diff --git a/sol/state.hpp b/sol/state.hpp
index 35f44964..985b5c19 100644
--- a/sol/state.hpp
+++ b/sol/state.hpp
@@ -145,6 +145,34 @@ public:
         return *this;
     }
 
+    template<typename T>
+    table create_table(T&& key, int narr = 0, int nrec = 0) {
+        if(narr == 0 && nrec == 0) {
+            lua_newtable(L.get());
+        }
+        else {
+            lua_createtable(L.get(), narr, nrec);
+        }
+
+        table result(L.get());
+        lua_pop(L.get(), 1);
+        global.set(std::forward<T>(key), result);
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    table create_table(int narr = 0, int nrec = 0) {
+        if(narr == 0 && nrec == 0) {
+            lua_newtable(L.get());
+        }
+        else {
+            lua_createtable(L.get(), narr, nrec);
+        }
+
+        table result(L.get());
+        lua_pop(L.get(), 1);
+        return result;
+    }
+
     table global_table() const {
         return global;
     }