diff --git a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C
index 7de23595a1..57a30f4e41 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C
@@ -534,9 +534,9 @@ string MathGridInset::eolString(row_type row, bool fragile) const
 }
 
 
-string MathGridInset::eocString(col_type col) const
+string MathGridInset::eocString(col_type col, col_type lastcol) const
 {
-	if (col + 1 == ncols())
+	if (col + 1 == lastcol)
 		return string();
 	return " & ";
 }
@@ -864,8 +864,12 @@ void MathGridInset::write(WriteStream & os) const
 	for (row_type row = 0; row < nrows(); ++row) {
 		os << verboseHLine(rowinfo_[row].lines_);
 		// don't write & and empty cells at end of line
+		col_type lastcol = 0;
 		for (col_type col = 0; col < ncols(); ++col)
-			os << cell(index(row, col)) << eocString(col);
+			if (!cell(index(row, col)).empty())
+				lastcol = col + 1;
+		for (col_type col = 0; col < lastcol; ++col)
+			os << cell(index(row, col)) << eocString(col, lastcol);
 		os << eolString(row, os.fragile());
 	}
 	string const s = verboseHLine(rowinfo_[nrows()].lines_);
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h
index cef894035a..808735a29f 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ protected:
 	/// returns proper 'end of line' code for LaTeX
 	virtual string eolString(row_type row, bool fragile = false) const;
 	/// returns proper 'end of column' code for LaTeX
-	virtual string eocString(col_type col) const;
+	virtual string eocString(col_type col, col_type lastcol) const;
 	/// extract number of columns from alignment string
 	col_type guessColumns(string const & halign) const;
 	/// splits cells and shifts right part to the next cell
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_parser.C b/src/mathed/math_parser.C
index 0ea4cee7c2..36b2791168 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_parser.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_parser.C
@@ -853,7 +853,7 @@ void Parser::parse1(MathGridInset & grid, unsigned flags,
 			cell = &grid.cell(grid.index(cellrow, cellcol));
 		}
 
-#if 1
+#if 0
 		else if (t.cs() == "multicolumn") {
 			// extract column count and insert dummy cells
 			MathArray count;