diff --git a/src/xlsx/xlsxworksheet.cpp b/src/xlsx/xlsxworksheet.cpp
index a074423..621839b 100755
--- a/src/xlsx/xlsxworksheet.cpp
+++ b/src/xlsx/xlsxworksheet.cpp
@@ -1172,6 +1172,39 @@ void WorksheetPrivate::readColumnsInfo(XmlStreamReader &reader)
     }
 }
 
+void WorksheetPrivate::readMergeCells(XmlStreamReader &reader)
+{
+    Q_ASSERT(reader.name() == QLatin1String("mergeCells"));
+
+    QXmlStreamAttributes attributes = reader.attributes();
+    int count = attributes.value(QLatin1String("count")).toInt();
+
+    while(!(reader.name() == QLatin1String("mergeCells") && reader.tokenType() == QXmlStreamReader::EndElement)) {
+        reader.readNextStartElement();
+        if (reader.tokenType() == QXmlStreamReader::StartElement) {
+            if (reader.name() == QLatin1String("mergeCell")) {
+                QXmlStreamAttributes attrs = reader.attributes();
+                QString rangeStr = attrs.value(QLatin1String("ref")).toString();
+                QStringList items = rangeStr.split(QLatin1Char(':'));
+                if (items.size() != 2) {
+                    //Error
+                } else {
+                    QPoint p0 = xl_cell_to_rowcol(items[0]);
+                    QPoint p1 = xl_cell_to_rowcol(items[1]);
+
+                    XlsxCellRange range;
+                    range.row_begin = p0.x();
+                    range.column_begin = p0.y();
+                    range.row_end = p1.x();
+                    range.column_end = p1.y();
+
+                    merges.append(range);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 bool Worksheet::loadFromXmlFile(QIODevice *device)
 {
     Q_D(Worksheet);
@@ -1205,6 +1238,8 @@ bool Worksheet::loadFromXmlFile(QIODevice *device)
                 d->readColumnsInfo(reader);
             } else if (reader.name() == QLatin1String("sheetData")) {
                 d->readSheetData(reader);
+            } else if (reader.name() == QLatin1String("mergeCells")) {
+                d->readMergeCells(reader);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/xlsx/xlsxworksheet_p.h b/src/xlsx/xlsxworksheet_p.h
index a8849d7..45dcbae 100644
--- a/src/xlsx/xlsxworksheet_p.h
+++ b/src/xlsx/xlsxworksheet_p.h
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ public:
 
     void readSheetData(XmlStreamReader &reader);
     void readColumnsInfo(XmlStreamReader &reader);
+    void readMergeCells(XmlStreamReader &reader);
 
     Workbook *workbook;
     Drawing *drawing;
diff --git a/tests/auto/worksheet/tst_worksheet.cpp b/tests/auto/worksheet/tst_worksheet.cpp
index 2a4aeea..f72c793 100644
--- a/tests/auto/worksheet/tst_worksheet.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/worksheet/tst_worksheet.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
     void testReadSheetData();
     void testReadColsInfo();
     void testReadRowsInfo();
+    void testReadMergeCells();
 };
 
 WorksheetTest::WorksheetTest()
@@ -111,6 +112,20 @@ void WorksheetTest::testReadRowsInfo()
     QCOMPARE(sheet.d_ptr->rowsInfo[3]->height, 40.0);
 }
 
+void WorksheetTest::testReadMergeCells()
+{
+    const QByteArray xmlData = "<mergeCells count=\"2\"><mergeCell ref=\"B1:B5\"/><mergeCell ref=\"E2:G4\"/></mergeCells>";
+
+    QXlsx::XmlStreamReader reader(xmlData);
+    reader.readNextStartElement();//current node is mergeCells
+
+    QXlsx::Worksheet sheet("", 0);
+    sheet.d_ptr->readMergeCells(reader);
+
+    QCOMPARE(sheet.d_ptr->merges.size(), 2);
+    QCOMPARE(sheet.d_ptr->merges[0].row_end, 4);
+}
+
 QTEST_APPLESS_MAIN(WorksheetTest)
 
 #include "tst_worksheet.moc"