diff --git a/src/db/db/dbFillTool.cc b/src/db/db/dbFillTool.cc
index d6d216d2b..855be54b5 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbFillTool.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/dbFillTool.cc
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ public:
         db::Vector dr = m_row_step * long ((rows_per_columns > 0 ? -(ir + 1) : ir) + m_row_steps);
         db::Vector dc = m_column_step * long ((columns_per_rows > 0 ? -(ic + 1) : ic) + m_column_steps);
 
-        am.reinitialize (db::Point (fp_left, fp_bottom) + dr + dc, db::Vector (ddx, ddy), db::Vector (dx, dy), nx, ny);
+        am.reinitialize (db::Point (fp_left, fp_bottom) + dr + dc, db::Vector (ddx, ddy), m_dim, nx, ny);
 
         if (db::rasterize (fp, am)) {
           m_area_maps.push_back (db::AreaMap ());
diff --git a/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_layer.rb b/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_layer.rb
index 8189edeb6..025546f31 100644
--- a/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_layer.rb
+++ b/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_layer.rb
@@ -4286,7 +4286,21 @@ CODE
     # @/code
     #
     # Without a reference point given, the lower left corner of the fill pattern's bounding box will be used
-    # as the reference point.
+    # as the reference point. The reference point will also defined the footprint of the fill cell - more precisely
+    # the lower left corner. The fill cell's foot print is taken to be a rectangle having the horizontal and vertical
+    # step pitch for width and height respectively. The dimension can be changed however so that the fill cells
+    # can overlap or there can be spacing between the cells. To change the dimensions use the "dim" method.
+    #
+    # The following example specifies a fill cell with an active area of -0.5 .. 1.5 in both directions
+    # (2 micron width and height). With these dimensions the fill cell's footprint is independent of the
+    # step pitch:
+    #
+    # @code
+    # p = fill_pattern("FILL_CELL")
+    # p.shape(1, 0, box(0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0))
+    # p.origin(-0.5, -0.5)
+    # p.dim(2.0, 2.0)
+    # @/code
     #
     # With these ingredients will can use the fill function. The first example fills the polygons
     # of "to_fill" with an orthogonal pattern of 1x1 micron rectangles with a pitch of 2 microns:
@@ -4388,7 +4402,7 @@ CODE
 
       fill_cell = pattern.create_cell(@engine._output_layout, @engine)
       top_cell = @engine._output_cell
-      ko = dbu_trans * pattern.cell_origin
+      fc_box = dbu_trans * pattern.cell_box(row_step.x, column_step.y)
       rs = dbu_trans * row_step
       cs = dbu_trans * column_step
       origin = origin ? dbu_trans * origin : nil
@@ -4415,7 +4429,7 @@ CODE
 
         tp.input("region", self.data)
         tp.var("top_cell", top_cell)
-        tp.var("ko", ko)
+        tp.var("fc_box", fc_box)
         tp.var("rs", rs)
         tp.var("cs", cs)
         tp.var("origin", origin)
@@ -4426,10 +4440,10 @@ CODE
             var tc_box = _frame.bbox;
             var tile_box = _tile ? (tc_box & _tile.bbox) : tc_box;
             !tile_box.empty && (
-              tile_box = tile_box.enlarged(Vector.new(rs.x, cs.y));
+              tile_box = tile_box.enlarged(Vector.new(max(rs.x, fc_box.width), max(cs.y, fc_box.height)));
               tile_box = tile_box & tc_box;
               var left = Region.new;
-              (region & tile_box).fill(top_cell, fc_index, ko, rs, cs, origin, left, Vector.new, left, _tile.bbox);
+              (region & tile_box).fill(top_cell, fc_index, fc_box, rs, cs, origin, left, Vector.new, left, _tile.bbox);
               _output(#{result_arg}, left)
             )
 END
@@ -4441,7 +4455,7 @@ END
               tile_box.right = tile_box.right + rs.x - 1;
               tile_box.top = tile_box.top + cs.y - 1;
               tile_box = tile_box & tc_box;
-              (region & tile_box).fill(top_cell, fc_index, ko, rs, cs, origin, nil, Vector.new, nil, _tile.bbox)
+              (region & tile_box).fill(top_cell, fc_index, fc_box, rs, cs, origin, nil, Vector.new, nil, _tile.bbox)
             )
 END
         end
@@ -4462,7 +4476,7 @@ END
         end
 
