diff --git a/lib/table_parser.rb b/lib/table_parser.rb
index c54189a..131ddeb 100644
--- a/lib/table_parser.rb
+++ b/lib/table_parser.rb
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@
 require 'table_parser/parser'
 
 module TableParser
-  VERSION = '0.5.5'
+  VERSION = '0.5.6'
 end
diff --git a/lib/table_parser/parser.rb b/lib/table_parser/parser.rb
index 47b66bf..ad9b78c 100644
--- a/lib/table_parser/parser.rb
+++ b/lib/table_parser/parser.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ def self.extract_column_headers(rows, dup_rows, dup_cols, has_header)
         rows.first.collect do |col|
           header = TableColumn.new(col)
           headers << header
-          (header.colspan-1).times do
+          colspan = col["colspan"].to_i rescue 1
+          (colspan-1).times do
             headers << TableColumn.new(col)
           end
         end
@@ -32,7 +33,8 @@ def self.extract_column_headers(rows, dup_rows, dup_cols, has_header)
         rows.first.collect do |col|
           header = TableColumn.new(nil)
           headers << header
-          (header.colspan-1).times do
+          colspan = col["colspan"].to_i rescue 1
+          (colspan-1).times do
             headers << TableColumn.new(nil)
           end
         end