diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/tbl.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/tbl.vim
index d720c9c..f395a11 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/tbl.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/tbl.vim
@@ -237,7 +237,9 @@ endfunction "}}}
 function! s:get_cell_aligns(lnum) "{{{
   let aligns = {}
   for [lnum, row] in s:get_rows(a:lnum)
+  let found_separator = 0
     if s:is_separator(row)
+      let found_separator = 1
       let cells = vimwiki#tbl#get_cells(row)
       for idx in range(len(cells))
         let cell = cells[idx]
@@ -249,15 +251,15 @@ function! s:get_cell_aligns(lnum) "{{{
           let aligns[idx] = 'left'
         endif
       endfor
-    else
-      let cells = vimwiki#tbl#get_cells(row)
-      for idx in range(len(cells))
-        if !has_key(aligns, idx)
-          let aligns[idx] = 'left'
-        endif
-      endfor
+      return aligns
     endif
   endfor
+  if !found_separator
+    let cells = vimwiki#tbl#get_cells(row)
+    for idx in range(len(cells))
+      let aligns[idx] = 'left'
+    endfor
+  endif
   return aligns
 endfunction "}}}
 
diff --git a/doc/vimwiki.txt b/doc/vimwiki.txt
index 247a0d1..d2ec6f2 100644
--- a/doc/vimwiki.txt
+++ b/doc/vimwiki.txt
@@ -1658,8 +1658,8 @@ values: >
 
 To indent table indent the first row. Then format it with 'gqq'.
 
-You can specify horizontal alignment for columns in the separator.  The
-default is left-align.  >
+You can specify the type of horizontal alignment for columns in the separator
+using the ':' character. The default is left-align.  >
 
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