diff --git a/main/src/com/google/refine/importers/ExcelImporter.java b/main/src/com/google/refine/importers/ExcelImporter.java
index 162429d5d..d532ec82b 100644
--- a/main/src/com/google/refine/importers/ExcelImporter.java
+++ b/main/src/com/google/refine/importers/ExcelImporter.java
@@ -230,13 +230,13 @@ public class ExcelImporter implements StreamImporter {
     
     protected Serializable extractCell(org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Cell cell) {
         int cellType = cell.getCellType();
+        if (cellType == org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Cell.CELL_TYPE_FORMULA) {
+            cellType = cell.getCachedFormulaResultType();
+        }
         if (cellType == org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Cell.CELL_TYPE_ERROR ||
             cellType == org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Cell.CELL_TYPE_BLANK) {
             return null;
         }
-        if (cellType == org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Cell.CELL_TYPE_FORMULA) {
-            cellType = cell.getCachedFormulaResultType();
-        }
         
         Serializable value = null;
         if (cellType == org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Cell.CELL_TYPE_BOOLEAN) {