diff --git a/src/freeroute/route/grid_router.py b/src/freeroute/route/grid_router.py
index 797ea31..81bfdd9 100644
--- a/src/freeroute/route/grid_router.py
+++ b/src/freeroute/route/grid_router.py
@@ -451,10 +451,11 @@ class GridRouter:
         g_score: dict[Node, float] = {}
         came_from: dict[Node, Node] = {}
         # a stub costs its length, so the nearest cell wins unless it is blocked
-        goal_stub = {n: self._stub_cost(p, n) for n, p in goals.items() if p is not None}
+        # a pin end costs its stub; a zone or plane end is entered normally
+        goal_stub = {n: self._stub_cost(p, n) for n, p in goals.items() if isinstance(p, Pin)}
         for s in sorted(starts):
             pin = starts[s]
-            g_score[s] = self._stub_cost(pin, s) if pin is not None else 0.0
+            g_score[s] = self._stub_cost(pin, s) if isinstance(pin, Pin) else 0.0
             heapq.heappush(open_heap, (g_score[s] + self._h(s, goal_cell), s))
 
         # Via footprints are checked lazily: a layer change goes on the heap as
diff --git a/tests/route/test_real_board_geometry.py b/tests/route/test_real_board_geometry.py
index 5d208b2..bd519b7 100644
--- a/tests/route/test_real_board_geometry.py
+++ b/tests/route/test_real_board_geometry.py
@@ -202,6 +202,18 @@ def test_smd_pads_reach_an_inner_plane_by_their_own_via():
     assert all(names[layer] in ("F.Cu", "B.Cu") for segs in result.result.wires.values() for layer, _ in segs)
 
 
+def test_a_pad_outside_the_plane_routes_to_it():
+    # G1 sits left of a plane that covers only the right half, so its route
+    # has to reach the plane's cells: those ends are the plane, not a pin
+    dsn_text = _four_layer_dsn().replace(
+        "(plane GND (polygon In1.Cu 0  500 -500  29500 -500  29500 -29500  500 -29500  500 -500))",
+        "(plane GND (polygon In1.Cu 0  15000 -500  29500 -500  29500 -29500  15000 -29500  15000 -500))",
+    )
+    result, _scale, _names = route_dsn_board_exact(parse_dsn(dsn_text))
+    gnd = next(i + 1 for i, n in enumerate(parse_dsn(dsn_text).nets) if n.name == "GND")
+    assert gnd in result.result.routed_net_numbers
+
+
 def test_a_through_hole_pad_inside_a_plane_needs_no_route():
     from freeroute.route.grid_router import _connected_groups