diff --git a/src/parallel b/src/parallel
index 4607d60e..809de8fe 100755
--- a/src/parallel
+++ b/src/parallel
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ if($::opt_skip_first_line) {
     my $fh = $fhlist[0];
     <$fh>;
 }
-if($::opt_header) {
+if($::opt_header and not $::opt_pipe) {
     my $fh = $fhlist[0];
     my $line = <$fh>;
     chomp($line);
@@ -177,6 +177,17 @@ sub spreadstdin {
     # Spawn a job and print the record to it.
     my $record;
     my $buf = "";
+    my $header = "";
+    if($::opt_header) {
+	my $non_greedy_regexp = $::opt_header;
+	# ? , * , + , {} => ?? , *? , +? , {}?
+	$non_greedy_regexp =~ s/(\?|\*|\+|\})/$1\?/g;
+	while(read(STDIN,substr($buf,length $buf,0),$::opt_blocksize)) {
+	    if($buf=~s/^(.*?$non_greedy_regexp)//) {
+		$header = $1; last;
+	    }
+	}
+    }
     my ($recstart,$recend,$recerror);
     if(defined($::opt_recstart) and defined($::opt_recend)) {
 	# If both --recstart and --recend is given then both must match
@@ -205,8 +216,9 @@ sub spreadstdin {
 	$recend =~ s/\\([rnt'"\\])/"qq|\\$1|"/gee;
     }
     my $recendrecstart = $recend.$recstart;
-
-    while(read(STDIN,substr($buf,length $buf,0),$::opt_blocksize)) {
+    # Force the while-loop once if everything was read by header reading
+    my $force_one_time_through = 0;
+    while(!$force_one_time_through++ or read(STDIN,substr($buf,length $buf,0),$::opt_blocksize)) {
 	# substr above = append to $buf
 	reap_if_needed(); # Re-enable reaping after read() (Bug#33352)
 	if($::opt_r) {
@@ -220,14 +232,14 @@ sub spreadstdin {
 	    if($Global::max_number_of_args) {
 		# -N => (start..*?end){n}
 		while($buf =~ s/((?:$recstart.*?$recend){$Global::max_number_of_args})($recstart.*)$/$2/os) {
-		    $record = $1;
+		    $record = $header.$1;
 		    ::debug("Read record -N: ".length($record)."\n");
 		    write_record_to_pipe(\$record,$recstart,$recend);
 		}
 	    } else {
 		# Find the last recend-recstart in $buf
 		if($buf =~ s/(.*$recend)($recstart.*?)$/$2/os) {
-		    $record = $1;
+		    $record = $header.$1;
 		    ::debug("Matched record: ".length($record)."/".length($buf)."\n");
 		    write_record_to_pipe(\$record,$recstart,$recend);
 		}
@@ -238,7 +250,7 @@ sub spreadstdin {
 		my $i = 0;
 		while(($i = nindex(\$buf,$recendrecstart,$Global::max_number_of_args)) != -1) {
 		    $i += length $recend; # find the actual splitting location
-		    my $record = substr($buf,0,$i);
+		    my $record = $header.substr($buf,0,$i);
 		    substr($buf,0,$i) = "";
 		    ::debug("Read record: ".length($record)."\n");
 		    write_record_to_pipe(\$record,$recstart,$recend);
@@ -248,7 +260,7 @@ sub spreadstdin {
 		my $i = rindex($buf,$recendrecstart);
 		if($i != -1) {
 		    $i += length $recend; # find the actual splitting location
-		    my $record = substr($buf,0,$i);
+		    my $record = $header.substr($buf,0,$i);
 		    substr($buf,0,$i) = "";
 		    ::debug("Read record: ".length($record)."\n");
 		    write_record_to_pipe(\$record,$recstart,$recend);
@@ -258,6 +270,7 @@ sub spreadstdin {
 	do_not_reap(); # Disable reaping before read(STDIN) (Bug#33352)
     }
     # If there is anything left in the buffer write it
+    substr($buf,0,0) = $header;
     write_record_to_pipe(\$buf,$recstart,$recend);
 
     ::debug("Done reading STDIN\n");
@@ -498,7 +511,7 @@ sub options_hash {
 	 "shebang|hashbang" => \$::opt_shebang,
 	 "Y" => \$::opt_retired,
 	 "skip-first-line" => \$::opt_skip_first_line,
-	 "header" => \$::opt_header,
+	 "header=s" => \$::opt_header,
 	);
 }
 
