diff --git a/lib/marked.js b/lib/marked.js
index d48997c8..aa9df030 100644
--- a/lib/marked.js
+++ b/lib/marked.js
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ block.normal = {
 block.gfm = {
   fences: /^ *(`{3,}|~{3,}) *(\w+)? *\n([\s\S]+?)\s*\1 *(?:\n+|$)/,
   paragraph: /^/,
-  table: /^ {0,3}[|](.+)\n {0,3}[|]( *[-:]+[-| :]*)\n((?: *[|].*\n)*)\n*/,
-  nptable: /^ {0,3}(\S.*[|].*)\n {0,3}([-:]+ *[|][-| :]*)\n((?:.*[|].*\n)*)\n*/
+  table: /^ {0,3}\|(.+)\n {0,3}\|( *[-:]+[-| :]*)\n((?: *\|.*\n)*)\n*/,
+  nptable: /^ {0,3}(\S.*\|.*)\n {0,3}([-:]+ *\|[-| :]*)\n((?:.*\|.*\n)*)\n*/
 };
 
 block.gfm.paragraph = replace(block.paragraph)
@@ -137,15 +137,18 @@ block.token = function(src, tokens, top) {
       src = src.substring(cap[0].length);
       tokens.push({
         type: 'table',
-        header: cap[1].replace(/(^ *| *[|] *$)/g, '').split(/ *[|] */),
-        align: cap[2].replace(/(^ *|[|] *$)/g, '').split(/ *[|] */).map(function(row){
-          return row.match(/^ *-+: *$/) ? "right"
-            : row.match(/^ *:-+: *$/) ? "center"
-            : row.match(/^ *:-+ *$/) ? "left"
-            : false;
+        header: cap[1].replace(/(^ *| *\| *$)/g, '').split(/ *\| */),
+        align: cap[2].replace(/(^ *|\| *$)/g, '').split(/ *\| */).map(function(row) {
+          return /^ *-+: *$/.test(row)
+            ? 'right'
+            : /^ *:-+: *$/.test(row)
+              ? 'center'
+              : /^ *:-+ *$/.test(row)
+                ? 'left'
+                : false;
         }),
-        cells: cap[3].replace(/( *[|] *)?\n$/, '').split("\n").map(function(row){
-          return row.replace(/(^ *[|] *| *[|] *$)/g, '').split(/ *[|] */);
+        cells: cap[3].replace(/( *\| *)?\n$/, '').split('\n').map(function(row) {
+          return row.replace(/(^ *\| *| *\| *$)/g, '').split(/ *\| */);
         })
       });
       continue;
@@ -156,15 +159,18 @@ block.token = function(src, tokens, top) {
       src = src.substring(cap[0].length);
       tokens.push({
         type: 'table',
-        header: cap[1].replace(/(^ *| *[|] *$)/g, '').split(/ *[|] */),
-        align: cap[2].replace(/(^ *|[|] *$)/g, '').split(/ *[|] */).map(function(row){
-          return row.match(/^ *-+: *$/) ? "right"
-            : row.match(/^ *:-+: *$/) ? "center"
-            : row.match(/^ *:-+ *$/) ? "left"
-            : false;
+        header: cap[1].replace(/(^ *| *\| *$)/g, '').split(/ *\| */),
+        align: cap[2].replace(/(^ *|\| *$)/g, '').split(/ *\| */).map(function(row) {
+          return /^ *-+: *$/.test(row)
+            ? 'right'
+            : /^ *:-+: *$/.test(row)
+              ? 'center'
+              : /^ *:-+ *$/.test(row)
+                ? 'left'
+                : false;
         }),
-        cells: cap[3].replace(/\n$/, '').split("\n").map(function(row){
-          return row.split(/ *[|] */);
+        cells: cap[3].replace(/\n$/, '').split('\n').map(function(row) {
+          return row.split(/ *\| */);
         })
       });
       continue;
@@ -605,13 +611,17 @@ function tok() {
     }
     case 'table': {
       var thead = '\t<thead>\n\t\t<tr>';
-      token.header.forEach(function(heading, i){
+      token.header.forEach(function(heading, i) {
         heading = inline.lexer(heading);
-        var align = i < token.align.length ? token.align[i] : false;
-        switch(align){
-          case "left":
-          case "right":
-          case "center":
+
+        var align = i < token.align.length
+          ? token.align[i]
+          : false;
+
+        switch (align) {
+          case 'left':
+          case 'right':
+          case 'center':
             thead += '<th align="' + align + '">' + heading + '</td>';
             break;
           default:
@@ -621,15 +631,19 @@ function tok() {
       thead += '</tr>\n\t</thead>\n';
 
       var tbody = '\t<tbody>\n';
-      token.cells.forEach(function(row){
+      token.cells.forEach(function(row) {
         tbody += '\t\t<tr>';
-        row.forEach(function(cell, i){
+        row.forEach(function(cell, i) {
           cell = inline.lexer(cell);
-          var align = i < token.align.length ? token.align[i] : false;
-          switch(align){
-            case "left":
-            case "right":
-            case "center":
+
+          var align = i < token.align.length
+            ? token.align[i]
+            : false;
+
+          switch (align) {
+            case 'left':
+            case 'right':
+            case 'center':
               tbody += '<td align="' + align + '">' + cell + '</td>';
               break;
             default: