diff --git a/components/fpspreadsheet/fpsnumformatparser.pas b/components/fpspreadsheet/fpsnumformatparser.pas
index 1d08996de..0a9338c96 100644
--- a/components/fpspreadsheet/fpsnumformatparser.pas
+++ b/components/fpspreadsheet/fpsnumformatparser.pas
@@ -301,6 +301,14 @@ begin
   section := @FSections[ASection];
   section^.Kind := [];
 
+  if (ASection = 0) and (Length(FSections) = 1) and (Length(section^.Elements) = 1)
+    and (section^.Elements[0].Token = nftGeneral)
+  then begin
+    section^.NumFormat := nfGeneral;
+    exit;
+  end;
+
+
   i := 0;
   isMonthMinute := false;
 
diff --git a/components/fpspreadsheet/xlsbiff2.pas b/components/fpspreadsheet/xlsbiff2.pas
index 0b380a121..41375fd80 100755
--- a/components/fpspreadsheet/xlsbiff2.pas
+++ b/components/fpspreadsheet/xlsbiff2.pas
@@ -934,7 +934,8 @@ begin
     nf := Workbook.GetNumberFormat(fmt.NumberFormatIndex);
     fmt.NumberFormat := nf.NumFormat;
     fmt.NumberFormatStr := nf.NumFormatStr;
-    Include(fmt.UsedFormattingFields, uffNumberFormat);
+    if fmt.NumberFormat <> nfGeneral then
+      Include(fmt.UsedFormattingFields, uffNumberFormat);
   end;
 
   // Horizontal alignment