diff --git a/list-of-macros.md b/list-of-macros.md
index 58898a2..73d8bc7 100644
--- a/list-of-macros.md
+++ b/list-of-macros.md
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ tests: [tests/test\_packages/test\_latex\_builtins.py](tests/test_packages/test_
 \\paragraph,
 \\part,
 \\phantom,
+\\providecommand (defines macro, but does not overwrite existing ones),
 \\qquad,
 \\quad,
 \\ref,
diff --git a/tests/test_newcommand.py b/tests/test_newcommand.py
index 42f2741..d245b7f 100644
--- a/tests/test_newcommand.py
+++ b/tests/test_newcommand.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-
 #
-#   - test  of \newcommand with default value for optional argument
-#   - test of \def
+# Special tests for \newcommand, \renewcommand, \providecommand and \def
 #
 
 
@@ -90,6 +88,56 @@ def get_plain(latex):
         Xa:aY
         """
     ),
+    (
+    # \newcommand currenly overwrites existing commands
+    # LaTeX:
+        r"""
+        \newcommand{\test}[1]{A #1}
+        \newcommand{\test}[1]{B #1}
+        \test{C}
+        """,
+    # Plain:
+        r"""
+        B C
+        """
+    ),
+    (
+    # \renewcommand should overwrite existing commands
+    # LaTeX:
+        r"""
+        \newcommand{\test}[1]{A #1}
+        \renewcommand{\test}[1]{B #1}
+        \test{C}
+        """,
+    # Plain:
+        r"""
+        B C
+        """
+    ),
+    (
+    # \providecommand should NOT overwrite existing commands
+    # LaTeX:
+        r"""
+        \newcommand{\test}[1]{A #1}
+        \providecommand{\test}[1]{B #1}
+        \test{C}
+        """,
+    # Plain:
+        r"""
+        A C
+        """
+    ),
+    (
+    # LaTeX:
+        r"""
+        \providecommand{\test}[1]{B #1}
+        \test{C}
+        """,
+    # Plain:
+        r"""
+        B C
+        """
+    ),
 
 ]
 
diff --git a/tests/test_packages/test_latex_builtins.py b/tests/test_packages/test_latex_builtins.py
index 0169fa2..b9a8345 100644
--- a/tests/test_packages/test_latex_builtins.py
+++ b/tests/test_packages/test_latex_builtins.py
@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@ def test_macros_latex(latex, plain_expected):
     (r'\part{ho?}', 'ho?'),
     (r'A\phantom{X}B', 'A B'),
     (r'A\phantom{\label{l}}B', 'AB'),
+    (r'A\providecommand{\xxx}{X}B', 'AB'),
+    (r'A\providecommand*{\xxx}[1][x]{X}B', 'AB'),
     (r'A\renewcommand{\xxx}{X}B', 'AB'),
     (r'A\renewcommand*{\xxx}[1][x]{X}B', 'AB'),
     (r'\section[hi]{ho}', 'ho.'),
diff --git a/yalafi/handlers.py b/yalafi/handlers.py
index 95b4481..00858d1 100644
--- a/yalafi/handlers.py
+++ b/yalafi/handlers.py
@@ -26,32 +26,52 @@
 from yalafi import scanner
 
 
-def h_newcommand(parser, buf, mac, args, delim, pos):
+def g_newcommand(overwrite=True):
     r"""
-    Macro handler for `\newcommand` and `\renewcommand`.
+    Generator for ``\newcommand``, ``\renewcommand`` and ``\providecommand``.
+
+    Args:
+        overwrite: Boolean deciding, whether the returned handler
+          overwrites existing commands. Defaults to True.
+
+    Returns:
+        Macro Handler for ``\newcommand``, ``\renewcommand`` and
+        ``\providecommand``. Set ``overwrite=False`` for
+        ``\providecommand``.
     """
-    name = parser.get_text_direct(args[1])
-    if name in parser.parms.newcommand_ignore:
+    # pylint: disable-next=redefined-outer-name
+    def h_newcommand(parser, buf, mac, args, delim, pos):
+        r"""
+        Macro handler for `\newcommand` and `\renewcommand`.
+        """
+        name = parser.get_text_direct(args[1])
+        if name in parser.parms.newcommand_ignore:
+            return []
+        if not overwrite and name in parser.the_macros:
+            return []
+        nargs = parser.get_text_expanded(args[2])
+        nargs = int(nargs) if nargs.isdecimal() else 0
+        for a in [b for b in args[4] if type(b) is defs.ArgumentToken]:
+            if a.arg < 1 or a.arg > nargs:
+                return utils.latex_error(parser, 'illegal argument #' + str(a.arg)
+                                    + ' in definition of macro ' + name, a.pos)
+        if args[3]:
+            if nargs < 1:
+                return utils.latex_error(parser,
+                        'illegal default value in definition of macro ' + name,
+                        args[1][0].pos)
+            parser.the_macros[name] = defs.Macro(parser.parms,
+                                    name, args='O' + 'A' * (nargs - 1),
+                                    repl=args[4], defaults=[args[3]], scanned=True)
+        else:
+            parser.the_macros[name] = defs.Macro(parser.parms,
+                                    name, args='A' * nargs,
+                                    repl=args[4], scanned=True)
         return []
-    nargs = parser.get_text_expanded(args[2])
-    nargs = int(nargs) if nargs.isdecimal() else 0
-    for a in [b for b in args[4] if type(b) is defs.ArgumentToken]:
-        if a.arg < 1 or a.arg > nargs:
-            return utils.latex_error(parser, 'illegal argument #' + str(a.arg)
-                                + ' in definition of macro ' + name, a.pos)
-    if args[3]:
-        if nargs < 1:
-            return utils.latex_error(parser,
-                    'illegal default value in definition of macro ' + name,
-                    args[1][0].pos)
-        parser.the_macros[name] = defs.Macro(parser.parms,
-                                name, args='O' + 'A' * (nargs - 1),
-                                repl=args[4], defaults=[args[3]], scanned=True)
-    else:
-        parser.the_macros[name] = defs.Macro(parser.parms,
-                                name, args='A' * nargs,
-                                repl=args[4], scanned=True)
-    return []
+    return h_newcommand
+
+
+h_newcommand = g_newcommand(overwrite=True)
 
 
 def h_theorem(name):
diff --git a/yalafi/parameters.py b/yalafi/parameters.py
index 186aaa8..7c5937b 100644
--- a/yalafi/parameters.py
+++ b/yalafi/parameters.py
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ def init_macros(self):
         Macro(self, '\\paragraph', args='*OA', repl=hs.h_heading),
         Macro(self, '\\part', args='*OA', repl=hs.h_heading),
         Macro(self, '\\phantom', args='A', repl=hs.h_phantom),
+        Macro(self, '\\providecommand', args='*AOOA', repl=hs.g_newcommand(overwrite=False)),
         Macro(self, '\\renewcommand', args='*AOOA', repl=hs.h_newcommand),
         Macro(self, '\\section', args='*OA', repl=hs.h_heading),
         Macro(self, '\\subsection', args='*OA', repl=hs.h_heading),