diff --git a/html2text/utils.py b/html2text/utils.py
index 8f77668..8ecd2ce 100644
--- a/html2text/utils.py
+++ b/html2text/utils.py
@@ -256,6 +256,8 @@ def reformat_table(lines: List[str], right_margin: int) -> List[str]:
     Given the lines of a table
     padds the cells and returns the new lines
     """
+    if not lines:
+        return lines
     # find the maximum width of the columns
     max_width = [len(x.rstrip()) + right_margin for x in lines[0].split("|")]
     max_cols = len(max_width)
diff --git a/test/test_html2text.py b/test/test_html2text.py
index 1f16b4f..8949a17 100644
--- a/test/test_html2text.py
+++ b/test/test_html2text.py
@@ -254,3 +254,14 @@ def test_strong_emptied() -> None:
     h.strong_mark = ""
     string = "A <b>B</b> <i>C</i>."
     assert h.handle(string) == "A B _C_.\n\n"
+
+
+def test_pad_tables_empty_table() -> None:
+    """An empty table block should not crash table padding."""
+    from html2text import config
+    from html2text.utils import pad_tables_in_text
+
+    # Two consecutive markers leave the table buffer empty, which used to
+    # raise IndexError on lines[0].
+    marker = config.TABLE_MARKER_FOR_PAD
+    pad_tables_in_text(f"{marker}\n{marker}\n")