diff --git a/autoload/tablemode/align.vim b/autoload/tablemode/align.vim
index d618f45..5f44b1d 100644
--- a/autoload/tablemode/align.vim
+++ b/autoload/tablemode/align.vim
@@ -64,11 +64,21 @@ function! s:Padding(string, length, where) "{{{3
   endif
 endfunction
 
-" function! s:Split() - Split a string into fields and delimiters {{{2
+" Public Functions {{{1
+function! tablemode#align#sid() "{{{2
+  return maparg('<sid>', 'n')
+endfunction
+nnoremap <sid> <sid>
+
+function! tablemode#align#scope() "{{{2
+  return s:
+endfunction
+
+" function! tablemode#align#Split() - Split a string into fields and delimiters {{{2
 " Like split(), but include the delimiters as elements
 " All odd numbered elements are delimiters
 " All even numbered elements are non-delimiters (including zero)
-function! s:Split(string, delim)
+function! tablemode#align#Split(string, delim)
   let rv = []
   let beg = 0
 
@@ -107,59 +117,61 @@ function! s:Split(string, delim)
   return rv
 endfunction
 
-" Public Functions {{{1
-function! tablemode#align#sid() "{{{2
-  return maparg('<sid>', 'n')
-endfunction
-nnoremap <sid> <sid>
-
-function! tablemode#align#scope() "{{{2
-  return s:
+function! tablemode#align#alignments(lnum, ncols) "{{{2
+  let alignments = repeat(['l'], a:ncols) " For each column
+  if tablemode#table#IsHeader(a:lnum+1)
+    let hcols = tablemode#align#Split(getline(a:lnum+1), '[' . g:table_mode_corner . g:table_mode_corner_corner . ']')
+    for idx in range(len(hcols))
+      " Right align if header
+      if hcols[idx] =~# g:table_mode_align_char . '$' | let alignments[idx] = 'r' | endif
+    endfor
+  end
+  return alignments
 endfunction
 
 function! tablemode#align#Align(lines) "{{{2
-  let lines = map(a:lines, 's:Split(v:val, g:table_mode_separator)')
+  let lines = map(a:lines, 'map(v:val, "v:key =~# \"text\" ? tablemode#align#Split(v:val, g:table_mode_separator) : v:val")')
 
   for line in lines
-    if len(line) <= 1 | continue | endif
+    let stext = line.text
+    if len(stext) <= 1 | continue | endif
 
-    if line[0] !~ tablemode#table#StartExpr()
-      let line[0] = s:StripTrailingSpaces(line[0])
+    if stext[0] !~ tablemode#table#StartExpr()
+      let stext[0] = s:StripTrailingSpaces(stext[0])
     endif
-    if len(line) >= 2
-      for i in range(1, len(line)-1)
-        let line[i] = tablemode#utils#strip(line[i])
+    if len(stext) >= 2
+      for i in range(1, len(stext)-1)
+        let stext[i] = tablemode#utils#strip(stext[i])
       endfor
     endif
   endfor
 
   let maxes = []
   for line in lines
-    if len(line) <= 1 | continue | endif
-    for i in range(len(line))
+    let stext = line.text
+    if len(stext) <= 1 | continue | endif
+    for i in range(len(stext))
       if i == len(maxes)
-        let maxes += [ s:Strlen(line[i]) ]
+        let maxes += [ s:Strlen(stext[i]) ]
       else
-        let maxes[i] = max([ maxes[i], s:Strlen(line[i]) ])
+        let maxes[i] = max([ maxes[i], s:Strlen(stext[i]) ])
       endif
     endfor
   endfor
 
+  let alignments = tablemode#align#alignments(lines[0].lnum, len(lines[0].text))
+
   for idx in range(len(lines))
-    let line = lines[idx]
+    let tlnum = lines[idx].lnum
+    let tline = lines[idx].text
 
-    if len(line) <= 1 | continue | endif
-    for i in range(len(line))
-      if line[i] !~# '[^0-9\.]'
-        let field = s:Padding(line[i], maxes[i], 'r')
-      else
-        let field = s:Padding(line[i], maxes[i], 'l')
-      endif
-
-      let line[i] = field . (i == 0 || i == len(line) ? '' : ' ')
+    if len(tline) <= 1 | continue | endif
+    for i in range(len(tline))
+      let field = s:Padding(tline[i], maxes[i], alignments[i])
+      let tline[i] = field . (i == 0 || i == len(tline) ? '' : ' ')
     endfor
 
