diff --git a/vav_pipeline/lib/vav_pipeline/bereishit_cycle.ex b/vav_pipeline/lib/vav_pipeline/bereishit_cycle.ex
index 8e51ccf0..8be19eab 100644
--- a/vav_pipeline/lib/vav_pipeline/bereishit_cycle.ex
+++ b/vav_pipeline/lib/vav_pipeline/bereishit_cycle.ex
@@ -156,7 +156,13 @@ defmodule VavPipeline.BereishitCycle do
         end
 
         Map.merge(state, %{
-          roots_activated: Enum.map(raw_roots, &normalize_root(&1, context, :engine)),
+          # A verse may carry the same word twice (אור in Bereishit 1:3);
+          # the engine answers per word, and each normalized root already
+          # lists every position. One root, once.
+          roots_activated:
+            raw_roots
+            |> Enum.map(&normalize_root(&1, context, :engine))
+            |> Enum.uniq_by(& &1.shoresh),
           parse_tree: get_result(engine_result, :parse_tree, "parse_tree", nil),
           dual_readings: get_result(engine_result, :dual_readings, "dual_readings", []),
           teamim_parse: context.teamim_marks,
diff --git a/vav_pipeline/test/tablet32_reference_test.exs b/vav_pipeline/test/tablet32_reference_test.exs
index a29981ad..c60940f7 100644
--- a/vav_pipeline/test/tablet32_reference_test.exs
+++ b/vav_pipeline/test/tablet32_reference_test.exs
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ defmodule VavPipeline.Tablet32ReferenceTest do
         cond do
           # Devarim 6:5 opens וְאָהַבְתָּ — the engine would find א-ה-ב.
           String.contains?(text, "ואהבת") -> [root(["aleph", "he", "bet"], "אהב", 8)]
+          # A verse with a repeated word: the engine answers per word.
+          String.contains?(text, "אור ויהי אור") -> List.duplicate(root(["aleph", "vav", "resh"], "אור", 207), 2)
           String.match?(text, ~r/[\x{05D0}-\x{05EA}]/u) -> [root(["bet", "resh", "aleph"], "ברא", 203)]
           true -> []
         end
@@ -103,6 +105,14 @@ defmodule VavPipeline.Tablet32ReferenceTest do
       assert body["answer"] =~ "Devarim 6:5"
     end
 
+    test "a word the verse carries twice is one root, not two" do
+      conn = post_ask("bereishit 1:3")
+      body = Jason.decode!(conn.resp_body)
+
+      assert conn.status == 200
+      assert length(body["processing"]["roots_consulted"]) == 1
+    end
+
     test "English around the reference changes nothing" do
       conn = post_ask("What does Deuteronomy 6:5 command?")
       body = Jason.decode!(conn.resp_body)