diff --git a/ClosedXML/Excel/Cells/XLCell.cs b/ClosedXML/Excel/Cells/XLCell.cs
index b089fcd8c..fb68d57f4 100644
--- a/ClosedXML/Excel/Cells/XLCell.cs
+++ b/ClosedXML/Excel/Cells/XLCell.cs
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ internal XLCell(XLWorksheet worksheet, XLSheetPoint point) : this(worksheet, poi
 
         public XLAddress Address => new(Worksheet, _rowNumber, _columnNumber, false, false);
 
+        public bool? IsInferiorMergedCellUserDefined { get; set; }
+
         internal XLSheetPoint SheetPoint => new(_rowNumber, _columnNumber);
 
         #region Slice fields
@@ -1997,6 +1999,11 @@ static bool IsHorizontalBorderBlank(XLWorksheet sheet, int borderRow, int border
 
         internal bool IsInferiorMergedCell()
         {
+            if (this.IsInferiorMergedCellUserDefined.HasValue)
+            {
+                return this.IsInferiorMergedCellUserDefined.Value;
+            }
+
             return this.IsMerged() && !this.Address.Equals(this.MergedRange().RangeAddress.FirstAddress);
         }