diff --git a/src/zcl_excel_reader_2007.clas.abap b/src/zcl_excel_reader_2007.clas.abap
index 0d1169a..2cb5e15 100644
--- a/src/zcl_excel_reader_2007.clas.abap
+++ b/src/zcl_excel_reader_2007.clas.abap
@@ -2471,7 +2471,7 @@ CLASS zcl_excel_reader_2007 IMPLEMENTATION.
       lo_row = io_worksheet->get_row( lv_cell_row ).
       IF ls_row-customheight = '1'.
         lo_row->set_row_height( ip_row_height = ls_row-ht ip_custom_height = abap_true ).
-      ELSE.
+      ELSEIF ls_row-ht > 0.
         lo_row->set_row_height( ip_row_height = ls_row-ht ip_custom_height = abap_false ).
       ENDIF.
 
diff --git a/src/zcl_excel_row.clas.abap b/src/zcl_excel_row.clas.abap
index 77161f5..61479ae 100644
--- a/src/zcl_excel_row.clas.abap
+++ b/src/zcl_excel_row.clas.abap
@@ -208,7 +208,12 @@ CLASS zcl_excel_row IMPLEMENTATION.
 
 
   METHOD set_row_height.
+    DATA: height TYPE f.
     TRY.
+        height = ip_row_height.
+        IF height <= 0.
+          zcx_excel=>raise_text( 'Please supply a positive number as row-height' ).
+        ENDIF.
         me->row_height = ip_row_height.
       CATCH cx_sy_conversion_no_number.
         zcx_excel=>raise_text( 'Unable to interpret ip_row_height as number' ).
diff --git a/src/zcl_excel_worksheet.clas.abap b/src/zcl_excel_worksheet.clas.abap
index ef1cd36..8bc12e4 100644
--- a/src/zcl_excel_worksheet.clas.abap
+++ b/src/zcl_excel_worksheet.clas.abap
@@ -3774,9 +3774,6 @@ CLASS zcl_excel_worksheet IMPLEMENTATION.
 * if a fix size is supplied use this
     TRY.
         height = ip_height_fix.
-        IF height <= 0.
-          zcx_excel=>raise_text( 'Please supply a positive number as row-height' ).
-        ENDIF.
         lo_row->set_row_height( height ).
         RETURN.
       CATCH cx_sy_conversion_no_number.
diff --git a/src/zcl_excel_writer_2007.clas.abap b/src/zcl_excel_writer_2007.clas.abap
index 24af91e..b6e7d39 100644
--- a/src/zcl_excel_writer_2007.clas.abap
+++ b/src/zcl_excel_writer_2007.clas.abap
@@ -6107,7 +6107,7 @@ CLASS zcl_excel_writer_2007 IMPLEMENTATION.
           IF lo_row->get_custom_height( ) = abap_true.
             lo_element_2->set_attribute_ns( name  = 'customHeight' value = '1' ).
           ENDIF.
-          IF lo_row->get_row_height( ) >= 0.
+          IF lo_row->get_row_height( ) > 0.
             lv_value = lo_row->get_row_height( ).
             lo_element_2->set_attribute_ns( name  = 'ht' value = lv_value ).
           ENDIF.