diff --git a/js/core/core.columns.js b/js/core/core.columns.js
index be173a6b..6ea13e6d 100644
--- a/js/core/core.columns.js
+++ b/js/core/core.columns.js
@@ -441,12 +441,18 @@ function _fnApplyColumnDefs( oSettings, aoColDefs, aoCols, headerLayout, fn )
 				else if ( typeof target === 'string' )
 				{
 					for ( k=0, kLen=columns.length ; k<kLen ; k++ ) {
-						if (target.indexOf(':name') !== -1) {
+						if (target === '_all') {
+							// Apply to all columns
+							fn( k, def );
+						}
+						else if (target.indexOf(':name') !== -1) {
+							// Column selector
 							if (columns[k].sName === target.replace(':name', '')) {
 								fn( k, def );
 							}
 						}
 						else {
+							// Cell selector
 							headerLayout.forEach(function (row) {
 								var cell = $(row[k].cell);
 
@@ -457,7 +463,7 @@ function _fnApplyColumnDefs( oSettings, aoColDefs, aoCols, headerLayout, fn )
 									target = '.' + target;
 								}
 
-								if (target === '_all' || cell.is( target )) {
+								if (cell.is( target )) {
 									fn( k, def );
 								}
 							});
diff --git a/test/options/columns/columnDefs.js b/test/options/columns/columnDefs.js
index 71ee131b..5849ba74 100644
--- a/test/options/columns/columnDefs.js
+++ b/test/options/columns/columnDefs.js
@@ -248,4 +248,49 @@ describe('columnDefs option', function() {
 			expect(data[0]).toBe('Accountant');
 		});
 	});
+
+	describe('Empty table', function() {
+		var counter = 0;
+
+		dt.html('empty_no_header');
+		
+		it('Init the DataTable', function() {
+			$('#example').DataTable({
+				columns: [
+					{
+						title: 'Test'
+					}
+				],
+				columnDefs: [
+					{
+						targets: '_all',
+						createdCell: function (td, cellData) {
+							counter++;
+							$(td).addClass('test-' + cellData);
+						},
+						className: 'test-all'
+					}
+				],
+				data: [ [0], [1], [2] ]
+			});
+
+			expect($('tbody tr').length).toBe(3);
+		});
+
+		it('createdCell ran for each cell', function() {
+			expect(counter).toBe(3);
+		});
+
+		it('And applyed its operation to the cell', function() {
+			expect($('tbody td').eq(0).hasClass('test-0')).toBe(true);
+			expect($('tbody td').eq(1).hasClass('test-1')).toBe(true);
+			expect($('tbody td').eq(2).hasClass('test-2')).toBe(true);
+		});
+
+		it('Applyed static class', function() {
+			expect($('tbody td').eq(0).hasClass('test-all')).toBe(true);
+			expect($('tbody td').eq(1).hasClass('test-all')).toBe(true);
+			expect($('tbody td').eq(2).hasClass('test-all')).toBe(true);
+		});
+	});
 });
diff --git a/test/options/columns/columns.createdCell.js b/test/options/columns/columns.createdCell.js
index a6630758..96cd84bf 100644
--- a/test/options/columns/columns.createdCell.js
+++ b/test/options/columns/columns.createdCell.js
@@ -262,4 +262,37 @@ describe('column.createdCell option', function() {
 			});
 		});
 	});
+
+	describe('Empty table', function() {
+		var counter = 0;
+
+		dt.html('empty_no_header');
+		
+		it('Init the DataTable', function() {
+			$('#example').DataTable({
+				columns: [
+					{
+						title: 'Test',
+						createdCell: function (td, cellData) {
+							counter++;
+							$(td).addClass('test-' + cellData);
+						}
+					}
+				],
+				data: [ [0], [1], [2] ]
+			});
+
+			expect($('tbody tr').length).toBe(3);
+		});
+
+		it('Ran for each cell', function() {
+			expect(counter).toBe(3);
+		});
+
+		it('Applyed to the cell', function() {
+			expect($('tbody td').eq(0).hasClass('test-0')).toBe(true);
+			expect($('tbody td').eq(1).hasClass('test-1')).toBe(true);
+			expect($('tbody td').eq(2).hasClass('test-2')).toBe(true);
+		});
+	});
 });