diff --git a/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.js b/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.js
index a14d69a82..e0293b5b4 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.js
@@ -111,6 +111,9 @@ exports.addVertices = function (vert, g) {
             case 'circle':
                 _shape = 'circle';
                 break;
+            case 'ellipse':
+                _shape = 'ellipse';
+                break;
             case 'group':
                 _shape = 'rect';
                 verticeText = '';
diff --git a/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow.jison b/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow.jison
index 55ad5d0cd..73fa376ca 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow.jison
+++ b/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow.jison
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
 \s*\-\-\s*               return '--';
 \s*\-\.\s*               return '-.';
 \s*\=\=\s*               return '==';
+"(-"                  return '(-';
+"-)"                  return '-)';
 \-                    return 'MINUS';
 "."                   return 'DOT';
 \+                    return 'PLUS';
@@ -245,6 +247,10 @@ vertex:  alphaNum SQS text SQE
         {$$ = $1;yy.addVertex($1,$4,'circle');}
     | alphaNum PS PS text PE PE spaceList
         {$$ = $1;yy.addVertex($1,$4,'circle');}
+    | alphaNum '(-' text '-)'
+        {$$ = $1;yy.addVertex($1,$3,'ellipse');}
+    | alphaNum '(-' text '-)' spaceList
+        {$$ = $1;yy.addVertex($1,$3,'ellipse');}
     | alphaNum PS text PE
         {$$ = $1;yy.addVertex($1,$3,'round');}
     | alphaNum PS text PE spaceList
diff --git a/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow.spec.js b/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow.spec.js
index 1bfcdd5b4..6f2cb52cd 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow.spec.js
@@ -922,6 +922,7 @@ describe('when parsing ',function(){
         expect(vert['A'].type).toBe('square');
         expect(vert['A'].text).toBe('chimpansen hoppar ()[]');
     });
+
     it('should handle text in circle vertices with space',function(){
         var res = flow.parser.parse('graph TD;A((chimpansen hoppar))-->C;');
 
@@ -932,6 +933,16 @@ describe('when parsing ',function(){
         expect(vert['A'].text).toBe('chimpansen hoppar');
     });
 
+    it('should handle text in ellipse vertices', function(){
+        var res = flow.parser.parse('graph TD\nA(-this is an ellipse-)-->B');
+
+        var vert = flow.parser.yy.getVertices();
+        var edges = flow.parser.yy.getEdges();
+
+        expect(vert['A'].type).toBe('ellipse');
+        expect(vert['A'].text).toBe('this is an ellipse');
+    });
+
     it('should handle text in diamond vertices with space',function(){
         var res = flow.parser.parse('graph TD;A(chimpansen hoppar)-->C;');
 
diff --git a/src/less/default/flow.less b/src/less/default/flow.less
index 9fdab96c7..f866d72c3 100644
--- a/src/less/default/flow.less
+++ b/src/less/default/flow.less
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 .mermaid .label { color:#333}
 
-.node rect, .node circle, .node polygon  {
+.node rect,
+.node circle,
+.node ellipse,
+.node polygon {
   fill: @mainBkg;
   stroke: @nodeBorder;
   stroke-width: 1px;
@@ -19,4 +22,4 @@
 
 .cluster text {
   fill:@titleColor;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/less/forest/flow.less b/src/less/forest/flow.less
index 5574e828a..734186005 100644
--- a/src/less/forest/flow.less
+++ b/src/less/forest/flow.less
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 color:#333
 }
 
-.node rect, .node circle, .node polygon  {
+.node rect,
+.node circle,
+.node ellipse,
+.node polygon {
   fill: @mainBkg;
   stroke: @nodeBorder;
   stroke-width: 1px;
@@ -23,4 +26,4 @@ color:#333
 
 .cluster text {
   fill:@titleColor;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}