diff --git a/includes/common.inc b/includes/common.inc
index 44ff460787..ad8516f2fb 100644
--- a/includes/common.inc
+++ b/includes/common.inc
@@ -6952,7 +6952,16 @@ function drupal_common_theme() {
       'variables' => array(),
     ),
     'table' => array(
-      'variables' => array('header' => NULL, 'rows' => NULL, 'attributes' => array(), 'caption' => NULL, 'colgroups' => array(), 'sticky' => TRUE, 'empty' => ''),
+      'variables' => array(
+        'header' => NULL,
+        'footer' => NULL,
+        'rows' => NULL,
+        'attributes' => array(),
+        'caption' => NULL,
+        'colgroups' => array(),
+        'sticky' => TRUE,
+        'empty' => '',
+      ),
     ),
     'tablesort_indicator' => array(
       'variables' => array('style' => NULL),
diff --git a/includes/theme.inc b/includes/theme.inc
index a926b764ed..c9d80584b5 100644
--- a/includes/theme.inc
+++ b/includes/theme.inc
@@ -1911,7 +1911,7 @@ function theme_breadcrumb($variables) {
 /**
  * Returns HTML for a table.
  *
- * @param $variables
+ * @param array $variables
  *   An associative array containing:
  *   - header: An array containing the table headers. Each element of the array
  *     can be either a localized string or an associative array with the
@@ -1948,6 +1948,8 @@ function theme_breadcrumb($variables) {
  *       )
  *     );
  *     @endcode
+ *   - footer: An array of table rows which will be printed within a <tfoot>
+ *     tag, in the same format as the rows element (see above).
  *   - attributes: An array of HTML attributes to apply to the table tag.
  *   - caption: A localized string to use for the <caption> tag.
  *   - colgroups: An array of column groups. Each element of the array can be
@@ -1984,8 +1986,11 @@ function theme_breadcrumb($variables) {
  *   - sticky: Use a "sticky" table header.
  *   - empty: The message to display in an extra row if table does not have any
  *     rows.
+ *
+ * @return string
+ *   The HTML output.
  */
-function theme_table($variables) {
+function theme_table(array $variables) {
   $header = $variables['header'];
   $rows = $variables['rows'];
   $attributes = $variables['attributes'];
@@ -2049,17 +2054,31 @@ function theme_table($variables) {
     if (!empty($header)) {
       foreach ($header as $header_cell) {
         if (is_array($header_cell)) {
-          $header_count += isset($header_cell['colspan']) ? $header_cell['colspan'] : 1;
+          $header_count += isset($header_cell['colspan']) ?
+            $header_cell['colspan'] : 1;
         }
         else {
           $header_count++;
         }
       }
     }
-    $rows[] = array(array('data' => $empty, 'colspan' => $header_count, 'class' => array('empty', 'message')));
+    $rows[] = array(
+      array(
+        'data' => $empty,
+        'colspan' => $header_count,
+        'class' => array(
+          'empty',
+          'message'
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
   }
 
-  // Format the table header:
+  // Assigning back the $rows variable into $variables as we won't modify it
+  // anymore.
+  $variables['rows'] = $rows;
+
+  // Format the table header.
   if (!empty($header)) {
     $ts = tablesort_init($header);
     // HTML requires that the thead tag has tr tags in it followed by tbody
@@ -2069,23 +2088,38 @@ function theme_table($variables) {
       $cell = tablesort_header($cell, $header, $ts);
       $output .= _theme_table_cell($cell, TRUE);
     }
-    // Using ternary operator to close the tags based on whether or not there are rows
+    // Using ternary operator to close the tags based on whether
+    // or not there are rows.
     $output .= (!empty($rows) ? " </tr></thead>\n" : "</tr>\n");
   }
   else {
     $ts = array();
   }
 
-  // Format the table rows:
+  $sections = array();
+
   if (!empty($rows)) {
-    $output .= "<tbody>\n";
+    $sections['tbody'] = $rows;
+  }
+
+  if (!empty($variables['footer'])) {
+    $sections['tfoot'] = $variables['footer'];
+  }
+
+  // tbody and tfoot have the same structure and are built using the same
+  // procedure.
+  foreach ($sections as $tag => $content) {
+    $output .= "<" . $tag . ">\n";
     $flip = array('even' => 'odd', 'odd' => 'even');
     $class = 'even';
-    foreach ($rows as $number => $row) {
-      // Check if we're dealing with a simple or complex row
+    $no_striping = $tag === 'tfoot';
+
+    foreach ($content as $number => $row) {
+      // Check if we're dealing with a simple or complex row.
       if (isset($row['data'])) {
         $cells = $row['data'];
-        $no_striping = isset($row['no_striping']) ? $row['no_striping'] : FALSE;
+        $no_striping = isset($row['no_striping']) ?
+          $row['no_striping'] : $no_striping;
 
         // Set the attributes array and exclude 'data' and 'no_striping'.
         $attributes = $row;
@@ -2097,14 +2131,15 @@ function theme_table($variables) {
         $attributes = array();
         $no_striping = FALSE;
       }
+
       if (!empty($cells)) {
-        // Add odd/even class
+        // Add odd/even class.
         if (!$no_striping) {
           $class = $flip[$class];
           $attributes['class'][] = $class;
         }
 
-        // Build row
+        // Build row.
         $output .= ' <tr' . drupal_attributes($attributes) . '>';
         $i = 0;
         foreach ($cells as $cell) {
@@ -2114,10 +2149,12 @@ function theme_table($variables) {
         $output .= " </tr>\n";
       }
     }
-    $output .= "</tbody>\n";
+
+    $output .= "</" . $tag . ">\n";
   }
 
   $output .= "</table>\n";
+
   return $output;
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/simpletest/tests/theme.test b/modules/simpletest/tests/theme.test
index 5f095bd558..710a56e5ef 100644
--- a/modules/simpletest/tests/theme.test
+++ b/modules/simpletest/tests/theme.test
@@ -238,6 +238,27 @@ class ThemeTableTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $this->assertNoRaw('class="odd"', 'Odd/even classes were not added because $no_striping = TRUE.');
     $this->assertNoRaw('no_striping', 'No invalid no_striping HTML attribute was printed.');
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Test that the 'footer' option works correctly.
+   */
+  function testThemeTableFooter() {
+    $footer = array(
+      array(
+        'data' => array(1),
+      ),
+      array('Foo'),
+    );
+
+    $table = array(
+      'rows' => array(),
+      'footer' => $footer,
+    );
+
+    $this->content = theme('table', $table);
+    $this->content = preg_replace('@>\s+<@', '><', $this->content);
+    $this->assertRaw('<tfoot><tr><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Foo</td></tr></tfoot>', 'Table footer found.');
+  }
 }
 
 /**