diff --git a/SpreadCheetah/Spreadsheet.cs b/SpreadCheetah/Spreadsheet.cs
index d749b658..5898a3ce 100644
--- a/SpreadCheetah/Spreadsheet.cs
+++ b/SpreadCheetah/Spreadsheet.cs
@@ -412,9 +412,7 @@ public bool TryAddDataValidation(string reference, DataValidation validation)
     {
         ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(validation);
         ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(reference);
-
-        var cellReference = CellReference.Create(reference, true, CellReferenceType.RelativeOrAbsolute);
-        return Worksheet.TryAddDataValidation(cellReference, validation);
+        return Worksheet.TryAddDataValidation(reference, validation);
     }
 
     /// <summary>
diff --git a/SpreadCheetah/Worksheet.cs b/SpreadCheetah/Worksheet.cs
index 21b851cc..c0ed0148 100644
--- a/SpreadCheetah/Worksheet.cs
+++ b/SpreadCheetah/Worksheet.cs
@@ -182,14 +182,15 @@ public ValueTask AddRowAsync(ReadOnlyMemory<DataCell> cells, RowOptions options,
     public ValueTask AddRowAsync(ReadOnlyMemory<StyledCell> cells, RowOptions options, int currentIndex, CancellationToken ct)
         => _styledCellWriter.AddRowAsync(cells, _nextRowIndex - 1, options, currentIndex, _stream, ct);
 
-    public bool TryAddDataValidation(CellReference reference, DataValidation validation)
+    public bool TryAddDataValidation(string reference, DataValidation validation)
     {
         _validations ??= new Dictionary<CellReference, DataValidation>();
 
         if (_validations.Count >= SpreadsheetConstants.MaxNumberOfDataValidations)
             return false;
 
-        _validations[reference] = validation;
+        var cellReference = CellReference.Create(reference, true, CellReferenceType.RelativeOrAbsolute);
+        _validations[cellReference] = validation;
         return true;
     }