diff --git a/include/xlnt/worksheet/row_properties.hpp b/include/xlnt/worksheet/row_properties.hpp
index d78c4313..a2e92e25 100644
--- a/include/xlnt/worksheet/row_properties.hpp
+++ b/include/xlnt/worksheet/row_properties.hpp
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ public:
     /// The index to the style used by all cells in this row
     /// </summary>
     optional<std::size_t> style;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The row column span, used as part of the row block optimisation.
+    /// This used for loading this attribute from existing excel files mainly for inspecting
+    /// and not used when saving, it is calculated in the xlsx_producer.
+    /// </summary>
+    optional<std::string> spans;
 };
 
 inline bool operator==(const row_properties &lhs, const row_properties &rhs)
@@ -72,7 +79,8 @@ inline bool operator==(const row_properties &lhs, const row_properties &rhs)
         && lhs.custom_height == rhs.custom_height
         && lhs.hidden == rhs.hidden
         && lhs.custom_format == rhs.custom_format
-        && lhs.style == rhs.style;
+        && lhs.style == rhs.style
+        && lhs.spans == rhs.spans;
 }
 
 } // namespace xlnt
diff --git a/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_consumer.cpp b/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_consumer.cpp
index 9a05603f..70ea0446 100644
--- a/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_consumer.cpp
+++ b/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_consumer.cpp
@@ -221,9 +221,13 @@ cell xlsx_consumer::read_cell()
             row_properties.dy_descent = parser().attribute<double>(qn("x14ac", "dyDescent"));
         }
 
+        if (parser().attribute_present("spans")) {
+            row_properties.spans = parser().attribute("spans");
+        }
+
         skip_attributes({"customFormat", "s", "customFont",
             "outlineLevel", "collapsed", "thickTop", "thickBot",
-            "ph", "spans"});
+            "ph"});
     }
 
     if (!in_element(qn("spreadsheetml", "row")))
@@ -713,9 +717,13 @@ void xlsx_consumer::read_worksheet_sheetdata()
             row_properties.custom_format.set(parser().attribute<bool>("customFormat"));
         }
 
+        if (parser().attribute_present("spans")) {
+            row_properties.spans = parser().attribute("spans");
+        }
+
         skip_attributes({"customFont",
             "outlineLevel", "collapsed", "thickTop", "thickBot",
-            "ph", "spans"});
+            "ph"});
 
         while (in_element(qn("spreadsheetml", "row")))
         {
diff --git a/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_producer.cpp b/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_producer.cpp
index f8172c16..202a1d0d 100644
--- a/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_producer.cpp
+++ b/source/detail/serialization/xlsx_producer.cpp
@@ -2439,6 +2439,10 @@ void xlsx_producer::write_worksheet(const relationship &rel)
         // See note for CT_Row, span attribute about block optimization
         if (first_row_in_block)
         {
+            // reset block column range
+            first_block_column = constants::max_column();
+            last_block_column = constants::min_column();
+
             first_check_row = row;
             // round up to the next multiple of 16
             last_check_row = ((row / 16) + 1) * 16;
@@ -2448,8 +2452,8 @@ void xlsx_producer::write_worksheet(const relationship &rel)
         {
             for (auto column = dimension.top_left().column(); column <= dimension.bottom_right().column(); ++column)
             {
-                if (!ws.has_cell(cell_reference(column, row))) continue;
-                auto cell = ws.cell(cell_reference(column, row));
+                if (!ws.has_cell(cell_reference(column, check_row))) continue;
+                auto cell = ws.cell(cell_reference(column, check_row));
                 if (cell.garbage_collectible()) continue;
 
                 first_block_column = std::min(first_block_column, cell.column());
diff --git a/source/worksheet/worksheet.cpp b/source/worksheet/worksheet.cpp
index 23c9ea7c..2d4c8881 100644
--- a/source/worksheet/worksheet.cpp
+++ b/source/worksheet/worksheet.cpp
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ column_t worksheet::highest_column_or_props() const
 
 range_reference worksheet::calculate_dimension() const
 {
-    return range_reference(lowest_column(), lowest_row(),
+    return range_reference(lowest_column(), lowest_row_or_props(),
         highest_column(), highest_row_or_props());
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/data/Issue353_first_row_empty_w_properties.xlsx b/tests/data/Issue353_first_row_empty_w_properties.xlsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..65cdbe87
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/data/Issue353_first_row_empty_w_properties.xlsx differ
diff --git a/tests/workbook/workbook_test_suite.cpp b/tests/workbook/workbook_test_suite.cpp
index 9f155087..f883e359 100644
--- a/tests/workbook/workbook_test_suite.cpp
+++ b/tests/workbook/workbook_test_suite.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ public:
         register_test(test_id_gen);
         register_test(test_load_file);
         register_test(test_Issue279);
+        register_test(test_Issue353);
     }
 
     void test_active_sheet()
@@ -495,5 +496,18 @@ public:
         //save a copy file
         wb.save("temp.xlsx");
     }
+
+    void test_Issue353()
+    {
+        xlnt::workbook wb1;
+        wb1.load(path_helper::test_file("Issue353_first_row_empty_w_properties.xlsx"));
+        wb1.save("temp_issue353.xlsx");
+
+        xlnt::workbook wb2;
+        wb2.load("temp_issue353.xlsx");
+        auto ws = wb2.active_sheet();
+        xlnt_assert_equals(ws.row_properties(1).spans.get(), "1:8");
+        xlnt_assert_equals(ws.row_properties(17).spans.get(), "2:7");
+    }
 };
 static workbook_test_suite x;
\ No newline at end of file