diff --git a/src/buildHTML.js b/src/buildHTML.js
index dbd33a3fc..a0e2d5220 100644
--- a/src/buildHTML.js
+++ b/src/buildHTML.js
@@ -1178,6 +1178,25 @@ groupTypes.rule = function(group, options, prev) {
     return rule;
 };
 
+groupTypes.kern = function(group, options, prev) {
+    // Make an empty span for the rule
+    var rule = makeSpan(["mord", "rule"], [], options.getColor());
+
+    var dimension = 0;
+    if (group.value.dimension) {
+        dimension = group.value.dimension.number;
+        if (group.value.dimension.unit === "ex") {
+            dimension *= fontMetrics.metrics.xHeight;
+        }
+    }
+
+    dimension /= options.style.sizeMultiplier;
+
+    rule.style.marginLeft = dimension + "em";
+
+    return rule;
+};
+
 groupTypes.accent = function(group, options, prev) {
     // Accents are handled in the TeXbook pg. 443, rule 12.
     var base = group.value.base;
diff --git a/src/buildMathML.js b/src/buildMathML.js
index f3c7c5e1c..0a4d54455 100644
--- a/src/buildMathML.js
+++ b/src/buildMathML.js
@@ -430,6 +430,13 @@ groupTypes.rule = function(group) {
     return node;
 };
 
+groupTypes.kern = function(group) {
+    // TODO(kevin): Figure out if there's a way to add space in MathML
+    var node = new mathMLTree.MathNode("mrow");
+
+    return node;
+};
+
 groupTypes.llap = function(group, options) {
     var node = new mathMLTree.MathNode(
         "mpadded", [buildGroup(group.value.body, options)]);
diff --git a/src/functions.js b/src/functions.js
index 2fa124d3b..ea5c33ea7 100644
--- a/src/functions.js
+++ b/src/functions.js
@@ -187,6 +187,16 @@ defineFunction("\\rule", {
     };
 });
 
+defineFunction("\\kern", {
+    numArgs: 1,
+    argTypes: ["size"],
+}, function(context, args) {
+    return {
+        type: "kern",
+        dimension: args[0].value,
+    };
+});
+
 // A KaTeX logo
 defineFunction("\\KaTeX", {
     numArgs: 0,
diff --git a/test/katex-spec.js b/test/katex-spec.js
index 75a0d393e..b6ac37e34 100644
--- a/test/katex-spec.js
+++ b/test/katex-spec.js
@@ -909,6 +909,31 @@ describe("A rule parser", function() {
     });
 });
 
+describe("A kern parser", function() {
+    var emKern = "\\kern{1em}";
+    var exKern = "\\kern{1ex}";
+    var badUnitRule = "\\kern{1px}";
+    var noNumberRule = "\\kern{em}";
+
+    it("should list the correct units", function() {
+        var emParse = getParsed(emKern)[0];
+        var exParse = getParsed(exKern)[0];
+
+        expect(emParse.value.dimension.unit).toEqual("em");
+        expect(exParse.value.dimension.unit).toEqual("ex");
+    });
+
+    it("should not parse invalid units", function() {
+        expect(badUnitRule).toNotParse();
+        expect(noNumberRule).toNotParse();
+    });
+
+    it("should parse negative sizes", function() {
+        var parse = getParsed("\\kern{-1em}")[0];
+        expect(parse.value.dimension.number).toBeCloseTo(-1);
+    });
+});
+
 describe("A left/right parser", function() {
     var normalLeftRight = "\\left( \\dfrac{x}{y} \\right)";
     var emptyRight = "\\left( \\dfrac{x}{y} \\right.";
diff --git a/test/screenshotter/images/Kern-chrome.png b/test/screenshotter/images/Kern-chrome.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..232ace52c
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/screenshotter/images/Kern-chrome.png differ
diff --git a/test/screenshotter/images/Kern-firefox.png b/test/screenshotter/images/Kern-firefox.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e33835dd4
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/screenshotter/images/Kern-firefox.png differ
diff --git a/test/screenshotter/ss_data.yaml b/test/screenshotter/ss_data.yaml
index d5e8736fa..6b41de8d5 100644
--- a/test/screenshotter/ss_data.yaml
+++ b/test/screenshotter/ss_data.yaml
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ FractionTest: \dfrac{a}{b}\frac{a}{b}\tfrac{a}{b}\;-\dfrac12\;1\tfrac12
 Functions: \sin\cos\tan\ln\log
 GreekLetters: \alpha\beta\gamma\omega
 KaTeX: \KaTeX
+Kern: \frac{a\kern{1em}b}{c}a\kern{1em}b\kern{1ex}c\kern{-0.25em}d
 Lap: ab\llap{f}cd\rlap{g}h
 LeftRight: \left( x^2 \right) \left\{ x^{x^{x^{x^x}}} \right.
 LeftRightListStyling: a+\left(x+y\right)-x