diff --git a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TableCell.java b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TableCell.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TableCell.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TableCell.java
@@ -560,6 +560,8 @@
 
     private boolean isFirstRun = true;
 
+    private WeakReference<S> oldRowItemRef;
+
     /*
      * This is called when we think that the data within this TableCell may have
      * changed. You'll note that this is a private function - it is only called
@@ -579,6 +581,9 @@
         final boolean isEmpty = isEmpty();
         final T oldValue = getItem();
 
+        final TableRow<S> tableRow = getTableRow();
+        final S rowItem = tableRow == null ? null : tableRow.getItem();
+
         final boolean indexExceedsItemCount = index >= itemCount;
         
         // there is a whole heap of reasons why we should just punt...
@@ -613,11 +618,19 @@
             // unless the item has changed.
             if (oldIndex == index) {
                 if (oldValue != null ? oldValue.equals(newValue) : newValue == null) {
-                    return;
+                    // RT-36670: we need to check the row item here to prevent
+                    // the issue where the cell value and index doesn't change,
+                    // but the backing row object does.
+                    S oldRowItem = oldRowItemRef != null ? oldRowItemRef.get() : null;
+                    if (oldRowItem != null && oldRowItem.equals(rowItem)) {
+                        return;
+                    }
                 }
             }
             updateItem(newValue, false);
         }
+
+        oldRowItemRef = new WeakReference<>(rowItem);
         
         if (currentObservableValue == null) {
             return;
diff --git a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TreeTableCell.java b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TreeTableCell.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TreeTableCell.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TreeTableCell.java
@@ -553,6 +553,8 @@
 
     private boolean isFirstRun = true;
 
+    private WeakReference<S> oldRowItemRef;
+
     /*
      * This is called when we think that the data within this TreeTableCell may have
      * changed. You'll note that this is a private function - it is only called
@@ -571,6 +573,9 @@
         final boolean isEmpty = isEmpty();
         final T oldValue = getItem();
 
+        final TreeTableRow<S> tableRow = getTreeTableRow();
+        final S rowItem = tableRow == null ? null : tableRow.getItem();
+
         final boolean indexExceedsItemCount = index >= itemCount;
         
         // there is a whole heap of reasons why we should just punt...
@@ -607,11 +612,19 @@
             // unless the item has changed.
             if (oldIndex == index) {
                 if (oldValue != null ? oldValue.equals(newValue) : newValue == null) {
-                    return;
+                    // RT-36670: we need to check the row item here to prevent
+                    // the issue where the cell value and index doesn't change,
+                    // but the backing row object does.
+                    S oldRowItem = oldRowItemRef != null ? oldRowItemRef.get() : null;
+                    if (oldRowItem != null && oldRowItem.equals(rowItem)) {
+                        return;
+                    }
                 }
             }
             updateItem(newValue, false);
         }
+
+        oldRowItemRef = new WeakReference<>(rowItem);
         
         if (currentObservableValue == null) {
             return;
diff --git a/modules/controls/src/test/java/javafx/scene/control/TableViewTest.java b/modules/controls/src/test/java/javafx/scene/control/TableViewTest.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/test/java/javafx/scene/control/TableViewTest.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/test/java/javafx/scene/control/TableViewTest.java
@@ -3089,7 +3089,6 @@
         assertEquals(1, TableColumnHeaderRetriever.getSortPos(emailColHeader));
     }
 
-    @Ignore("Test written before fix was available.")
     @Test public void test_rt_36670() {
         final ObservableList<Person> data = FXCollections.observableArrayList(
                 new Person("Jacob", "Smith", "jacob.smith@example.com", true),