diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/SSTDeserializer.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/SSTDeserializer.java
index 2e1573e79..c4698df0f 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/SSTDeserializer.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/SSTDeserializer.java
@@ -187,7 +187,8 @@ class SSTDeserializer
         extensionLength = 0;
         if ( extendedText )
         {
-            extensionLength = LittleEndian.getInt( data, index + SSTRecord.STRING_MINIMAL_OVERHEAD );
+            extensionLength = LittleEndian.getInt( data, index + SSTRecord.STRING_MINIMAL_OVERHEAD
+                    + (richText ? LittleEndianConsts.SHORT_SIZE : 0) );
         }
 
     }