diff --git a/src/pages/api/assignments/[id]/[export]/excel.ts b/src/pages/api/assignments/[id]/[export]/excel.ts
index bf19569e..d4fa7f05 100644
--- a/src/pages/api/assignments/[id]/[export]/excel.ts
+++ b/src/pages/api/assignments/[id]/[export]/excel.ts
@@ -195,12 +195,16 @@ function commonExcel({
 
   // K10:M12 = 10,11,12,13
   // horizontally group Test Sections
-  worksheet.mergeCells(
-    startIndexTable,
-    staticHeaders.length + 1,
-    startIndexTable,
-    tableColumnHeadersFirstPart.length
-  );
+
+  // if there are test section headers to even merge:
+  if(testSectionHeaders.length > 1) {
+    worksheet.mergeCells(
+      startIndexTable,
+      staticHeaders.length + 1,
+      startIndexTable,
+      tableColumnHeadersFirstPart.length
+    );
+  }
 
   // Add the dynamic second and third header rows for test sections and sub-columns
   worksheet.addRow([