diff --git a/Markdown.pl b/Markdown.pl
index 282414b..28d89bb 100755
--- a/Markdown.pl
+++ b/Markdown.pl
@@ -1944,8 +1944,12 @@ sub _DoTables {
 		elsif (/:$/) {" align=\"right\""}
 		else {""}
 	    } @seps;
-	    my $tab ="\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" class=\"$opt{style_prefix}table\">\n" .
-		"  <tr class=\"$opt{style_prefix}row-hdr\">" . _MakeTableRow("th", \@align, @heads) . "</tr>\n";
+	    my $nohdr = "";
+	    $nohdr = " $opt{style_prefix}table-nohdr" if join("", @heads) eq "";
+	    my $tab ="\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" class=\"$opt{style_prefix}table$nohdr\">\n";
+	    $tab .=
+		"  <tr class=\"$opt{style_prefix}row-hdr\">" . _MakeTableRow("th", \@align, @heads) . "</tr>\n"
+		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"
diff --git a/syntax.md b/syntax.md
index ecc91c2..8c892ca 100644
--- a/syntax.md
+++ b/syntax.md
@@ -574,14 +574,16 @@ Output:
       <tr><td>Bean</td><td align="right">$0.37</td><td>Fiber</td></tr>
     </table>
 
-The leading and trailing `|` on each line are optional unless there is only
-a single column in which case at least one `|` is always required -- two if
-the single column contains only whitespace.
+The leading `|` on each line is optional unless the first column contains only
+zero or more spaces and/or tabs.  The trailing `|` on each line is optional
+unless the last column contains only zero or more spaces and/or tabs.
+
+At least one `|` must be present in every row of the table.
 
 Leading and trailing whitespace are always trimmed from each column's value
 before using it.
 
-To include a literal `|` (veritical bar) character in a column's value, precede
+To include a literal `|` (vertical bar) character in a column's value, precede
 it with a `\` (backslash).  To include a literal `\` use `\\` (double them).
 
 The number of columns in the separator row must match exactly the number of
@@ -595,6 +597,10 @@ be `right`.  And finally, with a colon on both ends the alignment will be
 `center`.  The alignment will be applied to the column in both header and body
 rows.
 
+If all columns in the header row are empty (i.e. contain only zero or more
+spaces and/or tabs), the header row will be omitted from the output.  Empty
+rows in the body of the table are always preserved in the output.
+
 Body rows that contain fewer columns than the header row have empty columns
 added.  Body rows that contain more columns than the header row have the
 extra columns dropped.