diff --git a/core/modules/parsers/wikiparser/rules/table.js b/core/modules/parsers/wikiparser/rules/table.js
index 973cea457..be37f4091 100644
--- a/core/modules/parsers/wikiparser/rules/table.js
+++ b/core/modules/parsers/wikiparser/rules/table.js
@@ -52,11 +52,7 @@ var processRow = function(prevColumns) {
 			// Move to just before the `|` terminating the cell
 			this.parser.pos = cellRegExp.lastIndex - 1;
 		} else if(cellMatch[1] === "<" && prevCell) {
-			try {
-				colSpanCount = 1+prevCell.attributes.colspan.value;
-			} catch (e) {
-				colSpanCount = 2;
-			}
+			colSpanCount = 1+$tw.utils.getAttributeValueFromParseTreeNode(prevCell, "colspan", 1);
 			$tw.utils.addAttributeToParseTreeNode(prevCell,"colspan",colSpanCount);
 			colSpanCount = 1;
 			// Move to just before the `|` terminating the cell
diff --git a/core/modules/utils/parsetree.js b/core/modules/utils/parsetree.js
index 6e8ad27c6..d21659c22 100644
--- a/core/modules/utils/parsetree.js
+++ b/core/modules/utils/parsetree.js
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ exports.addAttributeToParseTreeNode = function(node,name,value) {
 	}
 };
 
+exports.getAttributeValueFromParseTreeNode = function(node,name,defaultValue) {
+	if(node.type === "element" && node.attributes && node.attributes[name] && node.attributes[name].value != undefined) {
+		return node.attributes[name].value;
+	}
+	return defaultValue;
+};
+
 exports.addClassToParseTreeNode = function(node,classString) {
 	var classes = [];
 	if(node.type === "element") {