diff --git a/doc/clause-reference.md b/doc/clause-reference.md
index 5933e67..0be782c 100644
--- a/doc/clause-reference.md
+++ b/doc/clause-reference.md
@@ -99,16 +99,24 @@ or `SELECT .. BULK COLLECT INTO ..`.
 
 ## insert-into
 
-There are two use cases with `:insert-into`. The first case
-takes just a simple SQL entity (the table name). The more
-complex case takes a pair of a SQL entity and a SQL query.
-In that second case, you can specify the columns by using
-a pair of the table name and a sequence of column names.
+There are three use cases with `:insert-into`.
 
-For the first case, you'll use the `:values` clause and you
-may use the `:columns` clause as well.
+The first case takes just a table specifier (either a
+table name or a table/alias pair),
+and then you can optionally specify the columns (via a `:columns` clause).
+
+The second case takes a pair of a table specifier (either a
+table name or table/alias pair) and a sequence of column
+names (so you do not need to also use `:columns`).
+
+The third case takes a pair of either a table specifier
+or a table/column specifier and a SQL query.
+
+For the first and second cases, you'll use the `:values` clause
+to specify rows of values to insert.
 
 ```clojure
+;; first case -- table specifier:
 user=> (sql/format {:insert-into :transport
                     :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
 ["INSERT INTO transport VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]
@@ -116,15 +124,37 @@ user=> (sql/format {:insert-into :transport
                     :columns [:id :name]
                     :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
 ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]
-```
-
-The second case:
-
-```clojure
+;; with an alias:
+user=> (sql/format {:insert-into [:transport :t]
+                    :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+["INSERT INTO transport AS t VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]
+user=> (sql/format {:insert-into [:transport :t]
+                    :columns [:id :name]
+                    :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+["INSERT INTO transport AS t (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]
+;; second case -- table specifier and columns:
+user=> (sql/format {:insert-into [:transport [:id :name]]
+                    :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]
+;; with an alias:
+user=> (sql/format {:insert-into [[:transport :t] [:id :name]]
+                    :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+["INSERT INTO transport AS t (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]
+;; third case -- table/column specifier and query:
 user=> (sql/format '{insert-into (transport {select (id, name) from (cars)})})
 ["INSERT INTO transport SELECT id, name FROM cars"]
+;; with columns:
 user=> (sql/format '{insert-into ((transport (id, name)) {select (*) from (cars)})})
 ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) SELECT * FROM cars"]
+;; with an alias:
+user=> (sql/format '{insert-into ((transport t) {select (id, name) from (cars)})})
+["INSERT INTO transport AS t SELECT id, name FROM cars"]
+;; with columns:
+user=> (sql/format '{insert-into ((transport (id, name)) {select (*) from (cars)})})
+["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) SELECT * FROM cars"]
+;; with an alias and columns:
+user=> (sql/format '{insert-into (((transport t) (id, name)) {select (*) from (cars)})})
+["INSERT INTO transport AS t (id, name) SELECT * FROM cars"]
 ```
 
 ## update
diff --git a/src/honey/sql.cljc b/src/honey/sql.cljc
index a137515..ee58369 100644
--- a/src/honey/sql.cljc
+++ b/src/honey/sql.cljc
@@ -299,21 +299,27 @@
 
 (defn- format-insert [k table]
   (if (sequential? table)
-    (cond (sequential? (first table))
-          (let [[[table cols] statement] table
+    (cond (map? (second table))
+          (let [[table statement] table
+                [table cols]
+                (if (and (sequential? table) (sequential? (second table)))
+                  table
+                  [table])
                 [sql & params] (format-dsl statement)]
             (into [(str (sql-kw k) " " (format-entity-alias table)
-                        " ("
-                        (str/join ", " (map #'format-entity-alias cols))
-                        ") "
+                        " "
+                        (when (seq cols)
+                          (str "("
+                               (str/join ", " (map #'format-entity-alias cols))
+                               ") "))
                         sql)]
                   params))
-          (map? (second table))
-          (let [[table statement] table
-                [sql & params] (format-dsl statement)]
-            (into [(str (sql-kw k) " " (format-entity-alias table)
-                        " " sql)]
-                  params))
+          (sequential? (second table))
+          (let [[table cols] table]
+            [(str (sql-kw k) " " (format-entity-alias table)
+                  " ("
+                  (str/join ", " (map #'format-entity-alias cols))
+                  ")")])
           :else
           [(str (sql-kw k) " " (format-entity-alias table))])
     [(str (sql-kw k) " " (format-entity-alias table))]))
diff --git a/src/honey/sql/helpers.cljc b/src/honey/sql/helpers.cljc
index e5ff1f9..616fd26 100644
--- a/src/honey/sql/helpers.cljc
+++ b/src/honey/sql/helpers.cljc
@@ -80,10 +80,10 @@
 (defn offset [& args] (generic-1 :offset args))
 (defn for [& args] (generic-1 :for args))
 (defn values [& args] (generic-1 :values args))
-(defn on-conflict [& args] (generic :on-conflict args))
+(defn on-conflict [& args] (generic-1 :on-conflict args))
 (defn on-constraint [& args] (generic :on-constraint args))
 (defn do-nothing [& args] (generic :do-nothing args))
-(defn do-update-set [& args] (generic :do-update-set args))
+(defn do-update-set [& args] (generic-1 :do-update-set args))
 (defn returning [& args] (generic :returning args))
 
