diff --git a/bits/79_html.js b/bits/79_html.js
index 4867930..c341e69 100644
--- a/bits/79_html.js
+++ b/bits/79_html.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ var HTML_ = (function() {
 				m = htmldecode(m);
 				if(range.s.r > R) range.s.r = R; if(range.e.r < R) range.e.r = R;
 				if(range.s.c > C) range.s.c = C; if(range.e.c < C) range.e.c = C;
-				if(!m.length) continue;
+				if(!m.length) { C += CS; continue; }
 				var o/*:Cell*/ = {t:'s', v:m};
 				if(opts.raw || !m.trim().length || _t == 's'){}
 				else if(m === 'TRUE') o = {t:'b', v:true};
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index c52e8ad..713307c 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -2286,6 +2286,20 @@ describe('HTML', function() {
 			assert.equal(X.utils.sheet_to_csv(ws),  "A,B\n1,2\n3,4\n4,6");
 		});
 	});
+	describe('empty cell containing html element should increment cell index', function() {
+		var html = "<table><tr><td>abc</td><td><b> </b></td><td>def</td></tr></table>";
+		var expectedCellCount = 3;
+		it('HTML string', function() {
+			var ws = X.read(html, {type:'string'}).Sheets.Sheet1;
+			var range = X.utils.decode_range(ws['!ref']);
+			assert.equal(range.e.c,expectedCellCount - 1);
+		});
+		if(domtest) it('DOM', function() {
+			var ws = X.utils.table_to_sheet(get_dom_element(html));
+			var range = X.utils.decode_range(ws['!ref']);
+			assert.equal(range.e.c, expectedCellCount - 1);
+		});
+	});
 });
 
 describe('js -> file -> js', function() {