diff --git a/include/xlnt/worksheet/range_reference.hpp b/include/xlnt/worksheet/range_reference.hpp
index 7429bc58..f5956c75 100644
--- a/include/xlnt/worksheet/range_reference.hpp
+++ b/include/xlnt/worksheet/range_reference.hpp
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ public:
     range_reference(column_t column_index_start, row_t row_index_start,
         column_t column_index_end, row_t row_index_end);
 
+    range_reference(const range_reference &ref);
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Returns true if the range has a width and height of 1 cell.
     /// </summary>
@@ -154,6 +156,11 @@ public:
     /// </summary>
     bool operator!=(const char *reference_string) const;
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Assigns the extents of the provided range to this range.
+    /// </summary>
+    range_reference &operator=(const range_reference &ref);
+
 private:
     /// <summary>
     /// The top left cell in the range
diff --git a/include/xlnt/worksheet/selection.hpp b/include/xlnt/worksheet/selection.hpp
index 02ce66a0..bff902e7 100644
--- a/include/xlnt/worksheet/selection.hpp
+++ b/include/xlnt/worksheet/selection.hpp
@@ -60,12 +60,36 @@ public:
         active_cell_ = ref;
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Returns true if this selection has a defined sqref.
+    /// </summary>
+    bool has_sqref() const
+    {
+        return sqref_.is_set();
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Returns the range encompassed by this selection.
     /// </summary>
     range_reference sqref() const
     {
-        return sqref_;
+        return sqref_.get();
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Sets the range encompassed by this selection.
+    /// </summary>
+    void sqref(const range_reference &ref)
+    {
+        sqref_ = ref;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Sets the range encompassed by this selection.
+    /// </summary>
+    void sqref(const std::string &ref)
+    {
+        sqref(range_reference(ref));
     }
 
     /// <summary>
@@ -104,7 +128,7 @@ private:
     /// <summary>
     /// The range
     /// </summary>
-    range_reference sqref_;
+    optional<range_reference> sqref_;
 
     /// <summary>
     /// The quadrant
diff --git a/include/xlnt/worksheet/worksheet.hpp b/include/xlnt/worksheet/worksheet.hpp
index 9c3fdd18..58227b85 100644
--- a/include/xlnt/worksheet/worksheet.hpp
+++ b/include/xlnt/worksheet/worksheet.hpp
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ public:
     /// <summary>
     /// Returns the view at the given index.
     /// </summary>
-    sheet_view view(std::size_t index = 0) const;
+    sheet_view &view(std::size_t index = 0) const;
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Adds new_view to the set of available views for this sheet.
diff --git a/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_consumer.cpp b/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_consumer.cpp
index b61c82da..4086d68f 100644
--- a/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_consumer.cpp
+++ b/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_consumer.cpp
@@ -441,9 +441,9 @@ std::string xlsx_consumer::read_worksheet_begin(const std::string &rel_id)
                         : sheet_view_type::page_layout);
                 }
 
-                skip_attributes({ "windowProtection", "showFormulas", "showRowColHeaders", "showZeros", "rightToLeft",
-                    "tabSelected", "showRuler", "showOutlineSymbols", "showWhiteSpace", "view", "topLeftCell",
-                    "colorId", "zoomScale", "zoomScaleNormal", "zoomScaleSheetLayoutView", "zoomScalePageLayoutView" });
+                skip_attributes({ "windowProtection", "showFormulas", "showRowColHeaders", "showZeros", "rightToLeft", "tabSelected", "showRuler", "showOutlineSymbols", "showWhiteSpace",
+                    "view", "topLeftCell", "colorId", "zoomScale", "zoomScaleNormal", "zoomScaleSheetLayoutView",
+                    "zoomScalePageLayoutView" });
 
                 while (in_element(qn("spreadsheetml", "sheetView")))
                 {
@@ -488,6 +488,12 @@ std::string xlsx_consumer::read_worksheet_begin(const std::string &rel_id)
                         {
                             current_selection.active_cell(parser().attribute("activeCell"));
                         }
+
+                        if (parser().attribute_present("sqref"))
+                        {
+                            const auto sqref = range_reference(parser().attribute("sqref"));
+                            current_selection.sqref(sqref);
+                        }
                         
                         current_selection.pane(pane_corner::top_left);
 
diff --git a/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_producer.cpp b/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_producer.cpp
index da1e5156..f5611f88 100644
--- a/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_producer.cpp
+++ b/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_producer.cpp
@@ -2093,14 +2093,13 @@ void xlsx_producer::write_worksheet(const relationship &rel)
             if (current_selection.has_active_cell())
             {
                 write_attribute("activeCell", current_selection.active_cell().to_string());
-                write_attribute("sqref", current_selection.active_cell().to_string());
             }
-            /*
-                        if (current_selection.sqref() != "A1:A1")
-                        {
-                            write_attribute("sqref", current_selection.sqref().to_string());
-                        }
-            */
+
+            if (current_selection.has_sqref())
+            {
+                write_attribute("sqref", current_selection.sqref().to_string());
+            }
+
             if (current_selection.pane() != pane_corner::top_left)
             {
                 write_attribute("pane", current_selection.pane());
diff --git a/source/worksheet/range_reference.cpp b/source/worksheet/range_reference.cpp
index 2c4cf0ec..7116c077 100644
--- a/source/worksheet/range_reference.cpp
+++ b/source/worksheet/range_reference.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ range_reference::range_reference(const char *range_string)
 {
 }
 
+range_reference::range_reference(const range_reference &ref)
+{
+    top_left_ = ref.top_left_;
+    bottom_right_ = ref.bottom_right_;
+}
+
 range_reference::range_reference(const std::string &range_string)
     : top_left_("A1"), bottom_right_("A1")
 {
@@ -178,4 +184,11 @@ XLNT_API bool operator!=(const char *reference_string, const range_reference &re
     return ref != reference_string;
 }
 
+range_reference &range_reference::operator=(const range_reference &ref)
+{
+    top_left_ = ref.top_left_;
+    bottom_right_ = ref.bottom_right_;
+    return *this;
+}
+
 } // namespace xlnt
diff --git a/source/worksheet/worksheet.cpp b/source/worksheet/worksheet.cpp
index 861536db..f240e895 100644
--- a/source/worksheet/worksheet.cpp
+++ b/source/worksheet/worksheet.cpp
@@ -1011,7 +1011,7 @@ bool worksheet::has_view() const
     return !d_->views_.empty();
 }
 
-sheet_view worksheet::view(std::size_t index) const
+sheet_view &worksheet::view(std::size_t index) const
 {
     return d_->views_.at(index);
 }
diff --git a/tests/workbook/serialization_test_suite.hpp b/tests/workbook/serialization_test_suite.hpp
index 1da4cb1a..a4ae2fd2 100644
--- a/tests/workbook/serialization_test_suite.hpp
+++ b/tests/workbook/serialization_test_suite.hpp
@@ -189,6 +189,12 @@ public:
 		auto sheet1 = wb.active_sheet();
         sheet1.format_properties(format_properties);
 
+        auto &view = sheet1.view();
+        auto selection = xlnt::selection();
+        selection.active_cell("C1");
+        selection.sqref("C1");
+        view.add_selection(selection);
+
         auto comment_font = xlnt::font()
             .bold(true)
             .size(10)