diff --git a/pandas/core/format.py b/pandas/core/format.py
index c2f439877ca00..f344d4b009df9 100644
--- a/pandas/core/format.py
+++ b/pandas/core/format.py
@@ -711,6 +711,8 @@ def write_th(self, s, indent=0, tags=None):
         return self._write_cell(s, kind='th', indent=indent, tags=tags)
 
     def write_td(self, s, indent=0, tags=None):
+        if s == self.fmt.na_rep:
+            tags = (tags or "") + ' class="pandas-empty"'
         return self._write_cell(s, kind='td', indent=indent, tags=tags)
 
     def _write_cell(self, s, kind='td', indent=0, tags=None):