diff --git a/tags/include.js b/tags/include.js
index 5f944b4d9..e0d4a3814 100644
--- a/tags/include.js
+++ b/tags/include.js
@@ -1,14 +1,21 @@
 const Liquid = require('..')
 const lexical = Liquid.lexical
 const withRE = new RegExp(`with\\s+(${lexical.value.source})`)
+const staticFileRE = /\S+/
 const assert = require('../src/util/assert.js')
 
 module.exports = function (liquid) {
   liquid.registerTag('include', {
     parse: function (token) {
-      var match = lexical.value.exec(token.args)
-      assert(match, `illegal token ${token.raw}`)
-      this.value = match[0]
+      var match = staticFileRE.exec(token.args)
+      if (match) {
+        this.staticValue = match[0]
+      }
+
+      match = lexical.value.exec(token.args)
+      if (match) {
+        this.value = match[0]
+      }
 
       match = withRE.exec(token.args)
       if (match) {
@@ -16,10 +23,10 @@ module.exports = function (liquid) {
       }
     },
     render: function (scope, hash) {
-      var filepath = this.value
-      if (scope.opts.dynamicPartials) {
-        filepath = Liquid.evalValue(this.value, scope)
-      }
+      var filepath = scope.opts.dynamicPartials
+        ? Liquid.evalValue(this.value, scope)
+        : this.staticValue
+      assert(filepath, `cannot include with empty filename`)
 
       var originBlocks = scope.opts.blocks
       var originBlockMode = scope.opts.blockMode
diff --git a/tags/layout.js b/tags/layout.js
index 21c8efc0b..b7c76d74f 100644
--- a/tags/layout.js
+++ b/tags/layout.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const Liquid = require('..')
 const Promise = require('any-promise')
 const lexical = Liquid.lexical
 const assert = require('../src/util/assert.js')
+const staticFileRE = /\S+/
 
 /*
  * blockMode:
@@ -12,14 +13,21 @@ const assert = require('../src/util/assert.js')
 module.exports = function (liquid) {
   liquid.registerTag('layout', {
     parse: function (token, remainTokens) {
-      var match = lexical.value.exec(token.args)
-      assert(match, `illegal token ${token.raw}`)
+      var match = staticFileRE.exec(token.args)
+      if (match) {
+        this.staticLayout = match[0]
+      }
+
+      match = lexical.value.exec(token.args)
+      if (match) {
+        this.layout = match[0]
+      }
 
-      this.layout = match[0]
       this.tpls = liquid.parser.parse(remainTokens)
     },
     render: function (scope, hash) {
-      var layout = scope.opts.dynamicPartials ? Liquid.evalValue(this.layout, scope) : this.layout
+      var layout = scope.opts.dynamicPartials ? Liquid.evalValue(this.layout, scope) : this.staticLayout
+      assert(layout, `cannot apply layout with empty filename`)
 
       // render the remaining tokens immediately
       scope.opts.blockMode = 'store'
diff --git a/test/tags/include.js b/test/tags/include.js
index a7a2206e3..9f0d8d1c0 100644
--- a/test/tags/include.js
+++ b/test/tags/include.js
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ describe('tags/include', function () {
       .eventually.equal('barfoobar')
   })
 
-  it('should throw when illegal', function () {
+  it('should throw when not exist', function () {
     mock({
-      '/illegal.html': '{%include%}'
+      '/parent.html': '{%include not-exist%}'
     })
-    return liquid.renderFile('/illegal.html').catch(function (e) {
-      expect(e.name).to.equal('ParseError')
-      expect(e.message).to.match(/illegal token {%include%}/)
+    return liquid.renderFile('/parent.html').catch(function (e) {
+      expect(e.name).to.equal('RenderError')
+      expect(e.message).to.match(/cannot include with empty filename/)
     })
   })
 
@@ -89,13 +89,35 @@ describe('tags/include', function () {
       .eventually.equal('This is a person <p>Joe Shmoe<br/>City: Dallas</p>')
   })
 
-  it('should support static filename', function () {
-    var staticLiquid = new Liquid({dynamicPartials: false, root: '/'})
-    mock({
-      '/with.html': 'X{% include color.html shape: "rect" %}Y',
-      '/color.html': 'shape:{{shape}}'
+  describe('static partial', function () {
+    it('should support filename with extention', function () {
+      mock({
+        '/parent.html': 'X{% include child.html color:"red" %}Y',
+        '/child.html': 'child with {{color}}'
+      })
+      var staticLiquid = new Liquid({dynamicPartials: false, root: '/'})
+      return expect(staticLiquid.renderFile('parent.html')).to
+        .eventually.equal('Xchild with redY')
+    })
+
+    it('should support parent paths', function () {
+      mock({
+        '/parent.html': 'X{% include bar/./../foo/child.html %}Y',
+        '/foo/child.html': 'child'
+      })
+      var staticLiquid = new Liquid({dynamicPartials: false, root: '/'})
+      return expect(staticLiquid.renderFile('parent.html')).to
+        .eventually.equal('XchildY')
+    })
+
+    it('should support subpaths', function () {
+      mock({
+        '/parent.html': 'X{% include foo/child.html %}Y',
+        '/foo/child.html': 'child'
+      })
+      var staticLiquid = new Liquid({dynamicPartials: false, root: '/'})
+      return expect(staticLiquid.renderFile('parent.html')).to
+        .eventually.equal('XchildY')
     })
-    return expect(staticLiquid.renderFile('with.html')).to
-      .eventually.equal('Xshape:rectY')
   })
 })
diff --git a/test/tags/layout.js b/test/tags/layout.js
index 290a2a88f..652ef6622 100644
--- a/test/tags/layout.js
+++ b/test/tags/layout.js
@@ -96,13 +96,36 @@ describe('tags/layout', function () {
     return expect(liquid.renderFile('/main.html')).to
       .eventually.equal('blackredA')
   })
-  it('should support static filename', function () {
-    mock({
-      '/parent.html': '{{color}}{%block%}{%endblock%}',
-      '/main.html': '{% layout parent.html color:"black"%}{%block%}A{%endblock%}'
+
+  describe('static partial', function () {
+    it('should support filename with extention', function () {
+      mock({
+        '/parent.html': '{{color}}{%block%}{%endblock%}',
+        '/main.html': '{% layout parent.html color:"black"%}{%block%}A{%endblock%}'
+      })
+      var staticLiquid = Liquid({ root: '/', dynamicPartials: false })
+      return expect(staticLiquid.renderFile('/main.html')).to
+        .eventually.equal('blackA')
+    })
+
+    it('should support parent paths', function () {
+      mock({
+        '/foo/parent.html': '{{color}}{%block%}{%endblock%}',
+        '/main.html': '{% layout bar/../foo/parent.html color:"black"%}{%block%}A{%endblock%}'
+      })
+      var staticLiquid = Liquid({ root: '/', dynamicPartials: false })
+      return expect(staticLiquid.renderFile('/main.html')).to
+        .eventually.equal('blackA')
+    })
+
+    it('should support subpaths', function () {
+      mock({
+        '/foo/parent.html': '{{color}}{%block%}{%endblock%}',
+        '/main.html': '{% layout foo/parent.html color:"black"%}{%block%}A{%endblock%}'
+      })
+      var staticLiquid = Liquid({ root: '/', dynamicPartials: false })
+      return expect(staticLiquid.renderFile('/main.html')).to
+        .eventually.equal('blackA')
     })
-    var staticLiquid = Liquid({ root: '/', dynamicPartials: false })
-    return expect(staticLiquid.renderFile('/main.html')).to
-      .eventually.equal('blackA')
   })
 })