diff --git a/crates/formats/src/html.rs b/crates/formats/src/html.rs
index 37844d0..602ab6f 100644
--- a/crates/formats/src/html.rs
+++ b/crates/formats/src/html.rs
@@ -416,9 +416,14 @@ impl Writer {
         }
     }
 
-    fn line_break(&mut self) {
+    fn line_break(&mut self, attrs: &str) {
         if self.in_cell {
-            self.cell.push(' ');
+            let newline = match attr(attrs, "data-nc-break").as_deref() {
+                Some("crlf") => "\r\n",
+                Some("cr") => "\r",
+                _ => "\n",
+            };
+            self.cell.push_str(&crate::render::table_line_breaks(newline));
         } else if !self.href.is_empty() {
             // An attachment card uses <br> between its icon and file name while
             // keeping both inside one link. Markdown links cannot contain a
@@ -513,7 +518,7 @@ impl Writer {
                 self.quote = true;
                 self.block_break();
             }
-            ("br", _) => self.line_break(),
+            ("br", _) => self.line_break(attrs),
             ("hr", _) => {
                 self.block_break();
                 self.push("---");
@@ -552,7 +557,7 @@ impl Writer {
             ("li", true) => {
                 let trimmed = self.out.trim_end_matches([' ', '\t']).len();
                 self.out.truncate(trimmed);
-                self.line_break();
+                self.line_break("");
             }
             ("b" | "strong", _) => self.push("**"),
             ("i" | "em", _) => self.push("*"),
diff --git a/crates/formats/src/markdown.rs b/crates/formats/src/markdown.rs
index edb3216..42f8b7c 100644
--- a/crates/formats/src/markdown.rs
+++ b/crates/formats/src/markdown.rs
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ struct Style {
 /// Parses inline Markdown into styled spans.
 pub fn parse_inline(text: &str) -> Vec<Span> {
     let chars: Vec<char> = text.chars().collect();
-    inline(&chars, Style::default(), None, 0)
+    inline(&chars, Style::default(), None, 0, false)
 }
 
 const MAX_DEPTH: usize = 8;
@@ -282,13 +282,22 @@ fn inline_tag_close(chars: &[char], start: usize, open: &[char], close: &[char])
     None
 }
 
-fn inline(chars: &[char], st: Style, link: Option<String>, depth: usize) -> Vec<Span> {
+fn inline(chars: &[char], st: Style, link: Option<String>, depth: usize, cell_breaks: bool) -> Vec<Span> {
     let mut out = Vec::new();
     let mut buf = String::new();
     let mut i = 0;
     while i < chars.len() {
         let c = chars.get(i).copied().unwrap_or(' ');
         let next = chars.get(i + 1).copied();
+        // A table row stays on one source line; an explicit break is part of its cell.
+        if cell_breaks
+            && c == '<'
+            && let Some((len, newline)) = table_break(chars, i)
+        {
+            buf.push_str(newline);
+            i += len;
+            continue;
+        }
         if c == '<'
             && depth < MAX_DEPTH
             && let Some((font_size, font_family, content_start)) = font_style_open(chars, i)
@@ -302,7 +311,7 @@ fn inline(chars: &[char], st: Style, link: Option<String>, depth: usize) -> Vec<
             if font_family.is_some() {
                 sized.font_family = font_family;
             }
-            out.extend(inline(slice(chars, content_start, content_end), sized, link.clone(), depth + 1));
+            out.extend(inline(slice(chars, content_start, content_end), sized, link.clone(), depth + 1, cell_breaks));
             i = content_end + "</span>".chars().count();
             continue;
         }
@@ -323,7 +332,7 @@ fn inline(chars: &[char], st: Style, link: Option<String>, depth: usize) -> Vec<
                     } else {
                         inner.underline = true;
                     }
-                    out.extend(inline(slice(chars, i + open_len, end), inner, link.clone(), depth + 1));
+                    out.extend(inline(slice(chars, i + open_len, end), inner, link.clone(), depth + 1, cell_breaks));
                     i = end + closing.len();
                     continue;
                 }
@@ -378,7 +387,7 @@ fn inline(chars: &[char], st: Style, link: Option<String>, depth: usize) -> Vec<
                 if let Some(end) = find(chars, i + 3, &['*', '*', '*']) {
                     push_text(&mut out, &mut buf, &st, &link);
                     let inner = Style { bold: true, italic: true, ..st.clone() };
-                    out.extend(inline(slice(chars, i + 3, end), inner, link.clone(), depth + 1));
+                    out.extend(inline(slice(chars, i + 3, end), inner, link.clone(), depth + 1, cell_breaks));
                     i = end + 3;
                 }
             }
@@ -393,7 +402,7 @@ fn inline(chars: &[char], st: Style, link: Option<String>, depth: usize) -> Vec<
                         } else {
                             inner.strike = true;
                         }
-                        out.extend(inline(slice(chars, i + 2, end), inner, link.clone(), depth + 1));
+                        out.extend(inline(slice(chars, i + 2, end), inner, link.clone(), depth + 1, cell_breaks));
                         i = end + 2;
                     }
                     _ => {
@@ -407,7 +416,7 @@ fn inline(chars: &[char], st: Style, link: Option<String>, depth: usize) -> Vec<
                     push_text(&mut out, &mut buf, &st, &link);
                     let mut inner = st.clone();
                     inner.italic = true;
-                    out.extend(inline(slice(chars, i + 1, end), inner, link.clone(), depth + 1));
+                    out.extend(inline(slice(chars, i + 1, end), inner, link.clone(), depth + 1, cell_breaks));
                     i = end + 1;
                 }
                 _ => {
@@ -461,7 +470,7 @@ fn inline(chars: &[char], st: Style, link: Option<String>, depth: usize) -> Vec<
                 Some((label, url, after)) => {
                     push_text(&mut out, &mut buf, &st, &link);
                     let label_chars: Vec<char> = label.chars().collect();
-                    out.extend(inline(&label_chars, st.clone(), Some(url), depth + 1));
+                    out.extend(inline(&label_chars, st.clone(), Some(url), depth + 1, cell_breaks));
                     i = after;
                 }
                 None => {
@@ -552,6 +561,16 @@ fn is_table_separator(line: &str) -> bool {
     t.contains('-') && t.contains('|') && t.chars().all(|c| matches!(c, '|' | '-' | ':' | ' '))
 }
 
