diff --git a/django_tables2/views.py b/django_tables2/views.py
index 68c42eb6..9a33d4c6 100644
--- a/django_tables2/views.py
+++ b/django_tables2/views.py
@@ -204,22 +204,32 @@ class MultiTableMixin(TableMixinBase):
     # override context table name to make sense in a multiple table context
     context_table_name = "tables"
 
-    def get_tables(self):
+    def get_tables_classes(self):
         """
-        Return an array of table instances containing data.
+        Return the list of classes to use for the tables.
         """
         if self.tables is None:
-            view_name = type(self).__name__
-            raise ImproperlyConfigured(f"No tables were specified. Define {view_name}.tables")
+            klass = type(self).__name__
+            raise ImproperlyConfigured(
+                f"You must either specify {klass}.tables or override {klass}.get_tables_classes()"
+            )
+
+        return self.tables
+
+    def get_tables(self, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Return an array of table instances containing data.
+        """
+        tables = self.get_tables_classes()
         data = self.get_tables_data()
 
         if data is None:
-            return self.tables
+            return tables
 
-        if len(data) != len(self.tables):
-            view_name = type(self).__name__
-            raise ImproperlyConfigured(f"len({view_name}.tables_data) != len({view_name}.tables)")
-        return list(Table(data[i]) for i, Table in enumerate(self.tables))
+        if len(data) != len(tables):
+            klass = type(self).__name__
+            raise ImproperlyConfigured(f"len({klass}.tables_data) != len({klass}.tables)")
+        return list(Table(data[i], **kwargs) for i, Table in enumerate(tables))
 
     def get_tables_data(self):
         """
diff --git a/tests/test_views.py b/tests/test_views.py
index 9012bbb8..b7c0e2c9 100644
--- a/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/tests/test_views.py
@@ -411,15 +411,42 @@ def test_without_tables(self):
         class View(tables.MultiTableMixin, TemplateView):
             template_name = "multiple.html"
 
-        message = "No tables were specified. Define View.tables"
+        message = "You must either specify View.tables or override View.get_tables_classes()"
         with self.assertRaisesMessage(ImproperlyConfigured, message):
             View.as_view()(build_request("/"))
 
+    def test_get_tables_classes_list(self):
+        class View(tables.MultiTableMixin, TemplateView):
+            tables_data = (Person.objects.all(), Region.objects.all())
+            template_name = "multiple.html"
+
+            def get_tables_classes(self):
+                return [TableA, TableB]
+
+        response = View.as_view()(build_request("/"))
+        response.render()
+
+        html = response.rendered_content
+        self.assertEqual(html.count("<table >"), 2)
+
     def test_with_empty_get_tables_list(self):
         class View(tables.MultiTableMixin, TemplateView):
             template_name = "multiple.html"
 
-            def get_tables(self):
+            def get_tables(self, **kwargs):
+                return []
+
+        response = View.as_view()(build_request("/"))
+        response.render()
+
+        html = response.rendered_content
+        self.assertIn("<h1>Multiple tables using MultiTableMixin</h1>", html)
+
+    def test_with_empty_get_tables_clases_list(self):
+        class View(tables.MultiTableMixin, TemplateView):
+            template_name = "multiple.html"
+
+            def get_tables_classes(self):
                 return []
 
         response = View.as_view()(build_request("/"))