diff --git a/src/cell.js b/src/cell.js
index 44c6062..7ac4695 100644
--- a/src/cell.js
+++ b/src/cell.js
@@ -147,12 +147,17 @@ Cell.prototype._topLeftChar = function(offset){
       leftChar = offset == 0 ? 'midMid' : 'bottomMid';
       if(this.cells){  //TODO: cells should always exist - some tests don't fill it in though
         var spanAbove = this.cells[this.y-1][x] instanceof Cell.ColSpanCell;
-        var spanLeft = offset == 0 && this.cells[this.y][x-1] instanceof Cell.RowSpanCell;
         if(spanAbove){
           leftChar = offset == 0 ? 'topMid' : 'mid';
         }
-        if(spanLeft){
-          leftChar = 'leftMid';
+        if(offset == 0){
+          var i = 1;
+          while(this.cells[this.y][x-i] instanceof Cell.ColSpanCell){
+            i++;
+          }
+          if(this.cells[this.y][x-i] instanceof Cell.RowSpanCell){
+            leftChar = 'leftMid';
+          }
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/layout-manager.js b/src/layout-manager.js
index a8cf9de..a01c5fd 100644
--- a/src/layout-manager.js
+++ b/src/layout-manager.js
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ module.exports = {
   addRowSpanCells: addRowSpanCells,
   maxWidth:maxWidth,
   fillInTable:fillInTable,
-  computeWidths:makeComputeWidths('colSpan','desiredWidth','x',0),
+  computeWidths:makeComputeWidths('colSpan','desiredWidth','x',1),
   computeHeights:makeComputeWidths('rowSpan','desiredHeight','y',1)
 };
 })();
@@ -229,5 +229,8 @@ function makeComputeWidths(colSpan,desiredWidth,x,forcedMin){
       }
     }
     _.extend(vals,result);
+    for(var j = 0; j < vals.length; j++){
+      vals[j] = Math.max(forcedMin, vals[j] || 0);
+    }
   };
 }
diff --git a/test/table-layout-test.js b/test/table-layout-test.js
index d221b5c..cebe167 100644
--- a/test/table-layout-test.js
+++ b/test/table-layout-test.js
@@ -238,11 +238,11 @@ describe('tableLayout', function () {
       expect(widths).to.eql([8, 3, 5]);
     });
 
-    it('assumes undefined desiredWidth is 0', function () {
+    it('assumes undefined desiredWidth is 1', function () {
       var widths = [];
       var cells = [[{x:0,y:0}], [{x:0,y:1}], [{x:0,y:2}]];
       computeWidths(widths, cells);
-      expect(widths).to.eql([0])
+      expect(widths).to.eql([1])
     });
 
     it('takes into account colSpan and wont over expand', function () {
diff --git a/test/table-test.js b/test/table-test.js
index 3d2e5b3..09c586f 100644
--- a/test/table-test.js
+++ b/test/table-test.js
@@ -158,9 +158,6 @@ describe('@api Table', function () {
       ['']
     );
 
-    //console.log(table.toString());
-    //console.log(table.options.rowHeights);
-
     var expected = [
         '┌──┬──┐'
       , '│  │  │'
@@ -173,6 +170,114 @@ describe('@api Table', function () {
 
     expect(table.toString()).to.equal(expected.join('\n'));
   });
+
+  it('stairstep spans - empty cells autofilled',function(){
+    var table = new Table({style:{head:[],border:[]}});
+
+    table.push(
+      [{content:'',rowSpan:3,colSpan:2},'hi'],
+      [],
+      [{content:'',rowSpan:2,colSpan:2}],
+      []
+    );
+
+    var expected = [
+        '┌───┬────┬──┐'
+      , '│   │ hi │  │'  // top-right and bottom-left cells are automatically created to fill the empty space
+      , '│   ├────┤  │'
+      , '│   │    │  │'
+      , '│   ├────┴──┤'
+      , '│   │       │'
+      , '├───┤       │'
+      , '│   │       │'
+      , '└───┴───────┘'
+    ];
+
+    console.log(table.toString());
+    expect(table.toString()).to.equal(expected.join('\n'));
+  });
+
+  it('truncation symbol shows if there are undisplayed lines',function(){
+    var table = new Table({rowHeights:[1],style:{head:[],border:[]}});
+
+    table.push(['hi\nhello']);
+
+
+    var expected = [
+        '┌───────┐'
+      , '│ hi…   │'
+      , '└───────┘'
+    ];
+
+    expect(table.toString()).to.equal(expected.join('\n'));
+  });
+
+  it('colSpan width expansion',function(){
+    var table = new Table({style:{head:[],border:[]}});
+    table.push(
+      [{colSpan:2,content:'hello there'}],
+      ['hi', 'hi']
+    );
+
+    var expected = [
+        '┌─────────────┐'
+      , '│ hello there │'
+      , '├──────┬──────┤'
+      , '│ hi   │ hi   │'
+      , '└──────┴──────┘'
+    ];
+
+    expect(table.toString()).to.equal(expected.join('\n'));
+  });
+
+  it('colSpan width expansion - specified widths',function(){
+    var table = new Table({colWidths:[4],style:{head:[],border:[]}});
+    table.push(
+      [{colSpan:2,content:'hello there'}],
+      ['hi',{hAlign:'center',content:'hi'}]
+    );
+
+    var expected = [
+        '┌─────────────┐'
+      , '│ hello there │'
+      , '├────┬────────┤'
+      , '│ hi │   hi   │'
+      , '└────┴────────┘'
+    ];
+
+    expect(table.toString()).to.equal(expected.join('\n'));
+  });
+
+  it('colSpan width expansion - null widths',function(){
+    var table = new Table({colWidths:[null, 4],style:{head:[],border:[]}});
+    table.push(
+      [{colSpan:2,content:'hello there'}],
+      [{hAlign:'right',content:'hi'}, 'hi']
+    );
+
+    var expected = [
+        '┌─────────────┐'
+      , '│ hello there │'
+      , '├────────┬────┤'
+      , '│     hi │ hi │'
+      , '└────────┴────┘'
+    ];
+
+    expect(table.toString()).to.equal(expected.join('\n'));
+  });
+
+  it('colorful truncation',function(){
+    var table = new Table({colWidths:[5],style:{head:[],border:[]}});
+
+    table.push([colors.red('hello')]);
+    var expected = [
+        '┌─────┐'
+      , '│ ' + colors.red('he') + '… │'
+      , '└─────┘'
+    ];
+
+    expect(table.toString()).to.equal(expected.join('\n'))
+  });
 });
 
 /*