diff --git a/tabulate/__init__.py b/tabulate/__init__.py
index 12a2950..9ba548b 100644
--- a/tabulate/__init__.py
+++ b/tabulate/__init__.py
@@ -204,6 +204,8 @@ def _html_begin_table_without_header(colwidths_ignore, colaligns_ignore):
     # this table header will be suppressed if there is a header row
     return "<table>\n<tbody>"
 
+def _html_separating_line(colwidths, colaligns):
+    return "<tr><td colspan=\"%d\"><hr></td></tr>" % len(colwidths)
 
 def _html_row_with_attrs(celltag, unsafe, cell_values, colwidths, colaligns):
     alignment = {
@@ -617,23 +619,23 @@ def escape_empty(val):
     ),
     "html": TableFormat(
         lineabove=_html_begin_table_without_header,
-        linebelowheader="",
+        linebelowheader=_html_separating_line,
         linebetweenrows=None,
         linebelow=Line("</tbody>\n</table>", "", "", ""),
         headerrow=partial(_html_row_with_attrs, "th", False),
         datarow=partial(_html_row_with_attrs, "td", False),
         padding=0,
-        with_header_hide=["lineabove"],
+        with_header_hide=["lineabove","linebelowheader"],
     ),
     "unsafehtml": TableFormat(
         lineabove=_html_begin_table_without_header,
-        linebelowheader="",
+        linebelowheader=_html_separating_line,
         linebetweenrows=None,
         linebelow=Line("</tbody>\n</table>", "", "", ""),
         headerrow=partial(_html_row_with_attrs, "th", True),
         datarow=partial(_html_row_with_attrs, "td", True),
         padding=0,
-        with_header_hide=["lineabove"],
+        with_header_hide=["lineabove","linebelowheader"],
     ),
     "latex": TableFormat(
         lineabove=_latex_line_begin_tabular,
diff --git a/test/test_output.py b/test/test_output.py
index ea3da87..f9b21e2 100644
--- a/test/test_output.py
+++ b/test/test_output.py
@@ -2586,6 +2586,7 @@ def test_moinmoin_headerless():
 
 _test_table_html_headers = ["<strings>", "<&numbers&>"]
 _test_table_html = [["spam >", 41.9999], ["eggs &", 451.0]]
+_test_table_html_sepline = [["spam >", 41.9999], SEPARATING_LINE, ["eggs &", 451.0]]
 _test_table_unsafehtml_headers = ["strings", "numbers"]
 _test_table_unsafehtml = [
     ["spam", '<font color="red">41.9999</font>'],
@@ -2655,6 +2656,41 @@ def test_html_headerless():
     assert result._repr_html_() == result.str
 
 
+def test_html_with_separating_line():
+    expected = "\n".join(
+        [
+            "<table>",
+            "<tbody>",
+            '<tr><td style="text-align: left;">spam &gt;</td><td style="text-align: right;"> 41.9999</td></tr>',
+            '<tr><td colspan="2"><hr></td></tr>',
+            '<tr><td style="text-align: left;">eggs &amp;</td><td style="text-align: right;">451     </td></tr>',
+            "</tbody>",
+            "</table>",
+        ]
+    )
+    result = tabulate(_test_table_html_sepline, tablefmt="html")
+    assert_equal(expected, result)
+
+
+def test_html_headers_no_extra_line():
+    # ensure that the extra hr isn't accidentally triggered
+    expected = "\n".join(
+        [
+            "<table>",
+            "<thead>",
+            '<tr><th style="text-align: left;">&lt;strings&gt;  </th><th style="text-align: right;">  &lt;&amp;numbers&amp;&gt;</th></tr>',
+            "</thead>",
+            "<tbody>",
+            '<tr><td style="text-align: left;">spam &gt;     </td><td style="text-align: right;">      41.9999</td></tr>',
+            '<tr><td colspan="2"><hr></td></tr>',
+            '<tr><td style="text-align: left;">eggs &amp;     </td><td style="text-align: right;">     451     </td></tr>',
+            "</tbody>",
+            "</table>",
+        ]
+    )
+    result = tabulate(_test_table_html_sepline,_test_table_html_headers, tablefmt="html")
+    assert_equal(expected, result)
+
 def test_unsafehtml_headerless():
     "Output: unsafe html without headers"
     expected = "\n".join(