diff --git a/src/mathed/math_parser.C b/src/mathed/math_parser.C
index 27ac62a226..65b4f661ec 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_parser.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_parser.C
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ following hack as starting point to write some macros:
 #include "math_parinset.h"
 #include "math_rootinset.h"
 #include "math_scriptinset.h"
+#include "math_splitinset.h"
 #include "math_sqrtinset.h"
 #include "math_support.h"
 #include "math_tabularinset.h"
@@ -1097,16 +1098,22 @@ void Parser::parse1(MathGridInset & grid, unsigned flags,
 				parse2(cell->back(), FLAG_END, MathInset::TEXT_MODE, false);
 			}
 
-			else if (name == "split" || name == "cases" ||
-			         name == "gathered" || name == "aligned") {
+			else if (name == "split" || name == "cases") {
 				cell->push_back(createMathInset(name));
 				parse2(cell->back(), FLAG_END, mode, false);
 			}
 
+			else if (name == "gathered" || name == "aligned") {
+				string const valign = parse_verbatim_option() + 'c';
+				cell->push_back(MathAtom(new MathSplitInset(name, valign[0])));
+				parse2(cell->back(), FLAG_END, mode, false);
+			}
+
 			else if (name == "alignedat") {
+				string const valign = parse_verbatim_option() + 'c';
 				// ignore this for a while
 				getArg('{', '}');
-				cell->push_back(createMathInset(name));
+				cell->push_back(MathAtom(new MathSplitInset(name, valign[0])));
 				parse2(cell->back(), FLAG_END, mode, false);
 			}
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_splitinset.C b/src/mathed/math_splitinset.C
index 0d2a4f7f07..44938c79df 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_splitinset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_splitinset.C
@@ -29,10 +29,9 @@ using std::string;
 using std::auto_ptr;
 
 
-MathSplitInset::MathSplitInset(string const & name)
-	: MathGridInset(1, 1), name_(name)
+MathSplitInset::MathSplitInset(string const & name, char valign)
+	: MathGridInset(1, 1, valign, string()), name_(name)
 {
-	setDefaults();
 }
 
 
@@ -89,6 +88,8 @@ void MathSplitInset::write(WriteStream & ws) const
 	if (ws.fragile())
 		ws << "\\protect";
 	ws << "\\begin{" << name_ << '}';
+	if (name_ != "split" && valign() != 'c')
+		ws << '[' << valign() << ']';
 	if (name_ == "alignedat")
 		ws << '{' << static_cast<unsigned int>((ncols() + 1)/2) << '}';
 	MathGridInset::write(ws);
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_splitinset.h b/src/mathed/math_splitinset.h
index db980147d1..2ffbcbb379 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_splitinset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_splitinset.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 class MathSplitInset : public MathGridInset {
 public:
 	///
-	explicit MathSplitInset(std::string const & name);
+	explicit MathSplitInset(std::string const & name, char valign = 'c');
 
 	///
 	void draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const;
diff --git a/status.14x b/status.14x
index 49ecec73ee..0fe422c492 100644
--- a/status.14x
+++ b/status.14x
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ What's new
 
 * Document Input/Output
 
+- Parse the optional argument of the AMS math environments aligned, gathered
+  and alignedat.
 
 * User Interface: