diff --git a/changelog_unreleased/markdown/16348.md b/changelog_unreleased/markdown/16348.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b116b885f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog_unreleased/markdown/16348.md
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#### Preserve explicit language in front matter (#16348 by @fisker)
+
+<!-- prettier-ignore -->
+```markdown
+<!-- Input -->
+---yaml
+title: Hello
+slug: home
+---
+
+<!-- Prettier stable -->
+---
+title: Hello
+slug: home
+---
+
+<!-- Prettier main -->
+---yaml
+title: Hello
+slug: home
+---
+```
diff --git a/src/language-css/clean.js b/src/language-css/clean.js
index d54d32358..1ac78bd2c 100644
--- a/src/language-css/clean.js
+++ b/src/language-css/clean.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const ignoredProperties = new Set([
 ]);
 
 function clean(original, cloned, parent) {
-  if (isFrontMatter(original) && original.lang === "yaml") {
+  if (isFrontMatter(original) && original.language === "yaml") {
     delete cloned.value;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/utils/front-matter/parse.js b/src/utils/front-matter/parse.js
index 7bfdc0ca5..ca8a7fadf 100644
--- a/src/utils/front-matter/parse.js
+++ b/src/utils/front-matter/parse.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 const frontMatterRegex = new RegExp(
   String.raw`^(?<startDelimiter>-{3}|\+{3})` +
     // trailing spaces after delimiters are allowed
-    String.raw`(?<language>[^\n]*)` +
+    String.raw`(?<explicitLanguage>[^\n]*)` +
     String.raw`\n(?:|(?<value>.*?)\n)` +
     // In some markdown processors such as pandoc,
     // "..." can be used as the end delimiter for YAML front-matter.
@@ -17,22 +17,30 @@ function parse(text) {
     return { content: text };
   }
 
-  const { startDelimiter, language, value = "", endDelimiter } = match.groups;
+  let {
+    startDelimiter,
+    explicitLanguage,
+    value = "",
+    endDelimiter,
+  } = match.groups;
 
-  let lang = language.trim() || "yaml";
+  explicitLanguage = explicitLanguage.trim();
+
+  let language = explicitLanguage || "yaml";
   if (startDelimiter === "+++") {
-    lang = "toml";
+    language = "toml";
   }
 
   // Only allow yaml to parse with a different end delimiter
-  if (lang !== "yaml" && startDelimiter !== endDelimiter) {
+  if (language !== "yaml" && startDelimiter !== endDelimiter) {
     return { content: text };
   }
 
   const [raw] = match;
   const frontMatter = {
     type: "front-matter",
-    lang,
+    language,
+    explicitLanguage: explicitLanguage || undefined,
     value,
     startDelimiter,
     endDelimiter,
diff --git a/src/utils/front-matter/print.js b/src/utils/front-matter/print.js
index 22b5517bc..218eb51f8 100644
--- a/src/utils/front-matter/print.js
+++ b/src/utils/front-matter/print.js
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import { hardline, markAsRoot } from "../../document/builders.js";
 
 async function print(node, textToDoc) {
-  if (node.lang === "yaml") {
+  if (node.language === "yaml") {
     const value = node.value.trim();
     const doc = value ? await textToDoc(value, { parser: "yaml" }) : "";
     return markAsRoot([
       node.startDelimiter,
+      node.explicitLanguage ?? "",
       hardline,
       doc,
       doc ? hardline : "",
diff --git a/tests/format/misc/embedded_language_formatting/in-html/__snapshots__/format.test.js.snap b/tests/format/misc/embedded_language_formatting/in-html/__snapshots__/format.test.js.snap
index a2607763a..e70cf5844 100644
--- a/tests/format/misc/embedded_language_formatting/in-html/__snapshots__/format.test.js.snap
+++ b/tests/format/misc/embedded_language_formatting/in-html/__snapshots__/format.test.js.snap
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ slug: home
   Hello world!</h1>
 
 =====================================output=====================================
----
+---yaml
 title: Hello
 slug: home
 ---
diff --git a/tests/format/misc/embedded_language_formatting/in-markdown/__snapshots__/format.test.js.snap b/tests/format/misc/embedded_language_formatting/in-markdown/__snapshots__/format.test.js.snap
index 7809e8056..332455dcb 100644
--- a/tests/format/misc/embedded_language_formatting/in-markdown/__snapshots__/format.test.js.snap
+++ b/tests/format/misc/embedded_language_formatting/in-markdown/__snapshots__/format.test.js.snap
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ Hello world!
 
 
 =====================================output=====================================
----
+---yaml
 title: Hello
 slug: home
 ...