diff --git a/include/fort.h b/include/fort.h
index 0029c7c..13e9bf9 100644
--- a/include/fort.h
+++ b/include/fort.h
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ struct fort_table_options
     int cell_padding_bottom;
     int cell_padding_left;
     int cell_padding_right;
+    int cell_empty_string_height;
     char hor_separator;
     char ver_separator;
 };
diff --git a/src/fort.c b/src/fort.c
index 28261c5..914585b 100644
--- a/src/fort.c
+++ b/src/fort.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ static fort_status_t fill_buffer_from_string(string_buffer_t *buffer, const char
 
 static size_t buffer_text_height(string_buffer_t *buffer)
 {
-    if (buffer == NULL) {
+    if (buffer == NULL || buffer->str == NULL || strlen(buffer->str) == 0) {
         return 0;
     }
     return 1;
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ static void* vector_at(vector_t*, size_t index);
 //    int padding_right;
 //};
 //typedef struct cell_options cell_options_t;
-static fort_table_options_t g_table_options = {1, 1, 1, 1, '=', '|'};
+static fort_table_options_t g_table_options = {1, 1, 1, 1, 1, '=', '|'};
 
 static void init_cell_options(fort_table_options_t *options)
 {
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ static void init_cell_options(fort_table_options_t *options)
     options->cell_padding_bottom = g_table_options.cell_padding_bottom;
     options->cell_padding_left = g_table_options.cell_padding_left;
     options->cell_padding_right = g_table_options.cell_padding_right;
+    options->cell_empty_string_height = g_table_options.cell_empty_string_height;
 }
 
 struct fort_cell;
@@ -203,7 +204,8 @@ static int hint_height_cell(const fort_cell_t *cell)
     assert(cell);
     int result = cell->options.cell_padding_top + cell->options.cell_padding_bottom;
     if (cell->str_buffer && cell->str_buffer->str) {
-        result += buffer_text_height(cell->str_buffer);
+        size_t text_height = buffer_text_height(cell->str_buffer);
+        result += text_height == 0 ? cell->options.cell_empty_string_height : text_height;
     }
     return result;
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_table.c b/tests/test_table.c
index fcbf352..5fbccb4 100644
--- a/tests/test_table.c
+++ b/tests/test_table.c
@@ -391,9 +391,82 @@ void test_table_options(void **state)
     }
 
 
+    WHEN("Empty string has 0 heigt") {
+        fort_table_options_t table_options;
+        memcpy(&table_options, &def_options, sizeof(fort_table_options_t));
+        table_options.cell_padding_bottom = 1;
+        table_options.cell_padding_top = 1;
+        table_options.cell_padding_left = 1;
+        table_options.cell_padding_right = 1;
+        table_options.cell_empty_string_height = 0;
+        ft_set_default_options(&table_options);
+
+        table = create_test_int_table();
+        int n = ft_row_printf(table, 3, "|||");
+        assert_true( n == 4 );
+
+        char *table_str = ft_to_string(table);
+        assert_true( table_str != NULL );
+        const char *table_str_etalon =
+                "===================\n"
+                "|   |   |    |    |\n"
+                "| 3 | 4 | 55 | 67 |\n"
+                "|   |   |    |    |\n"
+                "===================\n"
+                "|   |   |    |    |\n"
+                "| 3 | 4 | 55 | 67 |\n"
+                "|   |   |    |    |\n"
+                "===================\n"
+                "|   |   |    |    |\n"
+                "| 3 | 4 | 55 | 67 |\n"
+                "|   |   |    |    |\n"
+                "===================\n"
+                "|   |   |    |    |\n"
+                "|   |   |    |    |\n"
+                "===================\n";
+//        fprintf(stderr, "content:\n%s", table_str);
+
+        assert_true( strcmp(table_str, table_str_etalon) == 0);
+
+        free(table_str);
+        ft_destroy_table(table);
+    }
 
 
+    WHEN("Changing cell separators") {
+        fort_table_options_t table_options;
+        memcpy(&table_options, &def_options, sizeof(fort_table_options_t));
+        table_options.hor_separator = '|';
+        table_options.ver_separator = '=';
 
+        ft_set_default_options(&table_options);
+
+        table = create_test_int_table();
+
+
+        char *table_str = ft_to_string(table);
+        assert_true( table_str != NULL );
+        const char *table_str_etalon =
+                "|||||||||||||||||||\n"
+                "=   =   =    =    =\n"
+                "= 3 = 4 = 55 = 67 =\n"
+                "=   =   =    =    =\n"
+                "|||||||||||||||||||\n"
+                "=   =   =    =    =\n"
+                "= 3 = 4 = 55 = 67 =\n"
+                "=   =   =    =    =\n"
+                "|||||||||||||||||||\n"
+                "=   =   =    =    =\n"
+                "= 3 = 4 = 55 = 67 =\n"
+                "=   =   =    =    =\n"
+                "|||||||||||||||||||\n";
+//        fprintf(stderr, "content:\n%s", table_str);
+
+        assert_true( strcmp(table_str, table_str_etalon) == 0);
+
+        free(table_str);
+        ft_destroy_table(table);
+    }
 
 
 }