diff --git a/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xwpf/usermodel/XWPFTableCell.java b/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xwpf/usermodel/XWPFTableCell.java
index 13cc7f3b7..dd011e367 100644
--- a/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xwpf/usermodel/XWPFTableCell.java
+++ b/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xwpf/usermodel/XWPFTableCell.java
@@ -224,20 +224,23 @@ public class XWPFTableCell implements IBody, ICell {
         ctshd.setFill(rgbStr);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Get the vertical alignment of the cell.
-     *
-     * @return the cell alignment enum value
-     */
-    public XWPFVertAlign getVerticalAlignment() {
-        XWPFVertAlign vAlign = null;
-        CTTcPr tcpr = ctTc.getTcPr();
-        if (tcpr != null) {
-            CTVerticalJc va = tcpr.getVAlign();
-            vAlign = stVertAlignTypeMap.get(va.getVal().intValue());
-        }
-        return vAlign;
-    }
+    /**
+     * Get the vertical alignment of the cell.
+     *
+     * @return the cell alignment enum value or <code>null</code>
+     * if no vertical alignment is set.
+     */
+    public XWPFVertAlign getVerticalAlignment() {
+        XWPFVertAlign vAlign = null;
+        CTTcPr tcpr = ctTc.getTcPr();
+        if (tcpr != null) {
+            CTVerticalJc va = tcpr.getVAlign();
+            if (va != null && va.getVal() != null) {
+                vAlign = stVertAlignTypeMap.get(va.getVal().intValue());
+            }
+        }
+        return vAlign;
+    }
 
     /**
      * Set the vertical alignment of the cell.
diff --git a/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xwpf/usermodel/TestXWPFTableCell.java b/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xwpf/usermodel/TestXWPFTableCell.java
index f793742c3..ab2fad84b 100644
--- a/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xwpf/usermodel/TestXWPFTableCell.java
+++ b/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xwpf/usermodel/TestXWPFTableCell.java
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@
 
 package org.apache.poi.xwpf.usermodel;
 
+import java.util.List;
+
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
+import org.apache.poi.xwpf.XWPFTestDataSamples;
 import org.apache.poi.xwpf.usermodel.XWPFTableCell.XWPFVertAlign;
 import org.openxmlformats.schemas.wordprocessingml.x2006.main.CTHMerge;
 import org.openxmlformats.schemas.wordprocessingml.x2006.main.CTShd;
@@ -103,4 +106,20 @@ public class TestXWPFTableCell extends TestCase {
         CTTcBorders tblBorders = tcPr.addNewTcBorders();
         CTVMerge vMerge = tcPr.addNewVMerge();
     }
+
+    public void testCellVerticalAlign() throws Exception{
+        XWPFDocument docx = XWPFTestDataSamples.openSampleDocument("59030.docx");
+        List<XWPFTable> tables = docx.getTables();
+        assertEquals(1, tables.size());
+
+        XWPFTable table = tables.get(0);
+
+        List<XWPFTableRow> tableRows = table.getRows();
+        assertEquals(2, tableRows.size());
+
+        assertNull(tableRows.get(0).getCell(0).getVerticalAlignment());
+        assertEquals(XWPFVertAlign.BOTTOM, tableRows.get(0).getCell(1).getVerticalAlignment());
+        assertEquals(XWPFVertAlign.CENTER, tableRows.get(1).getCell(0).getVerticalAlignment());
+        assertNull(tableRows.get(1).getCell(1).getVerticalAlignment());
+    }
 }
diff --git a/test-data/document/59030.docx b/test-data/document/59030.docx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cf40dd221
Binary files /dev/null and b/test-data/document/59030.docx differ