Abstract: A crop stalk guide assembly for use on a crop gathering header cutterbar of a crop harvesting machine includes a support framework and a plurality of flat guide plates. The support framework is attachable to the cutterbar of the crop gathering header so as to extend forwardly from below the sickle guards and a sickle of the cutterbar. The flat guide plates are attached on the top of a forward portion of the support framework so as to extend above the cutterbar sickle guards and sickle. The guide plates are spaced laterally from one another so as to define elongated passageways between them running in the direction of forward travel and leading rearwardly between the sickle guards to the sickle of the cutterbar.