diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java
index f2595aff16..6f5b0cc6b4 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ public class HSSFRow
         short cellnum = (short) (lastcell - 1);
         HSSFCell r = getCell(cellnum);
 
-        while (r == null)
+        while (r == null && cellnum >= 0)
         {
             r = getCell(--cellnum);
         }