@@ -795,7 +808,6 @@ sub open_joblog {
     }
 }
 
-
 sub read_options {
     # Read options from command line, profile and $PARALLEL
     # Returns:
diff --git a/testsuite/tests-to-run/test45.sh b/testsuite/tests-to-run/test45.sh
index 0020836a..3380e565 100644
--- a/testsuite/tests-to-run/test45.sh
+++ b/testsuite/tests-to-run/test45.sh
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ echo '### Test --resume --joblog followed by --resume --joblog';
   rm -f /tmp/joblog2;
 
 echo '### Test --header'; 
-  printf "a\tb\n1.2\t3/4.5" | parallel --header echo {b} {a} {b.} {b/} {b//} {b/.}; 
+  printf "a\tb\n1.2\t3/4.5" | parallel --header "\n" echo {b} {a} {b.} {b/} {b//} {b/.}; 
 
 echo '### 64-bit wierdness - this did not complete on a 64-bit machine'; 
   seq 1 2 | parallel -j1 'seq 1 1 | parallel true'
diff --git a/testsuite/tests-to-run/test65.sh b/testsuite/tests-to-run/test65.sh
index 79fc501e..14239c1b 100644
--- a/testsuite/tests-to-run/test65.sh
+++ b/testsuite/tests-to-run/test65.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ mem300=$(echo $out300 | tr -cd 0-9);
 echo "Test if memory consumption(300 jobs) < memory consumption(30 jobs) * 150% ";
 echo $(($mem300*100 < $mem30 * 150))
 
+echo "### Test --header with -N";
+(echo h1; echo h2; echo 1a;echo 1b; echo 2a;echo 2b; echo 3a)| parallel -j1 --pipe -N2 -k --header '\n.*\n' echo Start\;cat \; echo Stop
+
+echo "### Test --header with --block 1k";
+(echo h1; echo h2; perl -e '$a="x"x110;for(1..22){print $_,$a,"\n"'})| parallel -j1 --pipe -k --block 1k --header '\n.*\n' echo Start\;cat \; echo Stop
+
 echo '### Test --shellquote'
 cat <<'_EOF' | parallel --shellquote  
 awk -v FS="\",\"" '{print $1, $3, $4, $5, $9, $14}' | grep -v "#" | sed -e '1d' -e 's/\"//g' -e 's/\/\/\//\t/g' | cut -f1-6,11 | sed -e 's/\/\//\t/g' -e 's/ /\t/g
diff --git a/testsuite/wanted-results/test65 b/testsuite/wanted-results/test65
index a2497f88..392054eb 100644
--- a/testsuite/wanted-results/test65
+++ b/testsuite/wanted-results/test65
@@ -1,5 +1,62 @@
 ### Test memory consumption stays (almost) the same for 30 and 300 jobs
 Test if memory consumption(300 jobs) < memory consumption(30 jobs) * 150% 
 1
+### Test --header with -N
+Start
+h1
+h2
+1a
+1b
+Stop
+Start
+h1
+h2
+2a
+2b
+Stop
+Start
+h1
+h2
+3a
+Stop
+### Test --header with --block 1k
+Start
+h1
+h2
+1xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+2xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+3xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+4xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+5xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+6xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+7xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+8xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+Stop
+Start
+h1
+h2
+9xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+10xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+11xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+12xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+13xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+14xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+15xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+16xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+17xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+Stop
+Start
+h1
+h2
+18xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+19xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+20xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+21xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+22xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+Stop
+Start
+h1
+h2
+Stop
 ### Test --shellquote
 awk\ -v\ FS=\"\\\",\\\"\"\ \'\{print\ \$1,\ \$3,\ \$4,\ \$5,\ \$9,\ \$14\}\'\ \|\ grep\ -v\ \"\#\"\ \|\ sed\ -e\ \'1d\'\ -e\ \'s/\\\"//g\'\ -e\ \'s/\\/\\/\\//\\t/g\'\ \|\ cut\ -f1-6,11\ \|\ sed\ -e\ \'s/\\/\\//\\t/g\'\ -e\ \'s/\ /\\t/g