         @engine.run_timed("\"#{m}\" in: #{@engine.src_line}", self.data) do
-          self.data.fill(top_cell, fc_index, ko, rs, cs, origin, result, RBA::Vector::new, result)
+          self.data.fill(top_cell, fc_index, fc_box, rs, cs, origin, result, RBA::Vector::new, result)
         end
 
       end
diff --git a/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_tags.rb b/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_tags.rb
index f6711fe40..964172d85 100644
--- a/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_tags.rb
+++ b/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_tags.rb
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ module DRC
       @cell_name = name
       @shapes = []
       @origin = nil
+      @dim = nil
     end
 
     def create_cell(layout, engine)
@@ -200,13 +201,15 @@ module DRC
       cell
     end
 
-    def cell_origin
-      @origin || self._computed_origin
+    def cell_box(def_w, def_h)
+      o = @origin || self._computed_origin
+      d = @dim || RBA::DVector::new(def_w, def_h)
+      RBA::DBox::new(o, o + d)
     end
 
     def _computed_origin
       b = self.bbox
-      return b.empty? ? RBA::DVector::new : (b.p1 - RBA::DPoint::new)
+      return b.empty? ? RBA::DPoint::new : b.p1
     end
 
     def bbox
@@ -279,6 +282,20 @@ module DRC
 
     end
 
+    def dim(w, h)
+
+      if !w.is_a?(1.class) && !w.is_a?(1.0.class)
+        raise("w argument not numeric FillCell#dim")
+      end
+      if !h.is_a?(1.class) && !h.is_a?(1.0.class)
+        raise("h argument not numeric FillCell#dim")
+      end
+      @dim = RBA::DVector::new(w, h)
+
+      self
+
+    end
+
   end
  
   # A wrapper for the fill step definition
diff --git a/src/drc/unit_tests/drcSimpleTests.cc b/src/drc/unit_tests/drcSimpleTests.cc
index 632800289..36b46732a 100644
--- a/src/drc/unit_tests/drcSimpleTests.cc
+++ b/src/drc/unit_tests/drcSimpleTests.cc
@@ -1213,3 +1213,12 @@ TEST(43_fillWithLeftTiled)
   run_test (_this, "43", false);
 }
 
+TEST(44_fillWithOverlappingBoxes)
+{
+  run_test (_this, "44", false);
+}
+
+TEST(45_fillWithOverlappingBoxesTiled)
+{
+  run_test (_this, "45", false);
+}
diff --git a/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_44.drc b/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_44.drc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..34d4e997a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_44.drc
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+
+source $drc_test_source
+target $drc_test_target
+
+if $drc_test_deep
+  deep
+end
+
+l1 = input(1, 0)
+
+f1 = l1
+
+p1 = fill_pattern("PAT1").shape(100, 0, box(0, 0, 1.um, 1.um)).origin(-1.um, -1.um).dim(3.um, 3.um)
+
+f1.fill_with_left(p1, hstep(2.0, 1.0), vstep(-1.0, 2.0)).output(100, 0)
+
+l1.output(1, 0)
+f1.output(10, 0)
+
diff --git a/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_44.gds b/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_44.gds
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9e05712b
Binary files /dev/null and b/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_44.gds differ
diff --git a/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_45.drc b/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_45.drc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..910f0c971
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_45.drc
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+
+source $drc_test_source
+target $drc_test_target
+
+if $drc_test_deep
+  deep
+end
+
+tiles(5, 5)
+
+l1 = input(1, 0)
+
+f1 = l1
+
+p1 = fill_pattern("PAT1").shape(100, 0, box(0, 0, 1.um, 1.um)).origin(-1.um, -1.um).dim(3.um, 3.um)
+
+f1.fill_with_left(p1, hstep(2.0, 1.0), vstep(-1.0, 2.0)).output(100, 0)
+
+l1.output(1, 0)
+f1.output(10, 0)
+
diff --git a/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_45.gds b/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_45.gds
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9e05712b
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diff --git a/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_au44.gds b/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_au44.gds
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f47f36f18
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diff --git a/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_au45.gds b/testdata/drc/drcSimpleTests_au45.gds
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7c45acceb
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