diff --git a/Markdown.pl b/Markdown.pl
index 9042c6d..dfbc5b9 100755
--- a/Markdown.pl
+++ b/Markdown.pl
@@ -2005,8 +2005,8 @@ sub _DoTables {
 		unless $nohdr;
 	    my $cnt = 0;
 	    my @classes = ("class=\"$opt{style_prefix}row-even\"", "class=\"$opt{style_prefix}row-odd\"");
-	    $tab .= "  <tr " . $classes[++$cnt % 2] . ">" . _MakeTableRow("td", \@align, _SplitTableRow($_)) . "</tr>\n"
-		    foreach split(/\n/, $rows);
+	    $tab .= "  <tr " . $classes[++$cnt % 2] . ">" . _MakeTableRow("td", \@align, @$_) . "</tr>\n"
+		    foreach (_SplitMergeRows($rows));
 	    $tab .= "</table>\n\n";
 	} else {
 	    $w;
@@ -2017,6 +2017,49 @@ sub _DoTables {
 }
 
 
+sub _SplitMergeRows {
+    my @rows = ();
+    my ($mergeprev, $mergenext) = (0,0);
+    foreach (split(/\n/, $_[0])) {
+	$mergeprev = $mergenext;
+	$mergenext = 0;
+	my @cols = _SplitTableRow($_);
+	if (_endswithbareslash($cols[$#cols])) {
+	    my $last = $cols[$#cols];
+	    substr($last, -1, 1) = "";
+	    $last =~ s/[ ]+$//;
+	    $cols[$#cols] = $last;
+	    $mergenext = 1;
+	}
+	if ($mergeprev) {
+	    for (my $i = 0; $i <= $#cols; ++$i) {
+		my $cell = $rows[$#rows]->[$i];
+		defined($cell) or $cell = "";
+		$rows[$#rows]->[$i] = _MergeCells($cell, $cols[$i]);
+	    }
+	} else {
+	    push(@rows, [@cols]);
+	}
+    }
+    return @rows;
+}
+
+
+sub _endswithbareslash {
+    return 0 unless substr($_[0], -1, 1) eq "\\";
+    my @parts = split(/\\\\/, $_[0], -1);
+    return substr($parts[$#parts], -1, 1) eq "\\";
+}
+
+
+sub _MergeCells {
+    my ($c1, $c2) = @_;
+    return $c1 if $c2 eq "";
+    return $c2 if $c1 eq "";
+    return $c1 . " " . $c2;
+}
+
+
 sub _SplitTableRow {
     my $row = shift;
     $row =~ s/^$LEAD//;
diff --git a/syntax.md b/syntax.md
index 8c892ca..8756e70 100644
--- a/syntax.md
+++ b/syntax.md
@@ -619,6 +619,61 @@ Inline markup is recognized just fine within each column:
     |:-
     |~~Strikeout~~ `code` _etc._
 
+Row text can be split over multiple rows by ending a row with a
+backslash (`\`) as the last character on the line.
+
+For example, this:
+
+    Item|Price|Description
+    -|-:|-
+    Nut|$1.29|Delicious
+    Bean|$0.37|Fiber
+    Squash|$1.83|Healthy
+
+Generates output something like this:
+
+    <table>
+      <tr><th>Item</th><th>Price</th><th>Description</th></tr>
+      <tr><td>Nut</td><td>$1.29</td><td>Delicious</td></tr>
+      <tr><td>Bean</td><td>$0.37</td><td>Fiber</td></tr>
+      <tr><td>Squash</td><td>$1.83</td><td>Healthy</td></tr>
+    </table>
+
+But adding a trailing `\` to the end of first table body row like
+so:
+
+    Item|Price|Description
+    -|-:|-
+    Nut|$1.29|Delicious \
+    Bean|$0.37|Fiber
+    Squash|$1.83|Healthy
+
+Generates this output instead:
+
+    <table>
+      <tr><th>Item</th><th>Price</th><th>Description</th></tr>
+      <tr><td>Nut Bean</td><td>$1.29 $0.37</td><td>Delicious Fiber</td></tr>
+      <tr><td>Squash</td><td>$1.83</td><td>Healthy</td></tr>
+    </table>
+
+The corresponding columns of the first two rows are merged.  It's
+possible to merge multiple rows.  Adding a trailing `\` to the
+second row too would result in a single row output table.
+
+The `\` must be the very last character on the line to be recognized
+as a "row-joiner".  If the optional trailing `|` has been included
+the "row-joiner" must appear after that like so:
+
+    Item|Price|Description|
+    -|-:|-|
+    Nut|$1.29|Delicious| \
+    Bean|$0.37|Fiber|
+    Squash|$1.83|Healthy|
+
+The advantage of including the optional trailing `|` when using a
+"row-joiner" is that renderers that do not support the "row-joiner"
+will see that as a superfluous extra column instead and discard it.
+
 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~
 Style Sheet