diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFWorkbook.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFWorkbook.java
index 2ab0f6b2c..9434dbb90 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFWorkbook.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFWorkbook.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
 import org.apache.commons.codec.digest.DigestUtils;
+import org.apache.poi.EncryptedDocumentException;
 import org.apache.poi.POIDocument;
 import org.apache.poi.ddf.EscherBSERecord;
 import org.apache.poi.ddf.EscherBitmapBlip;
@@ -47,7 +48,19 @@ import org.apache.poi.hssf.model.HSSFFormulaParser;
 import org.apache.poi.hssf.model.InternalSheet;
 import org.apache.poi.hssf.model.InternalWorkbook;
 import org.apache.poi.hssf.model.RecordStream;
-import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.*;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.AbstractEscherHolderRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.BackupRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.DrawingGroupRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.ExtendedFormatRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.FontRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.LabelRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.LabelSSTRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.NameRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.RecalcIdRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.Record;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.RecordFactory;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.SSTRecord;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.UnknownRecord;
 import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.aggregates.RecordAggregate.RecordVisitor;
 import org.apache.poi.hssf.record.common.UnicodeString;
 import org.apache.poi.hssf.util.CellReference;
@@ -66,7 +79,11 @@ import org.apache.poi.ss.formula.udf.UDFFinder;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Row.MissingCellPolicy;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.util.CellRangeAddress;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.util.WorkbookUtil;
-import org.apache.poi.util.*;
+import org.apache.poi.util.Configurator;
+import org.apache.poi.util.HexDump;
+import org.apache.poi.util.LittleEndian;
+import org.apache.poi.util.POILogFactory;
+import org.apache.poi.util.POILogger;
 
 
 /**
@@ -217,6 +234,15 @@ public final class HSSFWorkbook extends POIDocument implements org.apache.poi.ss
                 // continue - to try other options
             }
         }
+        
+        // check for an encrypted .xlsx file - they get OLE2 wrapped
+        try {
+        	directory.getEntry("EncryptedPackage");
+        	throw new EncryptedDocumentException("The supplied spreadsheet seems to be an Encrypted .xlsx file. " +
+        			"It must be decrypted before use by XSSF, it cannot be used by HSSF");
+        } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
+            // fall through
+        }
 
         // check for previous version of file format
         try {
diff --git a/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/TestXSSFBugs.java b/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/TestXSSFBugs.java
index 76e7a36e9..7a7cbe01e 100644
--- a/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/TestXSSFBugs.java
+++ b/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/TestXSSFBugs.java
@@ -19,13 +19,18 @@ package org.apache.poi.xssf.usermodel;
 
 import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
+import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import org.apache.poi.EncryptedDocumentException;
+import org.apache.poi.POIDataSamples;
 import org.apache.poi.POIXMLDocumentPart;
 import org.apache.poi.hssf.usermodel.HSSFWorkbook;
 import org.apache.poi.openxml4j.opc.OPCPackage;
 import org.apache.poi.openxml4j.opc.PackagePart;
 import org.apache.poi.openxml4j.opc.PackagingURIHelper;
+import org.apache.poi.poifs.filesystem.NPOIFSFileSystem;
+import org.apache.poi.poifs.filesystem.POIFSFileSystem;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.formula.WorkbookEvaluator;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.formula.eval.ErrorEval;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.formula.eval.ValueEval;
@@ -47,6 +52,7 @@ import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Name;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Row;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Sheet;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Workbook;
+import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.WorkbookFactory;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.util.AreaReference;
 import org.apache.poi.ss.util.CellReference;
 import org.apache.poi.xssf.XSSFITestDataProvider;
@@ -1356,4 +1362,35 @@ public final class TestXSSFBugs extends BaseTestBugzillaIssues {
         }
         workbook.getCreationHelper().createFormulaEvaluator().evaluateAll();
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Password Protected .xlsx files should give a helpful
+     *  error message when called via WorkbookFactory.
+     * (You need to supply a password explicitly for them)
+     */
+    public void test55692() throws Exception {
+    	InputStream inpA = POIDataSamples.getPOIFSInstance().openResourceAsStream("protect.xlsx");
+    	InputStream inpB = POIDataSamples.getPOIFSInstance().openResourceAsStream("protect.xlsx");
+    	InputStream inpC = POIDataSamples.getPOIFSInstance().openResourceAsStream("protect.xlsx");
+
+    	// Directly on a Stream
+    	try {
+    		WorkbookFactory.create(inpA);
+    		fail("Should've raised a EncryptedDocumentException error");
+    	} catch (EncryptedDocumentException e) {}
+    	
+    	// Via a POIFSFileSystem
+    	POIFSFileSystem fsP = new POIFSFileSystem(inpB);
+    	try {
+    		WorkbookFactory.create(fsP);
+    		fail("Should've raised a EncryptedDocumentException error");
+    	} catch (EncryptedDocumentException e) {}
+
+    	// Via a NPOIFSFileSystem
+    	NPOIFSFileSystem fsNP = new NPOIFSFileSystem(inpC);
+    	try {
+    		WorkbookFactory.create(fsNP);
+    		fail("Should've raised a EncryptedDocumentException error");
+    	} catch (EncryptedDocumentException e) {}
+    }
 }