diff --git a/source/cell/cell_reference.cpp b/source/cell/cell_reference.cpp
index 385e84d34..d996adab6 100644
--- a/source/cell/cell_reference.cpp
+++ b/source/cell/cell_reference.cpp
@@ -174,13 +174,13 @@ std::pair<std::string, row_t> cell_reference::split_reference(
 
     if (column_string[0] == '$')
     {
-        absolute_row = true;
+        absolute_column = true;
         column_string = column_string.substr(1);
     }
 
     if (row_string[0] == '$')
     {
-        absolute_column = true;
+        absolute_row = true;
         row_string = row_string.substr(1);
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/cell/cell_test_suite.cpp b/tests/cell/cell_test_suite.cpp
index e388da51f..2cd04b7ef 100644
--- a/tests/cell/cell_test_suite.cpp
+++ b/tests/cell/cell_test_suite.cpp
@@ -665,8 +665,16 @@ class cell_test_suite : public test_suite
         xlnt_assert_throws(xlnt::cell_reference("A"), xlnt::invalid_cell_reference);
 
         auto ref = xlnt::cell_reference("$B$7");
-        xlnt_assert(ref.row_absolute());
-        xlnt_assert(ref.column_absolute());
+        xlnt_assert_equals(ref.row_absolute(), true);
+        xlnt_assert_equals(ref.column_absolute(), true);
+
+        ref = xlnt::cell_reference("$B7");
+        xlnt_assert_equals(ref.row_absolute(), false);
+        xlnt_assert_equals(ref.column_absolute(), true);
+
+        ref = xlnt::cell_reference("B$7");
+        xlnt_assert_equals(ref.row_absolute(), true);
+        xlnt_assert_equals(ref.column_absolute(), false);
 
         xlnt_assert(xlnt::cell_reference("A1") == "A1");
         xlnt_assert(xlnt::cell_reference("A1") != "A2");