diff --git a/pyxform/xls2json.py b/pyxform/xls2json.py
index e1fe6cae..d21f3644 100644
--- a/pyxform/xls2json.py
+++ b/pyxform/xls2json.py
@@ -1306,6 +1306,25 @@ def workbook_to_json(
             parent_children_array.append(new_dict)
             continue
 
+        if question_type == "text":
+            new_dict = row.copy()
+            parameters_generic.validate(parameters=parameters, allowed=("rows",))
+
+            if "rows" in parameters.keys():
+                try:
+                    int(parameters["rows"])
+                except ValueError:
+                    raise PyXFormError(
+                        (ROW_FORMAT_STRING % row_number)
+                        + " Parameter rows must have an integer value."
+                    )
+
+                new_dict["control"] = new_dict.get("control", {})
+                new_dict["control"].update({"rows": parameters["rows"]})
+
+            parent_children_array.append(new_dict)
+            continue
+
         if question_type == "photo":
             new_dict = row.copy()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_parameters_rows.py b/tests/test_parameters_rows.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d857d83e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_parameters_rows.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""
+Test text rows parameter.
+"""
+from tests.pyxform_test_case import PyxformTestCase
+
+
+class TestParametersRows(PyxformTestCase):
+    def test_adding_rows_to_the_body_if_set_in_its_own_column(
+        self,
+    ):
+        self.assertPyxformXform(
+            name="data",
+            md="""
+            | survey |        |          |       |                |
+            |        | type   | name     | label | body::rows     |
+            |        | text   | name     | Name  | 7              |
+            """,
+            xml__xpath_match=["/h:html/h:body/x:input[@ref='/data/name' and @rows='7']"],
+        )
+
+    def test_using_the_number_of_rows_specified_in_parameters_if_it_is_set_in_both_its_own_column_and_the_parameters_column(
+        self,
+    ):
+        self.assertPyxformXform(
+            name="data",
+            md="""
+            | survey |        |          |       |                |                |
+            |        | type   | name     | label | body::rows     | parameters     |
+            |        | text   | name     | Name  | 7              | rows=8         |
+            """,
+            xml__xpath_match=["/h:html/h:body/x:input[@ref='/data/name' and @rows='8']"],
+        )
+
+    def test_adding_rows_to_the_body_if_set_in_parameters(
+        self,
+    ):
+        self.assertPyxformXform(
+            name="data",
+            md="""
+            | survey |        |          |       |                |
+            |        | type   | name     | label | parameters     |
+            |        | text   | name     | Name  | rows=7         |
+            """,
+            xml__xpath_match=["/h:html/h:body/x:input[@ref='/data/name' and @rows='7']"],
+        )
+
+    def test_throwing_error_if_rows_set_in_parameters_but_the_value_is_not_an_integer(
+        self,
+    ):
+        parameters = ("rows=", "rows=foo", "rows=7.5")
+        md = """
+        | survey |        |          |       |                 |
+        |        | type   | name     | label | parameters      |
+        |        | text   | name     | Name  | {case}          |
+        """
+        for case in parameters:
+            with self.subTest(msg=case):
+                self.assertPyxformXform(
+                    name="data",
+                    md=md.format(case=case),
+                    errored=True,
+                    error__contains=[
+                        "[row : 2] Parameter rows must have an integer value."
+                    ],
+                )