTD))
 	}
 
-	fmt.Fprintf(w, "<pre%s>", f.styleAttr(css, chroma.Background))
+	if !f.preventSurroundingPre {
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "<pre%s>", f.styleAttr(css, chroma.Background))
+	}
 	highlightIndex = 0
 	for index, tokens := range lines {
 		// 1-based line number.
@@ -209,7 +220,9 @@ func (f *Formatter) writeHTML(w io.Writer, style *chroma.Style, tokens []*chroma
 		}
 	}
 
-	fmt.Fprint(w, "</pre>")
+	if !f.preventSurroundingPre {
+		fmt.Fprint(w, "</pre>")
+	}
 
 	if wrapInTable {
 		fmt.Fprint(w, "</td></tr></table>\n")