diff --git a/lib/doc/row.js b/lib/doc/row.js
index 0239de917..3857ced13 100644
--- a/lib/doc/row.js
+++ b/lib/doc/row.js
@@ -329,13 +329,30 @@ Row.prototype = {
       throw new Error('Invalid row number in model');
     }
     this._cells = [];
+    var previousAddress;
     value.cells.forEach(cellModel => {
       switch (cellModel.type) {
         case Cell.Types.Merge:
           // special case - don't add this types
           break;
         default:
-          var cell = this.getCellEx(colCache.decodeAddress(cellModel.address));
+          var address;
+          if (cellModel.address) {
+            address = colCache.decodeAddress(cellModel.address);
+          } else if (previousAddress) {
+            // This is a <c> element without an r attribute
+            // Assume that it's the cell for the next column
+            var row = previousAddress.row;
+            var col = previousAddress.col + 1;
+            address = {
+              row: row,
+              col: col,
+              address: colCache.encodeAddress(row, col),
+              $col$row: '$' + colCache.n2l(col) + '$' + row
+            };
+          }
+          previousAddress = address;
+          var cell = this.getCellEx(address);
           cell.model = cellModel;
           break;
       }