diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f8caa81..da50295 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ var turndownService = new TurndownService()
 turndownService.use(tables)
 ```
 
+## Options
+
+| Option            | Valid values      | Default |
+| :---------------- | :---------------- | :------ |
+| `forceHeadingRow` | `true` or `false` | `false` |
+
 ## License
 
 turndown-plugin-gfm is copyright © 2017+ Dom Christie and released under the MIT license.
diff --git a/src/tables.js b/src/tables.js
index e4fd987..b978b64 100644
--- a/src/tables.js
+++ b/src/tables.js
@@ -32,13 +32,27 @@ rules.tableRow = {
 }
 
 rules.table = {
-  // Only convert tables with a heading row.
+  // Only convert tables with a heading row, unless the heading row is forced.
   // Tables with no heading row are kept using `keep` (see below).
-  filter: function (node) {
-    return node.nodeName === 'TABLE' && isHeadingRow(node.rows[0])
+  filter: function (node, options) {
+    return node.nodeName === 'TABLE' && (isHeadingRow(node.rows[0]) || options.forceHeadingRow)
   },
 
-  replacement: function (content) {
+  replacement: function (content, node, options) {
+    var emptyHeader = ''
+
+    if (options.forceHeadingRow) {
+      var firstRow = node.rows.length ? node.rows[0] : null
+      var columnCount = firstRow ? firstRow.childNodes.length : 0
+
+      // Add an empty heading row, if one is not already present, to ensure a valid Markdown table.
+      if (columnCount && !isHeadingRow(firstRow)) {
+        emptyHeader = '|' + '     |'.repeat(columnCount) + '\n' + '|' + ' --- |'.repeat(columnCount)
+      }
+    }
+
+    content = emptyHeader + content
+
     // Ensure there are no blank lines
     content = content.replace('\n\n', '\n')
     return '\n\n' + content + '\n\n'
@@ -90,8 +104,8 @@ function cell (content, node) {
 }
 
 export default function tables (turndownService) {
-  turndownService.keep(function (node) {
-    return node.nodeName === 'TABLE' && !isHeadingRow(node.rows[0])
+  turndownService.keep(function (node, options) {
+    return node.nodeName === 'TABLE' && (!isHeadingRow(node.rows[0]) || !options.forceHeadingRow)
   })
   for (var key in rules) turndownService.addRule(key, rules[key])
 }