diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/Workbook.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/Workbook.java
index 2aa2f1c4b8..143d6e7825 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/Workbook.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/Workbook.java
@@ -1832,6 +1832,14 @@ public class Workbook {
 	return -1;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the list of FormatRecords in the workbook.
+     * @return ArrayList of FormatRecords in the notebook
+     */
+    public ArrayList getFormats() {
+	return formats;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Creates a FormatRecord, inserts it, and returns the index code.
      * @param format the format string
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFCellStyle.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFCellStyle.java
index 0f968c2f07..cd827928a6 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFCellStyle.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFCellStyle.java
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ public class HSSFCellStyle
     }
 
     /**
-     * set the data format (only builtin formats are supported)
+     * set the data format (must be a valid format)
      * @see org.apache.poi.hssf.usermodel.HSSFDataFormat
      */
 
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ public class HSSFCellStyle
     }
 
     /**
-     * get the index of the built in format
+     * get the index of the format
      * @see org.apache.poi.hssf.usermodel.HSSFDataFormat
      */
 
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFDataFormat.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFDataFormat.java
index 6cdb2cfa81..ba514eb1ee 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFDataFormat.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFDataFormat.java
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ public class HSSFDataFormat
 	if (movedBuiltins)
 	    return ( String ) formats.get(index);
 	else
-	    return (String) (builtinFormats.get(index) != null ? builtinFormats.get(index) : formats.get(index));
+           return (String) (builtinFormats.size() > index && builtinFormats.get(index) != null ? builtinFormats.get(index) : formats.get(index));
     }
 
     /**