diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/data.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/data.rs
index 383624b70..3a2e476ac 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/data.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/data.rs
@@ -1127,10 +1127,10 @@ fn circle_invalid(s: &mut Session, _: &Json) -> Result<Json> {
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------- outline
 
 fn outline_lines(s: &Session, p: &Json) -> Result<(bool, u32, u32)> {
-    if let Some(r) = str_param(p, "rows").and_then(RangeRef::parse) {
+    if let Some(r) = str_param(p, "rows").and_then(parse_lines) {
         return Ok((true, r.start.row, r.end.row));
     }
-    if let Some(r) = str_param(p, "cols").and_then(RangeRef::parse) {
+    if let Some(r) = str_param(p, "cols").and_then(parse_lines) {
         return Ok((false, r.start.col, r.end.col));
     }
     let r = s.doc()?.selection.current();
@@ -1493,6 +1493,20 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn single_row_and_column_parameters() {
+        let mut s = Session::new();
+        s.new_workbook();
+        s.execute("range.setValues", json!({"range": "A1", "values": [[1, 2], [3, 4]]})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("home.insertRows", json!({"rows": "2"})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("home.insertColumns", json!({"cols": "B"})).unwrap();
+        let v = |s: &mut Session, a: &str| s.execute("cell.get", json!({"cell": a})).unwrap()["value"].clone();
+        assert_eq!(v(&mut s, "C3"), json!(4.0));
+        s.execute("home.hideRows", json!({"rows": "1"})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("data.group", json!({"cols": "C"})).unwrap();
+        assert!(s.execute("home.deleteRows", json!({"rows": "0"})).is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn split() {
         assert_eq!(split_delimited("a,b,,c", &[','], false, '"'), ["a", "b", "", "c"]);
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/format.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/format.rs
index 4712351ca..b7f2e13f8 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/format.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/format.rs
@@ -940,7 +940,7 @@ fn line_targets(s: &Session, p: &Json, rows: bool) -> Result<Vec<(u32, u32)>> {
         return t
             .split(',')
             .map(|part| {
-                let r = RangeRef::parse(part).ok_or_else(|| bad(key, format!("not a range: {part}")))?;
+                let r = parse_lines(part).ok_or_else(|| bad(key, format!("not a range: {part}")))?;
                 Ok(if rows { (r.start.row, r.end.row) } else { (r.start.col, r.end.col) })
             })
             .collect();
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs
index 50865a2b7..2be06318c 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs
@@ -246,6 +246,11 @@ pub(crate) fn target_ranges(s: &Session, p: &Json) -> Result<Vec<RangeRef>> {
     Ok(s.doc()?.selection.ranges.clone())
 }
 
+/// A `rows`/`cols` parameter: `3:5` and `B:C`, or a single `3` or `B`.
+pub(crate) fn parse_lines(t: &str) -> Option<RangeRef> {
+    RangeRef::parse(t).or_else(|| if t.contains(':') { None } else { RangeRef::parse(&format!("{t}:{t}")) })
+}
+
 pub(crate) fn target_range(s: &Session, p: &Json) -> Result<RangeRef> {
     Ok(target_ranges(s, p)?.first().copied().unwrap_or_default())
 }
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs
index 7870dee4e..a81634e9a 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ pub fn specs() -> Vec<CommandSpec> {
 fn lines(s: &Session, p: &Json, axis: Axis) -> Result<(u32, u32)> {
     let key = if axis == Axis::Rows { "rows" } else { "cols" };
     let r = match str_param(p, key).or_else(|| str_param(p, "range")) {
-        Some(t) => RangeRef::parse(t).ok_or_else(|| bad(key, format!("not a range: {t}")))?,
+        Some(t) => parse_lines(t).ok_or_else(|| bad(key, format!("not a range: {t}")))?,
         None => s.doc()?.selection.current(),
     };
     let (a, b) = if axis == Axis::Rows { (r.start.row, r.end.row) } else { (r.start.col, r.end.col) };