diff --git a/sphinx/directives/other.py b/sphinx/directives/other.py
index 80c88f5fd..85f85f35b 100644
--- a/sphinx/directives/other.py
+++ b/sphinx/directives/other.py
@@ -396,11 +396,14 @@ class TabularColumns(Directive):
     required_arguments = 1
     optional_arguments = 0
     final_argument_whitespace = True
-    option_spec = {}
+    option_spec = {
+        'longtable': directives.flag,
+    }
 
     def run(self):
         node = addnodes.tabular_col_spec()
         node['spec'] = self.arguments[0]
+        node['longtable'] = 'longtable' in self.options
         return [node]
 
 
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/latex.py b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
index 63d66b558..81368d0e8 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/latex.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ HEADER = r'''%% Generated by Sphinx.
 %(babel)s
 %(fontpkg)s
 %(fncychap)s
+%(longtable)s
 \usepackage{sphinx}
 %(preamble)s
 
@@ -111,9 +112,11 @@ class Table(object):
         self.col = 0
         self.colcount = 0
         self.colspec = None
+        self.rowcount = 0
         self.had_head = False
         self.has_verbatim = False
         self.caption = None
+        self.longtable = False
 
 
 class Desc(object):
@@ -140,6 +143,7 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
         'babel':           '\\usepackage{babel}',
         'fontpkg':         '\\usepackage{times}',
         'fncychap':        '\\usepackage[Bjarne]{fncychap}',
+        'longtable':       '\\usepackage{longtable}',
         'preamble':        '',
         'title':           '',
         'date':            '',
@@ -585,6 +589,7 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
 
     def visit_tabular_col_spec(self, node):
         self.next_table_colspec = node['spec']
+        self.next_table_longtable = node['longtable']
         raise nodes.SkipNode
 
     def visit_table(self, node):
@@ -594,15 +599,18 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
                 (self.curfilestack[-1], node.line or ''))
         self.table = Table()
         self.tablebody = []
+        self.table.longtable = self.next_table_longtable
         # Redirect body output until table is finished.
         self._body = self.body
         self.body = self.tablebody
     def depart_table(self, node):
         self.body = self._body
-        if self.table.caption is not None:
+        if not self.table.longtable and self.table.caption is not None:
             self.body.append('\n\\begin{threeparttable}\n'
                              '\\caption{%s}\n' % self.table.caption)
-        if self.table.has_verbatim:
+        if self.table.longtable:
+            self.body.append('\n\\begin{longtable}')
+        elif self.table.has_verbatim:
             self.body.append('\n\\begin{tabular}')
         else:
             self.body.append('\n\\begin{tabulary}{\\textwidth}')
@@ -616,12 +624,31 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
                 self.body.append('{|' + colspec + '}\n')
             else:
                 self.body.append('{|' + ('L|' * self.table.colcount) + '}\n')
+        if self.table.longtable and self.table.caption is not None:
+            self.body.append('\\caption{%s} \\\\\n' % self.table.caption)
+
+        if self.table.longtable:
+            self.body.append('\\hline\n')
+            self.body.append('\\endfirsthead\n\n')
+            self.body.append('\multicolumn{%s}{c}%%\n' % self.table.colcount)
+            self.body.append('{{\\bfseries \\tablename\\ \\thetable{} -- %s}} \\\\\n' % _('continued from previous page'))
+            self.body.append('\\hline\n')
+            self.body.append('\\endhead\n\n')
+            self.body.append('\\hline \multicolumn{%s}{|r|}{{%s}} \\\\ \\hline\n' % (
+                self.table.colcount, _('Continued on next page')))
+            self.body.append('\\endfoot\n\n')
+            self.body.append('\\hline\n')
+            self.body.append('\\endlastfoot\n\n')
+        else:
+            self.body.append('\\hline\n')
         self.body.extend(self.tablebody)
-        if self.table.has_verbatim:
+        if self.table.longtable:
+            self.body.append('\\end{longtable}\n\n')
+        elif self.table.has_verbatim:
             self.body.append('\\end{tabular}\n\n')
         else:
             self.body.append('\\end{tabulary}\n\n')
-        if self.table.caption is not None:
+        if not self.table.longtable and self.table.caption is not None:
             self.body.append('\\end{threeparttable}\n\n')
         self.table = None
         self.tablebody = None
@@ -640,8 +667,8 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
         if self.next_table_colspec:
             self.table.colspec = '{%s}\n' % self.next_table_colspec
         self.next_table_colspec = None
-        self.body.append('\\hline\n')
-        self.table.had_head = True
+#        self.body.append('\\hline\n')
+#        self.table.had_head = True
     def depart_thead(self, node):
         self.body.append('\\hline\n')
 
@@ -655,6 +682,7 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
         self.table.col = 0
     def depart_row(self, node):
         self.body.append('\\\\\n')
+        self.table.rowcount += 1
 
     def visit_entry(self, node):
         if node.has_key('morerows') or node.has_key('morecols'):