diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java
index 66f79ffd8..75452dd94 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java
@@ -296,9 +296,9 @@ public final class HSSFRow implements Comparable {
      * @param cellnum  0 based column number
      * @return HSSFCell representing that column or null if undefined.
      */
-    public HSSFCell getCell(short cellnum)
-    {
-   		return getCell((int)cellnum);
+    public HSSFCell getCell(short cellnum) {
+        int ushortCellNum = cellnum & 0x0000FFFF; // avoid sign extension
+        return getCell(ushortCellNum);
     }
     /**
      * Get the hssfcell representing a given column (logical cell)