diff --git a/src/freeroute/route/exact_router.py b/src/freeroute/route/exact_router.py
index dc6b8f9..ae1c954 100644
--- a/src/freeroute/route/exact_router.py
+++ b/src/freeroute/route/exact_router.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 import math
 
 from freeroute.board.board import BasicBoard
-from freeroute.board.items import Pin
+from freeroute.board.items import Pin, Via
 from freeroute.board.search_tree import ShapeSearchTree, TreeShape
 from freeroute.geometry import (
     IntBox,
@@ -178,6 +178,11 @@ def route_board_exact(
 
     via_layers = frozenset(signal_layers)
     accepted: dict[int, _Accepted] = {}
+    fixed_vias = {
+        (item.net_nos[0], item.location)
+        for item in board.get_items()
+        if isinstance(item, Via) and item.fixed and item.net_nos
+    }
 
     # Verify connection by connection, so one conflicting segment of a
     # 25-pin supply net costs that one connection, not the whole net.
@@ -207,7 +212,11 @@ def route_board_exact(
         if acc is None:
             acc = accepted[net_no] = _Accepted(wires=[], vias=[])
         acc.wires.extend(wires)
-        acc.vias.extend(vias)
+        # connections of one net that end on the same plane cell share its
+        # via: write it once, and never on top of a via already on the board
+        acc.vias.extend(
+            v for v in dict.fromkeys(vias) if v not in acc.vias and (net_no, v) not in fixed_vias
+        )
         for box, box_layers in boxes:
             oid = next(owner)
             tree.insert(TreeShape(oid, net_no, box_layers, box, routed=True))
diff --git a/tests/route/test_via_spacing.py b/tests/route/test_via_spacing.py
index 2d42638..f591307 100644
--- a/tests/route/test_via_spacing.py
+++ b/tests/route/test_via_spacing.py
@@ -34,3 +34,23 @@ def test_a_nets_own_vias_keep_hole_to_hole_spacing():
     need = (300 + 250) * scale  # drill + 0.25 mm, centre to centre
     for a, b in itertools.combinations(vias, 2):
         assert math.hypot(a.x - b.x, a.y - b.y) >= need, f"vias at {a} and {b} too close"
+
+
+def test_connections_sharing_a_plane_via_write_it_once():
+    # eight GND pads 0.4 mm apart: the hole spacing makes several of them
+    # end on the same plane via, which must come out once, not once each
+    pads = " ".join(f"(place G{i} {9000 + 400 * i} -10000 front 0)" for i in range(8))
+    pins = " ".join(f"G{i}-1" for i in range(8))
+    dsn = parse_dsn(
+        _DSN.replace(
+            "(place G1 9000 -10000 front 0) (place G2 9500 -10000 front 0)\n"
+            "                          (place G3 10000 -10000 front 0) (place G4 10500 -10000 front 0)",
+            pads,
+        )
+        .replace("(pins G1-1 G2-1 G3-1 G4-1)", f"(pins {pins})")
+        .replace("(rect F.Cu -150 -300 150 300)", "(rect F.Cu -125 -300 125 300)")
+    )
+    exact, _scale, _ = route_dsn_board_exact(dsn, resolution=2)
+    vias = exact.result.vias[1]
+    assert len(vias) < 8, "no via is shared, so this board no longer tests sharing"
+    assert len(set(vias)) == len(vias), "a shared via written more than once"