A ply-bonding agent or adhesive composition characterized by a viscosity and a surface tension for the manufacture of paper tissue and paper towel, includes: (a) water; (b) nanofibrillated cellulose; and (c) one or more modifiers effective to modify either or both of (i) the viscosity of the composition or (ii) the surface tension of the composition, wherein the one or more additional modifiers are selected from the group consisting of components (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii) or (viii), wherein: (iii) is PVOH and a viscosity modifier; (iv) is a viscosity modifier; (v) is a viscosity modifier and a surface tension modifier other than PVOH; (vi) is a water-soluble cellulose derivative; (vii) is a water soluble polyol; and (viii) is a surface tension modifier other than PVOH. The compositions are particularly useful for ply-bonding multi-ply absorbent sheet when the plies are treated with debonder.