diff --git a/Classes/PHPExcel/Reader/Excel2003XML.php b/Classes/PHPExcel/Reader/Excel2003XML.php
index dbb196d3..e8abeb4a 100644
--- a/Classes/PHPExcel/Reader/Excel2003XML.php
+++ b/Classes/PHPExcel/Reader/Excel2003XML.php
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ class PHPExcel_Reader_Excel2003XML extends PHPExcel_Reader_Abstract implements P
 	{
 		// Create new PHPExcel
 		$objPHPExcel = new PHPExcel();
+        $objPHPExcel->removeSheetByIndex(0);
 
 		// Load into this instance
 		return $this->loadIntoExisting($pFilename, $objPHPExcel);
@@ -576,6 +577,7 @@ class PHPExcel_Reader_Excel2003XML extends PHPExcel_Reader_Abstract implements P
 
 			$rowID = 1;
 			if (isset($worksheet->Table->Row)) {
+                $additionalMergedCells = 0;
 				foreach($worksheet->Table->Row as $rowData) {
 					$rowHasData = false;
 					$row_ss = $rowData->attributes($namespaces['ss']);
@@ -599,11 +601,10 @@ class PHPExcel_Reader_Excel2003XML extends PHPExcel_Reader_Abstract implements P
 							}
 						}
 
-                        $additionalMergedCells = 0;
 						if ((isset($cell_ss['MergeAcross'])) || (isset($cell_ss['MergeDown']))) {
 							$columnTo = $columnID;
 							if (isset($cell_ss['MergeAcross'])) {
-                                $additionalMergedCells = (int)$cell_ss['MergeAcross'];
+                                $additionalMergedCells += (int)$cell_ss['MergeAcross'];
 								$columnTo = PHPExcel_Cell::stringFromColumnIndex(PHPExcel_Cell::columnIndexFromString($columnID) + $cell_ss['MergeAcross'] -1);
 							}
 							$rowTo = $rowID;