diff --git a/src/cell.h b/src/cell.h
index 46bba510..5a37e467 100644
--- a/src/cell.h
+++ b/src/cell.h
@@ -426,7 +426,10 @@ struct Cell {
             c = nullptr;
             grid.reset(cg);  // FIXME: could merge instead?
             if (!HasText())
-                grid->MergeWithParent(parent->grid.get(), s, doc);  // deletes grid/this.
+                // cg will be released from grid in the next step
+                // to unlink cg from its owning cell because the contents
+                // of cg will be merged into the parent grid and cg deleted afterwards
+                grid->MergeWithParent(parent->grid.get(), s, doc);
         }
     }