diff --git a/inc/parser/parser.php b/inc/parser/parser.php
index 915899f537572287d7bda3f1dae84940ef4c51fc..6aef3fda56f5e23cd4fead3c813530cf890ec5f0 100644
--- a/inc/parser/parser.php
+++ b/inc/parser/parser.php
@@ -454,8 +454,8 @@ class Doku_Parser_Mode_table extends Doku_Parser_Mode {
     }
 
     function connectTo($mode) {
-        $this->Lexer->addEntryPattern('\n\^',$mode,'table');
-        $this->Lexer->addEntryPattern('\n\|',$mode,'table');
+        $this->Lexer->addEntryPattern('\s*\n\^',$mode,'table');
+        $this->Lexer->addEntryPattern('\s*\n\|',$mode,'table');
     }
 
     function postConnect() {