diff --git a/unshackle/core/tracks/subtitle.py b/unshackle/core/tracks/subtitle.py
index 7019142..e807bff 100644
--- a/unshackle/core/tracks/subtitle.py
+++ b/unshackle/core/tracks/subtitle.py
@@ -239,25 +239,29 @@ class Subtitle(Track):
 
             # Sanitize WebVTT timestamps before parsing
             text = Subtitle.sanitize_webvtt_timestamps(text)
+            preserve_formatting = config.subtitle.get("preserve_formatting", True)
 
-            try:
-                caption_set = pycaption.WebVTTReader().read(text)
-                Subtitle.merge_same_cues(caption_set)
-                Subtitle.filter_unwanted_cues(caption_set)
-                subtitle_text = pycaption.WebVTTWriter().write(caption_set)
-                self.path.write_text(subtitle_text, encoding="utf8")
-            except pycaption.exceptions.CaptionReadSyntaxError:
-                # If first attempt fails, try more aggressive sanitization
-                text = Subtitle.sanitize_webvtt(text)
+            if preserve_formatting:
+                self.path.write_text(text, encoding="utf8")
+            else:
                 try:
                     caption_set = pycaption.WebVTTReader().read(text)
                     Subtitle.merge_same_cues(caption_set)
                     Subtitle.filter_unwanted_cues(caption_set)
                     subtitle_text = pycaption.WebVTTWriter().write(caption_set)
                     self.path.write_text(subtitle_text, encoding="utf8")
-                except Exception:
-                    # Keep the sanitized version even if parsing failed
-                    self.path.write_text(text, encoding="utf8")
+                except pycaption.exceptions.CaptionReadSyntaxError:
+                    # If first attempt fails, try more aggressive sanitization
+                    text = Subtitle.sanitize_webvtt(text)
+                    try:
+                        caption_set = pycaption.WebVTTReader().read(text)
+                        Subtitle.merge_same_cues(caption_set)
+                        Subtitle.filter_unwanted_cues(caption_set)
+                        subtitle_text = pycaption.WebVTTWriter().write(caption_set)
+                        self.path.write_text(subtitle_text, encoding="utf8")
+                    except Exception:
+                        # Keep the sanitized version even if parsing failed
+                        self.path.write_text(text, encoding="utf8")
 
     @staticmethod
     def sanitize_webvtt_timestamps(text: str) -> str:
diff --git a/unshackle/unshackle-example.yaml b/unshackle/unshackle-example.yaml
index e5e1b68..36e7c2c 100644
--- a/unshackle/unshackle-example.yaml
+++ b/unshackle/unshackle-example.yaml
@@ -360,6 +360,10 @@ subtitle:
   # convert_before_strip: Auto-convert VTT/other formats to SRT before using subtitle-filter
   # This ensures compatibility when subtitle-filter is used as fallback (default: true)
   convert_before_strip: true
+  # preserve_formatting: Preserve original subtitle formatting (tags, positioning, styling)
+  # When true, skips pycaption processing for WebVTT files to keep tags like <i>, <b>, positioning intact
+  # Combined with no sub_format setting, ensures subtitles remain in their original format (default: true)
+  preserve_formatting: true
 
 # Configuration for pywidevine's serve functionality
 serve: