diff --git a/plugins/excel/xlsx-write-drawing.c b/plugins/excel/xlsx-write-drawing.c
index 0a743a465..24bda5fc0 100644
--- a/plugins/excel/xlsx-write-drawing.c
+++ b/plugins/excel/xlsx-write-drawing.c
@@ -360,7 +360,8 @@ xlsx_write_go_style_full (GsfXMLOut *xml, GOStyle *style, const XLSXStyleContext
 		case GO_STYLE_FILL_IMAGE:
 			/* FIXME: export image */
 		case GO_STYLE_FILL_NONE:
-			gsf_xml_out_simple_element (xml, "a:noFill", NULL);
+			if (!style->fill.auto_type)
+				gsf_xml_out_simple_element (xml, "a:noFill", NULL);
 			break;
 		case GO_STYLE_FILL_PATTERN: {
 			const char *pattname = NULL;
