diff --git a/mistune.py b/mistune.py
index 19faa62..8e7a7c5 100644
--- a/mistune.py
+++ b/mistune.py
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ def parse_table(self, m):
         cells = cells.split('\n')
         for i, v in enumerate(cells):
             v = re.sub(r'^ *\| *| *\| *$', '', v)
-            cells[i] = re.split(r' *\| *', v)
+            cells[i] = re.split(r' *(?<!\\)\| *', v)
 
         item['cells'] = cells
         self.tokens.append(item)
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ def parse_nptable(self, m):
         cells = re.sub(r'\n$', '', m.group(3))
         cells = cells.split('\n')
         for i, v in enumerate(cells):
-            cells[i] = re.split(r' *\| *', v)
+            cells[i] = re.split(r' *(?<!\\)\| *', v)
 
         item['cells'] = cells
         self.tokens.append(item)