-    let lines[idx] = s:StripTrailingSpaces(join(line, ''))
+    let lines[idx].text = s:StripTrailingSpaces(join(tline, ''))
   endfor
 
   return lines
diff --git a/autoload/tablemode/table.vim b/autoload/tablemode/table.vim
index 2871817..551d072 100644
--- a/autoload/tablemode/table.vim
+++ b/autoload/tablemode/table.vim
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 function! s:HeaderBorderExpr() "{{{2
   return tablemode#table#StartExpr() .
         \ '[' . g:table_mode_corner . g:table_mode_corner_corner . ']' .
-        \ '[' . g:table_mode_fillchar . g:table_mode_corner . ']*' .
+        \ '[' . g:table_mode_fillchar . g:table_mode_corner . g:table_mode_align_char . ']*' .
         \ '[' . g:table_mode_corner . g:table_mode_corner_corner . ']' .
         \ tablemode#table#EndExpr()
 endfunction
@@ -45,10 +45,29 @@ function! s:GenerateHeaderBorder(line) "{{{2
       let line_val = getline(line - 1)
     endif
     if tablemode#utils#strlen(line_val) <= 1 | return s:DefaultHeaderBorder() | endif
+
     let border = substitute(line_val[stridx(line_val, g:table_mode_separator):strridx(line_val, g:table_mode_separator)], g:table_mode_separator, g:table_mode_corner, 'g')
     let border = substitute(border, '[^' . g:table_mode_corner . ']', g:table_mode_fillchar, 'g')
     let border = substitute(border, '^' . g:table_mode_corner . '\(.*\)' . g:table_mode_corner . '$', g:table_mode_corner_corner . '\1' . g:table_mode_corner_corner, '')
 
+    " Incorporate header alignment chars
+    if getline(line) =~# g:table_mode_align_char
+      let pat = '[' . g:table_mode_corner_corner . g:table_mode_corner . ']'
+      let hcols = tablemode#align#Split(getline(line), pat)
+      let gcols = tablemode#align#Split(border, pat)
+
+      for idx in range(len(hcols))
+        if hcols[idx] =~# g:table_mode_align_char
+          if hcols[idx] =~# g:table_mode_align_char . '$'
+            let gcols[idx] = gcols[idx][:-2] . g:table_mode_align_char
+          else
+            let gcols[idx] = g:table_mode_align_char . gcols[idx][1:]
+          endif
+        endif
+      endfor
+      let border = join(gcols, '')
+    endif
+
     let cstartexpr = tablemode#table#StartCommentExpr()
     if tablemode#utils#strlen(cstartexpr) > 0 && getline(line) =~# cstartexpr
       let sce = matchstr(line_val, tablemode#table#StartCommentExpr())
@@ -134,15 +153,14 @@ function! tablemode#table#EndExpr() "{{{2
   endif
 endfunction
 
-function! tablemode#table#IsRow(line) "{{{2
-  return getline(a:line) =~# (tablemode#table#StartExpr() . g:table_mode_separator . '[^' .
-        \ g:table_mode_fillchar . ']*[^' . g:table_mode_corner . ']*$')
-endfunction
-
 function! tablemode#table#IsHeader(line) "{{{2
   return getline(a:line) =~# s:HeaderBorderExpr()
 endfunction
 
+function! tablemode#table#IsRow(line) "{{{2
+  return !tablemode#table#IsHeader(a:line) && getline(a:line) =~# (tablemode#table#StartExpr() . g:table_mode_separator)
+endfunction
+
 function! tablemode#table#AddHeaderBorder(line) "{{{2
   call setline(a:line, s:GenerateHeaderBorder(a:line))
 endfunction
@@ -150,41 +168,36 @@ endfunction
 function! tablemode#table#Realign(line) "{{{2
   let line = tablemode#utils#line(a:line)
 
