diff --git a/osmsg/export/markdown.py b/osmsg/export/markdown.py
index cfac160..3604146 100644
--- a/osmsg/export/markdown.py
+++ b/osmsg/export/markdown.py
@@ -17,15 +17,16 @@ def _stringify(v: Any) -> str:
     return str(v)
 
 
-def table_markdown(rows: list[dict[str, Any]], headers: list[str] | None = None) -> str:
+def table_markdown(rows: list[dict[str, Any]], output_path: Path, headers: list[str] | None = None) -> Path:
     """Return a GitHub-flavored markdown table for the given rows."""
-    if not rows:
-        return ""
     headers = headers or list(rows[0].keys())
     lines = ["| " + " | ".join(headers) + " |", "| " + " | ".join("---" for _ in headers) + " |"]
     for r in rows:
         lines.append("| " + " | ".join(_stringify(r.get(h)) for h in headers) + " |")
-    return "\n".join(lines)
+    output_path = Path(output_path)
+    output_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    output_path.write_text("\n".join(lines), encoding="utf-8")
+    return output_path
 
 
 def _human(n: int) -> str:
diff --git a/osmsg/pipeline.py b/osmsg/pipeline.py
index 636805b..50d2543 100644
--- a/osmsg/pipeline.py
+++ b/osmsg/pipeline.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 from .db.queries import attach_metadata, attach_tag_stats, daily_summary, list_changesets, user_stats
 from .db.schema import get_state, upsert_state
 from .exceptions import CredentialsRequiredError, NoDataFoundError, OsmsgError
-from .export import summary_markdown, to_csv, to_json, to_parquet, to_psql
+from .export import summary_markdown, table_markdown, to_csv, to_json, to_parquet, to_psql
 from .fetch import download_osm_file
 from .geofabrik import country_geometry, country_update_url
 from .replication import (
@@ -521,19 +521,10 @@ def run(cfg: RunConfig) -> dict[str, Any]:
         written["json"] = str(to_json(rows, out / f"{cfg.name}.json"))
 
     if "markdown" in cfg.formats:
-        from .export.markdown import summary_markdown as render_md
-
         md_path = out / f"{cfg.name}.md"
-        render_md(
+        table_markdown(
             rows,
             output_path=md_path,
-            start_date=start_date_utc,
-            end_date=end_date_utc,
-            additional_tags=cfg.additional_tags,
-            length_tags=cfg.length_tags,
-            tag_mode=cfg.tag_mode,
-            fname=cfg.name,
-            tm_stats=cfg.tm_stats,
         )
         written["markdown"] = str(md_path)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_export.py b/tests/test_export.py
index 7faf389..e4ed25e 100644
--- a/tests/test_export.py
+++ b/tests/test_export.py
@@ -61,9 +61,14 @@ def test_json_writes_native_types(tmp_path: Path):
     assert payload[0]["tags_create"] == {"building": 5}
 
 
-def test_table_markdown_renders_header_and_rows():
-    md = table_markdown(SAMPLE_ROWS, headers=["rank", "name", "map_changes"])
-    lines = md.splitlines()
+def test_table_markdown_writes_header_and_rows(tmp_path: Path):
+    output = table_markdown(
+        SAMPLE_ROWS,
+        output_path=tmp_path / "stats.md",
+        headers=["rank", "name", "map_changes"],
+    )
+    body = output.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    lines = body.splitlines()
     assert lines[0] == "| rank | name | map_changes |"
     assert lines[1] == "| --- | --- | --- |"
     assert "alice" in lines[2]