+fn table_break(chars: &[char], at: usize) -> Option<(usize, &'static str)> {
+    crate::render::TABLE_BREAKS
+        .iter()
+        .find_map(|&(newline, tag)| chars.get(at..at + tag.len()).filter(|slice| slice.iter().copied().eq(tag.chars())).map(|_| (tag.len(), newline)))
+}
+
+fn parse_table_cell(text: &str) -> Vec<Span> {
+    inline(&text.chars().collect::<Vec<_>>(), Style::default(), None, 0, true)
+}
+
 fn cells(line: &str) -> Vec<String> {
     let t = line.trim();
     let t = t.strip_prefix('|').unwrap_or(t);
@@ -691,11 +710,11 @@ pub fn parse(src: &str) -> Vec<Block> {
             }
             out.push(Block::Quote(parse_inline(&parts.join(" "))));
         } else if line.contains('|') && lines.get(i + 1).is_some_and(|l| is_table_separator(l)) {
-            let head: Vec<Vec<Span>> = cells(line).iter().map(|c| parse_inline(c)).collect();
+            let head: Vec<Vec<Span>> = cells(line).iter().map(|c| parse_table_cell(c)).collect();
             i += 2;
             let mut rows = Vec::new();
             while i < lines.len() && lines.get(i).is_some_and(|l| l.contains('|') && !l.trim().is_empty()) {
-                rows.push(cells(lines.get(i).copied().unwrap_or("")).iter().map(|c| parse_inline(c)).collect());
+                rows.push(cells(lines.get(i).copied().unwrap_or("")).iter().map(|c| parse_table_cell(c)).collect());
                 i += 1;
             }
             out.push(Block::Table { head, rows });
diff --git a/crates/formats/src/render.rs b/crates/formats/src/render.rs
index 696134b..3fa1470 100644
--- a/crates/formats/src/render.rs
+++ b/crates/formats/src/render.rs
@@ -147,7 +147,11 @@ fn row_to_markdown(cells: &[Vec<Span>]) -> String {
     let mut s = String::from("|");
     for c in cells {
         s.push(' ');
-        s.push_str(&escape_table_cell(&spans_to_markdown(c)));
+        let mut literal = Literal::for_spans(c);
+        let words: String = c.iter().filter(|span| plain_text(span)).map(|span| span.text.as_str()).collect();
+        let lower = words.to_ascii_lowercase();
+        literal.tag |= lower.contains("<br>") || lower.contains("<br ");
+        s.push_str(&escape_table_cell(&table_line_breaks(&marked(c, 0, &literal))));
         s.push_str(" |");
     }
     s.push('\n');
@@ -164,6 +168,14 @@ pub(crate) fn escape_table_cell(text: &str) -> String {
     text.replace('\\', "\\\\").replace('|', "\\|")
 }
 
