diff --git a/markdown/__init__.py b/markdown/__init__.py
index 78ea4cbe6..409f9cfd4 100644
--- a/markdown/__init__.py
+++ b/markdown/__init__.py
@@ -75,9 +75,6 @@ class Markdown(object):
         'xhtml5': to_xhtml_string,
     }
 
-    ESCAPED_CHARS = ['\\', '`', '*', '_', '{', '}', '[', ']',
-                     '(', ')', '>', '#', '+', '-', '.', '!']
-
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """
         Creates a new Markdown instance.
@@ -147,6 +144,9 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
                           'deprecated along with "safe_mode".',
                           DeprecationWarning)
 
+        self.ESCAPED_CHARS = ['\\', '`', '*', '_', '{', '}', '[', ']',
+                              '(', ')', '>', '#', '+', '-', '.', '!']
+
         self.registeredExtensions = []
         self.docType = ""
         self.stripTopLevelTags = True
diff --git a/markdown/extensions/tables.py b/markdown/extensions/tables.py
index 4bb20767e..4f12bfd88 100644
--- a/markdown/extensions/tables.py
+++ b/markdown/extensions/tables.py
@@ -160,6 +160,8 @@ class TableExtension(Extension):
 
     def extendMarkdown(self, md, md_globals):
         """ Add an instance of TableProcessor to BlockParser. """
+        if '|' not in md.ESCAPED_CHARS:
+            md.ESCAPED_CHARS.append('|')
         md.parser.blockprocessors.add('table',
                                       TableProcessor(md.parser),
                                       '<hashheader')
diff --git a/tests/extensions/extra/tables.html b/tests/extensions/extra/tables.html
index a0b1f71bc..7588bdb15 100644
--- a/tests/extensions/extra/tables.html
+++ b/tests/extensions/extra/tables.html
@@ -284,4 +284,19 @@ <h2>Table Tests</h2>
 <td><code>\</code></td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
+</table>
+<p>Test escaped pipes</p>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>Column1</th>
+<th>Column 2</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td><code>|</code> |</td>
+<td>Pipes are okay in code and escaped. |</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
 </table>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/extensions/extra/tables.txt b/tests/extensions/extra/tables.txt
index a9677ba8e..705fc14b3 100644
--- a/tests/extensions/extra/tables.txt
+++ b/tests/extensions/extra/tables.txt
@@ -90,3 +90,9 @@ Odd backticks | Even backticks
 Escapes | More Escapes
 ------- | ------
 `` `\`` | `\`
+
+Test escaped pipes
+
+Column1 | Column 2
+------- | --------
+`|` \| | Pipes are okay in code and escaped. \|
diff --git a/tests/test_apis.py b/tests/test_apis.py
index e3de779dd..7b1214fba 100644
--- a/tests/test_apis.py
+++ b/tests/test_apis.py
@@ -758,3 +758,15 @@ def testExtensonConfigOptionBadFormat(self):
 """
         self.create_config_file(config)
         self.assertRaises(yaml.YAMLError, parse_options, ['-c', self.tempfile])
+
+
+class TestEscapeAppend(unittest.TestCase):
+    """ Tests escape character append. """
+
+    def testAppend(self):
+        """ Test that appended escapes are only in the current instance. """
+        md = markdown.Markdown()
+        md.ESCAPED_CHARS.append('|')
+        self.assertEqual('|' in md.ESCAPED_CHARS, True)
+        md2 = markdown.Markdown()
+        self.assertEqual('|' not in md2.ESCAPED_CHARS, True)