diff --git a/__tests__/migration/tables.test.ts b/__tests__/migration/tables.test.ts
index 255d5ec8e..50daa6250 100644
--- a/__tests__/migration/tables.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/migration/tables.test.ts
@@ -486,4 +486,21 @@ ${JSON.stringify(
       "
     `);
   });
+
+  it('compiles tables with leading escapes', () => {
+    const md = `
+| Col 1     | Col 2 |
+| --------- | ----- |
+| \\_foo_\\ | bar   |
+`;
+
+    const mdx = migrate(md);
+
+    expect(mdx).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "| Col 1     | Col 2 |
+      | --------- | ----- |
+      | \\_foo\\_\\  | bar   |
+      "
+    `);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/processor/migration/index.ts b/processor/migration/index.ts
index 02c9907ae..45805ca56 100644
--- a/processor/migration/index.ts
+++ b/processor/migration/index.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,6 @@ import imagesTransformer from './images';
 import linkReferenceTransformer from './linkReference';
 import tableCellTransformer from './table-cell';
 
-const transformers = [
-  emphasisTransformer,
-  imagesTransformer,
-  linkReferenceTransformer,
-  tableCellTransformer,
-];
-
-export default transformers
+const transformers = [emphasisTransformer, imagesTransformer, linkReferenceTransformer, tableCellTransformer];
 
+export default transformers;
diff --git a/processor/transform/tables-to-jsx.ts b/processor/transform/tables-to-jsx.ts
index 7d401137e..dc423d274 100644
--- a/processor/transform/tables-to-jsx.ts
+++ b/processor/transform/tables-to-jsx.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ const visitor = (table: Table, index: number, parent: Parents) => {
       parent.children.splice(index, 1, { type: 'text', value: '\n' });
     });
 
-    if (!phrasing(content)) {
+    if (!phrasing(content) && content.type !== 'escape') {
       hasFlowContent = true;
       return EXIT;
     }