diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 04158f12..53baa8b2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -241,8 +241,6 @@ It is recommended to also include this argument when performing an update on an
 
 Use the `--toc-title-padding-before` option to add padding line/s above the TOC which ensures formatters such as prettier will pass; e.g., `doctoc --toc-title-padding-before 1 .`
 
-NOTE: Currently it is only supported to add one line before the title.
-
 By default,
 
 - no padding is added above the table of contents title
diff --git a/lib/content-generation.js b/lib/content-generation.js
index da692c3a..549c5f97 100644
--- a/lib/content-generation.js
+++ b/lib/content-generation.js
@@ -55,10 +55,44 @@ function escapedStartTag(syntax) {
   return commentTypes[syntax].escapedStart;
 }
 
+function tocFooter(footerOptions) {
+  return tocPart(footerOptions?.padding, footerOptions?.content);
+}
+
+function tocHeader(headerOptions) {
+  return tocPart(headerOptions?.padding, headerOptions?.content);
+}
+
+function tocTitle(titleOptions, existingTitle) {
+  if (titleOptions?.remove || (existingTitle === "" && !titleOptions?.content)) return [];
+  var content;
+  if (titleOptions?.content){
+    content = titleOptions.content;
+  }
+  else if(existingTitle){
+    content = existingTitle;
+  }
+  else{
+    content = '**Table of Contents**  *generated with [DocToc](https://github.com/thlorenz/doctoc)*';
+  }
+  return tocPart(titleOptions?.padding, content);
+}
+
+function tocPart(padding, content){
+  if (content === undefined) return [];
+  var lines = Array(Number(padding?.before ?? 0)).fill('');
+  lines.push(content);
+  lines.push(...Array(Number(padding?.after ?? 0)).fill(''));
+  return lines;
+}
+
 module.exports = {
   commentedBlock,
   escapedStartTag,
   pragmaMarkers,
   skipTag,
-  excludeTag
+  excludeTag,
+  tocFooter,
+  tocHeader,
+  tocTitle
 };
diff --git a/lib/transform.js b/lib/transform.js
index da89479b..d957d891 100644
--- a/lib/transform.js
+++ b/lib/transform.js
@@ -153,14 +153,8 @@ function processHeaders(headers, mode) {
   return headers;
 }
 
-// When updating an existing TOC, try to preserve the title that was there before.
-// Falls back to CLI args (--title, --notitle) or the default title for new TOCs.
-function determineTitle(nodes, tocPosition, title, notitle, header) {
-  var defaultTitle = '**Table of Contents**  *generated with [DocToc](https://github.com/thlorenz/doctoc)*';
-
-  if (notitle) return "";
-  if (title) return title;
-  if (!tocPosition?.existing) return defaultTitle;
+function determineTitle(nodes, tocPosition, titleOptions, header) {
+  if (titleOptions.remove || titleOptions.content || !tocPosition?.existing) return undefined;
 
   // Find the TOC's list node so we know where the title region ends
   var listStartIdx = nodes.children.filter(function (x) {
@@ -231,6 +225,7 @@ exports = module.exports = function transform(content, mode, maxHeaderLevel, min
   options.toc.items ??= {};
   options.toc.items.indentation ??= {};
   options.toc.list ??= {};
+  options.toc.title ??= {};
 
   syntax = syntax || "md";
   options.toc.items.indentation.style ??= 'space';
@@ -241,6 +236,8 @@ exports = module.exports = function transform(content, mode, maxHeaderLevel, min
   var ordered = options.toc.list.format === 'ordered';
   options.toc.items.symbols ??= ordered ? undefined : String(entryPrefix || '-').split(',');
   options.toc.list.style ??= ordered ? 'number' : undefined
+  options.toc.title.content ??= title;
+  options.toc.title.remove ??= notitle;
 
   var eol = '\n';
   eol = detectLineEnding(content, eol);
@@ -255,11 +252,6 @@ exports = module.exports = function transform(content, mode, maxHeaderLevel, min
     minTocItems = 1;
   }
 
-  var padTitle = options?.toc?.title?.padding?.before > 0;
-  if (options?.toc?.title?.padding?.before === undefined){
-    padTitle = notitle || false;
-  }
-
   // only limit *HTML* headings by default
   var maxHeaderLevelHtml = maxHeaderLevel || 4;
 
@@ -338,16 +330,15 @@ exports = module.exports = function transform(content, mode, maxHeaderLevel, min
 
   if (headers.length >= minTocItems && docNodes.children[docNodes.children.length - 1].loc.end.line >= minLines) {
     var tocLines = [];
-    var inferredTitle = determineTitle(docNodes, tocPosition, title, notitle, options?.toc?.header?.content);
+    var inferredTitle = determineTitle(docNodes, tocPosition, options.toc.title, options.toc.header?.content);
     
     var allHeaders = processHeaders(headers, mode);
     var lowestRank = allHeaders.reduce((min, h) => Math.min(min, h.rank), Infinity);
     
     var indentation = options.toc.items.indentation.style === 'tab' ? '\t' : ' ';
 
-    if (options?.toc?.header?.content) { tocLines.push(options.toc.header.content); }
-    if (padTitle && inferredTitle) { tocLines.push(''); }
-    if (inferredTitle) { tocLines.push(inferredTitle); }
+    tocLines.push(...contentGenerator.tocHeader(options.toc.header));
+    tocLines.push(...contentGenerator.tocTitle(options.toc.title, inferredTitle));
     tocLines.push('');
     var symbolQty = options.toc.items.symbols?.length || 1;
 
@@ -383,7 +374,7 @@ exports = module.exports = function transform(content, mode, maxHeaderLevel, min
         }));
 
     tocLines.push('');
-    if (options?.toc?.footer?.content) { tocLines.push(options.toc.footer.content); }
+    tocLines.push(...contentGenerator.tocFooter(options.toc.footer));
 
     toc = tocLines.join(eol);
   }