+/// Explicit breaks keep each table row on one source line. HTML folds bare carriage
+/// returns, so the optional attribute preserves the original CSV line-ending bytes.
+pub(crate) const TABLE_BREAKS: [(&str, &str); 3] = [("\r\n", "<br data-nc-break=\"crlf\">"), ("\r", "<br data-nc-break=\"cr\">"), ("\n", "<br>")];
+
+pub(crate) fn table_line_breaks(text: &str) -> String {
+    TABLE_BREAKS.iter().fold(text.to_string(), |text, (newline, tag)| text.replace(newline, tag))
+}
+
 /// Live-editor text and a character mask identifying literal punctuation. Formatting marks
 /// remain editable, while persistence-only backslashes never enter the text widget.
 pub fn editable_spans(spans: &[Span]) -> (String, Vec<bool>) {
@@ -468,14 +480,14 @@ pub fn blocks_to_html(blocks: &[Block]) -> String {
                 if !head.is_empty() {
                     out.push_str("<tr>");
                     for c in head {
-                        out.push_str(&format!("<th>{}</th>", spans_to_html(c)));
+                        out.push_str(&format!("<th>{}</th>", spans_to_html_with_breaks(c, true)));
                     }
                     out.push_str("</tr>\n");
                 }
                 for r in rows {
                     out.push_str("<tr>");
                     for c in r {
-                        out.push_str(&format!("<td>{}</td>", spans_to_html(c)));
+                        out.push_str(&format!("<td>{}</td>", spans_to_html_with_breaks(c, true)));
                     }
                     out.push_str("</tr>\n");
                 }
@@ -525,6 +537,11 @@ fn render_html_list(blocks: &[Block], at: &mut usize, depth: usize, ordered: boo
 
 /// Inline spans as HTML.
 pub fn spans_to_html(spans: &[Span]) -> String {
+    spans_to_html_with_breaks(spans, false)
+}
+
+/// Table cell line breaks are content, rather than whitespace between HTML words.
+fn spans_to_html_with_breaks(spans: &[Span], cell: bool) -> String {
     let mut out = String::new();
     for s in spans {
         if let Some(src) = &s.image {
@@ -543,6 +560,9 @@ pub fn spans_to_html(spans: &[Span]) -> String {
             continue;
         }
         let mut text = escape(&s.text);
+        if cell && !s.code {
+            text = table_line_breaks(&text);
+        }
         if s.code {
             text = format!("<code>{text}</code>");
         } else {
diff --git a/crates/formats/tests/csv_multiline.rs b/crates/formats/tests/csv_multiline.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..978f66d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/formats/tests/csv_multiline.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+use notecraft_formats::{csv, html, markdown, render};
+
+#[test]
+fn multiline_csv_cells_remain_in_one_row_in_both_page_formats() {
+    for value in
+        ["a\nb", "a\r\nb", "a\rb", "a\r\nb\rc\nd", "\na\n\nb\n", "<br data-nc-break=\"crlf\">\nsecond", "caf\u{e9}\n*literal* | `code` <br> \\path"]
+    {
+        let quoted = value.replace('"', "\"\"");
+        let source = format!("Value,Other\n\"{quoted}\",untouched\nlast,row\n");
+        let original = csv::to_table(&source).expect("CSV table");
+        for format in ["cmgfm", "html"] {
+            let mut blocks = vec![original.clone()];
+            for _ in 0..3 {
+                let written =
+                    if format == "html" { html::to_markdown(&render::blocks_to_html(&blocks)) } else { render::blocks_to_markdown(&blocks) };
+                blocks = markdown::parse(&written);
+                assert_eq!(blocks, vec![original.clone()], "{format}: {value:?}\n{written}");
+                assert_eq!(csv::from_table(&blocks[0]).expect("table"), source);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_literal_break_tag_and_inline_code_are_not_changed() {
+    assert_eq!(render::spans_to_markdown(&markdown::parse_inline("a<br>b")), "a<br>b");
+    let original = markdown::parse("a<br>b\n\n| Value |\n| --- |\n| `<br>` |\n");
+    assert_eq!(render::blocks_to_text(&original), "a<br>b\nValue\n<br>");
+    assert_eq!(markdown::parse(&render::blocks_to_markdown(&original)), original);
+    assert_eq!(markdown::parse(&html::to_markdown(&render::blocks_to_html(&original))), original);
+}
diff --git a/docs/folder-format.md b/docs/folder-format.md
index 275a7bf..05404c8 100644
--- a/docs/folder-format.md
+++ b/docs/folder-format.md
@@ -140,6 +140,10 @@ tags: []
   `<span style="font-size: Npt">text</span>` form, where N is 8 through 72. This is a
   subset of CommonMark and GFM, not a full implementation. See `crates/formats/src/markdown.rs`
   for the exact list.
+- Table cell line breaks use `<br>` in both page formats, so a multiline CSV value stays
+  in one cell. LF is the default. `<br data-nc-break="crlf">` and
+  `<br data-nc-break="cr">` preserve CRLF and CR bytes without HTML whitespace folding.
+  Literal break-tag text in a Markdown table is backslash-quoted; inline code stays literal.
 - Font-family spans in the in-progress font-formatting model use the `font-family` CSS
   property. Names that need CSS quoting are written as single-quoted strings, with quotes and
   backslashes escaped, and HTML attribute characters encoded. This representation preserves