diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d56a1cff..28ffef72 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ v0.16.0 (xx dec 2018)
 ----------------------
 ### Added
 - Add setting Chart Title and Legend visibility @Tom-Magill #1433
+- Add ability to pass a Style object in Section constructor @ndench #1416
 - Add support for hidden text @Alexmg86 #1527
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/src/PhpWord/Element/Section.php b/src/PhpWord/Element/Section.php
index d612fc01..b495ef7b 100644
--- a/src/PhpWord/Element/Section.php
+++ b/src/PhpWord/Element/Section.php
@@ -59,14 +59,16 @@ class Section extends AbstractContainer
      * Create new instance
      *
      * @param int $sectionCount
-     * @param array $style
+     * @param null|array|\PhpOffice\PhpWord\Style $style
      */
     public function __construct($sectionCount, $style = null)
     {
         $this->sectionId = $sectionCount;
         $this->setDocPart($this->container, $this->sectionId);
-        $this->style = new SectionStyle();
-        $this->setStyle($style);
+        if (null === $style) {
+            $style = new SectionStyle();
+        }
+        $this->style = $this->setNewStyle(new SectionStyle(), $style);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/PhpWord/Element/SectionTest.php b/tests/PhpWord/Element/SectionTest.php
index 265307d7..83d1214e 100644
--- a/tests/PhpWord/Element/SectionTest.php
+++ b/tests/PhpWord/Element/SectionTest.php
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ namespace PhpOffice\PhpWord\Element;
 
 use PhpOffice\PhpWord\PhpWord;
 use PhpOffice\PhpWord\Style;
+use PhpOffice\PhpWord\Style\Section as SectionStyle;
 
 /**
  * @covers \PhpOffice\PhpWord\Element\Section
@@ -27,6 +28,27 @@ use PhpOffice\PhpWord\Style;
  */
 class SectionTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
 {
+    public function testConstructorWithDefaultStyle()
+    {
+        $section = new Section(0);
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('PhpOffice\\PhpWord\\Style\\Section', $section->getStyle());
+    }
+
+    public function testConstructorWithArrayStyle()
+    {
+        $section = new Section(0, array('orientation' => 'landscape'));
+        $style = $section->getStyle();
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('PhpOffice\\PhpWord\\Style\\Section', $style);
+        $this->assertEquals('landscape', $style->getOrientation());
+    }
+
+    public function testConstructorWithObjectStyle()
+    {
+        $style = new SectionStyle();
+        $section = new Section(0, $style);
+        $this->assertSame($style, $section->getStyle());
+    }
+
     /**
      * @covers ::setStyle
      */
diff --git a/tests/PhpWord/Writer/Word2007/ElementTest.php b/tests/PhpWord/Writer/Word2007/ElementTest.php
index 25c62ecc..dc75a335 100644
--- a/tests/PhpWord/Writer/Word2007/ElementTest.php
+++ b/tests/PhpWord/Writer/Word2007/ElementTest.php
@@ -492,4 +492,19 @@ class ElementTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
         $this->assertTrue($doc->elementExists('/w:document/w:body/w:p[2]/w:pPr/w:pStyle'));
         $this->assertEquals('Heading1', $doc->getElementAttribute('/w:document/w:body/w:p[2]/w:pPr/w:pStyle', 'w:val'));
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Test correct writing of text with ampersant in it
+     */
+    public function testTextWithAmpersant()
+    {
+        \PhpOffice\PhpWord\Settings::setOutputEscapingEnabled(true);
+        $phpWord = new PhpWord();
+        $section = $phpWord->addSection();
+        $section->addText('this text contains an & (ampersant)');
+
+        $doc = TestHelperDOCX::getDocument($phpWord);
+        $this->assertTrue($doc->elementExists('/w:document/w:body/w:p/w:r/w:t'));
+        $this->assertEquals('this text contains an & (ampersant)', $doc->getElement('/w:document/w:body/w:p/w:r/w:t')->nodeValue);
+    }
 }