 ;; helpers that produce non-clause expressions -- must be listed below:
diff --git a/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc b/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc
index b1e313c..df88f04 100644
--- a/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc
+++ b/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@
                :cljs [cljs.test :refer-macros [deftest is testing]])
             [honey.sql :as sql]
             [honey.sql.helpers
-             :refer [columns cross-join from full-join group-by having insert-into
-                     join left-join limit offset order-by right-join
+             :refer [columns cross-join do-update-set from full-join
+                     group-by having insert-into
+                     join left-join limit offset on-conflict order-by
+                     returning right-join
                      select select-distinct values where with]]))
 
 (deftest test-select
@@ -274,3 +276,117 @@
                " AND (location NOT LIKE '/0/%')"
                " AND (location NOT LIKE '/1/%')")]
          (stack-overflow-282 2))))
+
+(deftest issue-293
+  ;; these tests are based on the README at https://github.com/nilenso/honeysql-postgres
+  (is (= (-> (insert-into :distributors)
+             (values [{:did 5 :dname "Gizmo Transglobal"}
+                      {:did 6 :dname "Associated Computing, Inc"}])
+             (-> (on-conflict :did)
+                 (do-update-set :dname))
+             (returning :*)
+             sql/format)
+         [(str "INSERT INTO distributors (did, dname)"
+               " VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?)"
+               " ON CONFLICT (did)"
+               " DO UPDATE SET dname = EXCLUDED.dname"
+               " RETURNING *")
+          5 "Gizmo Transglobal"
+          6 "Associated Computing, Inc"]))
+  (is (= (-> (insert-into :distributors)
+             (values [{:did 23 :dname "Foo Distributors"}])
+             (on-conflict :did)
+             ;; instead of do-update-set!
+             (do-update-set {:dname [:|| :EXCLUDED.dname " (formerly " :distributors.dname ")"]
+                             :downer :EXCLUDED.downer})
+             sql/format)
+         [(str "INSERT INTO distributors (did, dname)"
+               " VALUES (?, ?)"
+               " ON CONFLICT (did)"
+               " DO UPDATE SET dname = EXCLUDED.dname || ? || distributors.dname || ?,"
+               " downer = EXCLUDED.downer")
+          23 "Foo Distributors" " (formerly " ")"])))
+
+(deftest issue-293-insert-into-data
+  ;; insert into as (and other tests) based on :insert-into
+  ;; examples in the clause reference docs:
+  ;; first case -- table specifier:
+  (is (= (sql/format {:insert-into :transport
+                      :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  (is (= (sql/format {:insert-into :transport
+                      :columns [:id :name]
+                      :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  ;; with an alias:
+  (is (= (sql/format {:insert-into [:transport :t]
+                      :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  (is (= (sql/format {:insert-into [:transport :t]
+                      :columns [:id :name]
+                      :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  ;; second case -- table specifier and columns:
+  (is (= (sql/format {:insert-into [:transport [:id :name]]
+                      :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  ;; with an alias:
+  (is (= (sql/format {:insert-into [[:transport :t] [:id :name]]
+                      :values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]]})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  ;; third case -- table/column specifier and query:
+  (is (= (sql/format '{insert-into (transport {select (id, name) from (cars)})})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport SELECT id, name FROM cars"]))
+  ;; with columns:
+  (is (= (sql/format '{insert-into ((transport (id, name)) {select (*) from (cars)})})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) SELECT * FROM cars"]))
+  ;; with an alias:
+  (is (= (sql/format '{insert-into ((transport t) {select (id, name) from (cars)})})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t SELECT id, name FROM cars"]))
+  ;; with columns:
+  (is (= (sql/format '{insert-into ((transport (id, name)) {select (*) from (cars)})})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) SELECT * FROM cars"]))
+  ;; with an alias and columns:
+  (is (= (sql/format '{insert-into (((transport t) (id, name)) {select (*) from (cars)})})
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t (id, name) SELECT * FROM cars"])))
+
+(deftest issue-293-insert-into-helpers
+  ;; and the same set of tests using the helper functions instead:
+  (is (= (sql/format (-> (insert-into :transport)
+                         (values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]])))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  (is (= (sql/format (-> (insert-into :transport)
+                         (columns :id :name)
+                         (values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]])))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  ;; with an alias:
+  (is (= (sql/format (-> (insert-into :transport :t)
+                         (values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]])))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  (is (= (sql/format (-> (insert-into :transport :t)
+                         (columns :id :name)
+                         (values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]])))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  ;; second case -- table specifier and columns:
+  (is (= (sql/format (-> (insert-into :transport [:id :name])
+                         (values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]])))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  ;; with an alias:
+  (is (= (sql/format (-> (insert-into [:transport :t] [:id :name])
+                         (values [[1 "Car"] [2 "Boat"] [3 "Bike"]])))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t (id, name) VALUES (?, ?), (?, ?), (?, ?)" 1 "Car" 2 "Boat" 3 "Bike"]))
+  ;; third case -- table/column specifier and query:
+  (is (= (sql/format (insert-into :transport '{select (id, name) from (cars)}))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport SELECT id, name FROM cars"]))
+  ;; with columns:
+  (is (= (sql/format (insert-into [:transport [:id :name]] '{select (*) from (cars)}))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) SELECT * FROM cars"]))
+  ;; with an alias:
+  (is (= (sql/format (insert-into '(transport t) '{select (id, name) from (cars)}))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t SELECT id, name FROM cars"]))
+  ;; with columns:
+  (is (= (sql/format (insert-into '(transport (id, name)) '{select (*) from (cars)}))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport (id, name) SELECT * FROM cars"]))
+  ;; with an alias and columns:
+  (is (= (sql/format (insert-into ['(transport t) '(id, name)] '{select (*) from (cars)}))
+         ["INSERT INTO transport AS t (id, name) SELECT * FROM cars"])))