diff --git a/samples/Basic/19_Namedrange.php b/samples/Basic/19_Namedrange.php
index d89e1b04d9..6170fa28e7 100644
--- a/samples/Basic/19_Namedrange.php
+++ b/samples/Basic/19_Namedrange.php
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@
 
 // Define named ranges
 $helper->log('Define named ranges');
-$spreadsheet->addNamedRange(new NamedRange('PersonName', $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet(), 'B1'));
-$spreadsheet->addNamedRange(new NamedRange('PersonLN', $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet(), 'B2'));
+$spreadsheet->addNamedRange(new NamedRange('PersonName', $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet(), '$B$1'));
+$spreadsheet->addNamedRange(new NamedRange('PersonLN', $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet(), '$B$2'));
 
 // Rename named ranges
 $helper->log('Rename named ranges');
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Parser.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Parser.php
index d49459b309..4033fd53e3 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Parser.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Parser.php
@@ -1149,10 +1149,6 @@ private function condition()
             $this->advance();
             $result2 = $this->expression();
             $result = $this->createTree('ptgNE', $result, $result2);
-        } elseif ($this->currentToken == '&') {
-            $this->advance();
-            $result2 = $this->expression();
-            $result = $this->createTree('ptgConcat', $result, $result2);
         }
 
         return $result;
@@ -1203,6 +1199,11 @@ private function expression()
             return $this->createTree('ptgUplus', $result2, '');
         }
         $result = $this->term();
+        while ($this->currentToken === '&') {
+            $this->advance();
+            $result2 = $this->expression();
+            $result = $this->createTree('ptgConcat', $result, $result2);
+        }
         while (
             ($this->currentToken == '+') ||
             ($this->currentToken == '-') ||
diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Writer/Xls/Sample19Test.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Writer/Xls/Sample19Test.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..13fa9fa1df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Writer/Xls/Sample19Test.php
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheetTests\Writer\Xls;
+
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheetTests\Functional\AbstractFunctional;
+
+class Sample19Test extends AbstractFunctional
+{
+    public function testSample19Xls(): void
+    {
+        $spreadsheet = new \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet();
+        $spreadsheet->setActiveSheetIndex(0);
+        $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet()->setCellValue('A1', 'Firstname:')
+            ->setCellValue('A2', 'Lastname:')
+            ->setCellValue('A3', 'Fullname:')
+            ->setCellValue('B1', 'Maarten')
+            ->setCellValue('B2', 'Balliauw')
+            ->setCellValue('B3', '=B1 & " " & B2')
+            ->setCellValue('C1', '=A2&A3&A3&A2&B1');
+
+        $robj = $this->writeAndReload($spreadsheet, 'Xls');
+        $sheet0 = $robj->setActiveSheetIndex(0);
+        // Xls parser eliminates unneeded whitespace
+        self::assertEquals('=B1&" "&B2', $sheet0->getCell('B3')->getValue());
+        self::assertEquals('Maarten Balliauw', $sheet0->getCell('B3')->getCalculatedValue());
+        self::assertEquals('Lastname:Fullname:Fullname:Lastname:Maarten', $sheet0->getCell('C1')->getCalculatedValue());
+    }
+}