-  let [lnums, lines] = [[], []]
-  let [tline, blines] = [line, []]
-  while tablemode#table#IsRow(tline) || tablemode#table#IsHeader(tline)
-    if tablemode#table#IsHeader(tline)
-      call insert(blines, tline)
-      let tline -= 1
+  let lines = []
+  let [lnum, blines] = [line, []]
+  while tablemode#table#IsRow(lnum) || tablemode#table#IsHeader(lnum)
+    if tablemode#table#IsHeader(lnum)
+      call insert(blines, lnum)
+      let lnum -= 1
       continue
     endif
-    call insert(lnums, tline)
-    call insert(lines, getline(tline))
-    let tline -= 1
+    call insert(lines, {'lnum': lnum, 'text': getline(lnum)})
+    let lnum -= 1
   endwhile
 
-  let tline = line + 1
-
-  while tablemode#table#IsRow(tline) || tablemode#table#IsHeader(tline)
-    if tablemode#table#IsHeader(tline)
-      call insert(blines, tline)
-      let tline += 1
+  let lnum = line + 1
+  while tablemode#table#IsRow(lnum) || tablemode#table#IsHeader(lnum)
+    if tablemode#table#IsHeader(lnum)
+      call add(blines, lnum)
+      let lnum += 1
       continue
     endif
-    call add(lnums, tline)
-    call add(lines, getline(tline))
-    let tline += 1
+    call add(lines, {'lnum': lnum, 'text': getline(lnum)})
+    let lnum += 1
   endwhile
 
   let lines = tablemode#align#Align(lines)
 
-  for lnum in lnums
-    let index = index(lnums, lnum)
-    call setline(lnum, lines[index])
+  for aline in lines
+    call setline(aline.lnum, aline.text)
   endfor
 
   for bline in blines
     call tablemode#table#AddHeaderBorder(bline)
   endfor
 endfunction
-
diff --git a/plugin/table-mode.vim b/plugin/table-mode.vim
index 7230de9..41938bd 100644
--- a/plugin/table-mode.vim
+++ b/plugin/table-mode.vim
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ call s:SetGlobalOptDefault('table_mode_toggle_map', 'm')
 call s:SetGlobalOptDefault('table_mode_always_active', 0)
 call s:SetGlobalOptDefault('table_mode_delimiter', ',')
 call s:SetGlobalOptDefault('table_mode_corner_corner', '|')
+call s:SetGlobalOptDefault('table_mode_align_char', ':')
 
 function! s:TableEchoCell() "{{{1
   if tablemode#table#IsRow('.')
diff --git a/t/align.vim b/t/align.vim
index 479f81a..60ca2f8 100644
--- a/t/align.vim
+++ b/t/align.vim
@@ -3,12 +3,20 @@ source t/config/options.vim
 
 call vspec#hint({'scope': 'tablemode#align#scope()', 'sid': 'tablemode#align#sid()'})
 
+function! ConvertLines2Dict(lines)
+  let lines = []
+  for idx in range(len(a:lines))
+    call insert(lines, {"lnum": idx+1, "text": a:lines[idx]})
+  endfor
+  return lines
+endfunction
+
 describe 'Align'
   it 'should align table content correctly'
-    Expect tablemode#align#Align(readfile('t/fixtures/align/simple_before.txt')) == readfile('t/fixtures/align/simple_after.txt')
+    Expect tablemode#align#Align(ConvertLines2Dict(readfile('t/fixtures/align/simple_before.txt'))) == ConvertLines2Dict(readfile('t/fixtures/align/simple_after.txt'))
   end
 
   it 'should align table content with unicode characters correctly'
-    Expect tablemode#align#Align(readfile('t/fixtures/align/unicode_before.txt')) == readfile('t/fixtures/align/unicode_after.txt')
+    Expect tablemode#align#Align(ConvertLines2Dict(readfile('t/fixtures/align/unicode_before.txt'))) == ConvertLines2Dict(readfile('t/fixtures/align/unicode_after.txt'))
   end
 end
diff --git a/t/config/options.vim b/t/config/options.vim
index 550ce28..a277b0f 100644
--- a/t/config/options.vim
+++ b/t/config/options.vim
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ let g:table_mode_toggle_map = 'm'
 let g:table_mode_always_active = 0
 let g:table_mode_delimiter = ','
 let g:table_mode_corner_corner = '|'
+let g:table_mode_align_char = ':'