diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.cpp
index 5e0d184..2bef123 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ void TCellData::setCells(TXsheet *xsh, int r0, int c0, int r1, int c1) {
 
 // data -> xsh
 bool TCellData::getCells(TXsheet *xsh, int r0, int c0, int &r1, int &c1,
-                         bool insert, bool doZeraryClone) const {
+                         bool insert, bool doZeraryClone,
+                         bool skipEmptyCells) const {
   int c;
   r1           = r0 + m_rowCount - 1;
   c1           = c0 + m_colCount - 1;
@@ -76,11 +77,13 @@ bool TCellData::getCells(TXsheet *xsh, int r0, int c0, int &r1, int &c1,
       isColumnEmpty = column->isEmpty();
       /*- 各セルに左上→右下で順に割り振られるIndex -*/
       int cellIndex = index * m_rowCount;
-      /*- セルに中身があるところまでcellIndexをインクリメント -*/
-      while (cellIndex < (index + 1) * m_rowCount &&
-             m_cells[cellIndex].isEmpty())
-        ++cellIndex;
-      /*- 選択範囲の終端 -*/
+      // increment the cellIndex and skip empty cells
+      if (skipEmptyCells) {
+        while (cellIndex < (index + 1) * m_rowCount &&
+               m_cells[cellIndex].isEmpty())
+          ++cellIndex;
+      }
+      // if the cellIndex reaches the end of the selection
       if ((int)m_cells.size() <= cellIndex)  // Celle vuote.
         return cellSet;
       /*- カラムが変更不可なら次のカラムへ -*/
@@ -152,9 +155,9 @@ void TCellData::cloneZeraryFx(int index, std::vector<TXshCell> &cells) const {
     TXshZeraryFxColumn *newFxColumn = new TXshZeraryFxColumn(0);
     newFxColumn->getZeraryColumnFx()->setZeraryFx(newZeraryFx);
     newFxLevel->setColumn(newFxColumn);
-    cells.clear();
+    // replace the zerary fx cells by the new fx
     int r;
-    for (r = firstNotEmptyIndex; r < (index + 1) * m_rowCount; r++)
-      cells.push_back(TXshCell(newFxLevel, m_cells[r].getFrameId()));
+    for (r     = firstNotEmptyIndex; r < (index + 1) * m_rowCount; r++)
+      cells[r] = TXshCell(newFxLevel, m_cells[r].getFrameId());
   }
 }
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.h b/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.h
index f8a9b0f..0556a0e 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.h
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.h
@@ -40,10 +40,12 @@ public:
 
   // data -> xsh;
   /*! If insert == true insert cells and shift old one.
-If column type don't match (sound vs nto sound) don't set column cells.
-If doZeraryClone == true clone zerary cells fx.*/
+If column type don't match (sound vs not sound) don't set column cells.
+If doZeraryClone == true clone zerary cells fx.
+If skipEmptyCells == false do not skip setting empty cells in data*/
   bool getCells(TXsheet *xsh, int r0, int c0, int &r1, int &c1,
-                bool insert = true, bool doZeraryClone = true) const;
+                bool insert = true, bool doZeraryClone = true,
+                bool skipEmptyCells = true) const;
 
   //! Return true if cell in TCellData can be set in \b xsh xsheet.
   bool canChange(TXsheet *xsh, int c0) const;
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/cellselection.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/cellselection.cpp
index 81342c2..0f3e74a 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/cellselection.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/cellselection.cpp
@@ -910,7 +910,8 @@ public:
 //=============================================================================
 
 bool pasteCellsWithoutUndo(int &r0, int &c0, int &r1, int &c1,
-                           bool insert = true, bool doZeraryClone = true) {
+                           bool insert = true, bool doZeraryClone = true,
+                           bool skipEmptyCells = true) {
   TXsheet *xsh              = TApp::instance()->getCurrentXsheet()->getXsheet();
   QClipboard *clipboard     = QApplication::clipboard();
   const QMimeData *mimeData = clipboard->mimeData();
@@ -921,7 +922,8 @@ bool pasteCellsWithoutUndo(int &r0, int &c0, int &r1, int &c1,
   if (r0 < 0 || c0 < 0) return false;
 
   /*-- この中で、r1,c1はペースト範囲にあわせリサイズされる --*/
-  bool ret = cellData->getCells(xsh, r0, c0, r1, c1, insert, doZeraryClone);
+  bool ret = cellData->getCells(xsh, r0, c0, r1, c1, insert, doZeraryClone,
+                                skipEmptyCells);
   if (!ret) return false;
 
   // Se la selezione corrente e' TCellSelection selezione le celle copiate
@@ -992,16 +994,16 @@ public:
     }
 
     /*-- クリップボードの内容を取っておく --*/
-    const QMimeData *mimeData = clipboard->mimeData();
+    QMimeData *mimeData = cloneData(clipboard->mimeData());
 
     /*--
      * ペースト前にあったセル配列をcellDataとしていったんクリップボードに入れ、ペーストさせる
      * --*/
     clipboard->setMimeData(cloneData(m_beforeData), QClipboard::Clipboard);
-    pasteCellsWithoutUndo(r0, c0, c1, r1, true, false);
+    pasteCellsWithoutUndo(r0, c0, r1, c1, true, false, false);
 
     /*-- クリップボードを元に戻す --*/
-    clipboard->setMimeData(cloneData(mimeData), QClipboard::Clipboard);
+    clipboard->setMimeData(mimeData, QClipboard::Clipboard);
 
     // Se le selezione corrente e' TCellSelection seleziono le celle che sono in
     // oldSelection