diff --git a/sheet.go b/sheet.go
index dbcef623..bbdc350c 100644
--- a/sheet.go
+++ b/sheet.go
@@ -442,15 +442,18 @@ func (s *Sheet) makeCols(worksheet *xlsxWorksheet, styles *xlsxStyleSheet) (maxL
 			style := col.GetStyle()
 
 			hasNumFmt := len(col.numFmt) > 0
-			if style == nil && hasNumFmt {
-				style = NewStyle()
-			}
+			if hasNumFmt {			
+				if style == nil  {
+					style = NewStyle()
+				}
+
 
-			if hasNumFmt {
 				xNumFmt := styles.newNumFmt(col.numFmt)
 				XfId = handleStyleForXLSX(style, xNumFmt.NumFmtId, styles)
 			} else {
-				XfId = handleStyleForXLSX(style, 0, styles)
+				if style != nil {
+					XfId = handleStyleForXLSX(style, 0, styles)
+				}
 			}
 			col.outXfID = XfId
 
diff --git a/style.go b/style.go
index 4a77af9c..ab9c4516 100644
--- a/style.go
+++ b/style.go
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ func NewStyle() *Style {
 
 // Generate the underlying XLSX style elements that correspond to the Style.
 func (style *Style) makeXLSXStyleElements() (xFont xlsxFont, xFill xlsxFill, xBorder xlsxBorder, xCellXf xlsxXf) {
+	if style == nil {
+		panic("Called makeXLSXStyleElements on a nil *Style!")
+	}
+		
 	xFont = xlsxFont{}
 	xFill = xlsxFill{}
 	xBorder = xlsxBorder{}
@@ -59,7 +63,8 @@ func (style *Style) makeXLSXStyleElements() (xFont xlsxFont, xFill xlsxFill, xBo
 	xFont.Name.Val = style.Font.Name
 	xFont.Family.Val = strconv.Itoa(style.Font.Family)
 	xFont.Charset.Val = strconv.Itoa(style.Font.Charset)
-	xFont.Color.RGB = style.Font.Color
+		xFont.Color.RGB = style.Font.Color
+		
 	if style.Font.Bold {
 		xFont.B = &xlsxVal{}
 	} else {