diff --git a/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbDEFImporter.cc b/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbDEFImporter.cc
index 6ef63978f..ea5de1c3f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbDEFImporter.cc
+++ b/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbDEFImporter.cc
@@ -773,17 +773,19 @@ DEFImporter::read_nets (db::Layout &layout, db::Cell &design, double scale, bool
       } else {
 
         bool prefixed = false;
+        bool can_have_rect_or_polygon = true;
 
         if ((was_shield = test ("SHIELD")) == true || test ("NOSHIELD") || test ("ROUTED") || test ("FIXED") || test ("COVER")) {
           if (was_shield) {
             take ();
           }
           prefixed = true;
+          can_have_rect_or_polygon = test ("+");
         }
 
         bool any = false;
 
-        if (test ("POLYGON")) {
+        if (can_have_rect_or_polygon && test ("POLYGON")) {
 
           std::string ln = get ();
 
@@ -801,7 +803,7 @@ DEFImporter::read_nets (db::Layout &layout, db::Cell &design, double scale, bool
 
           any = true;
 
-        } else if (test ("RECT")) {
+        } else if (can_have_rect_or_polygon && test ("RECT")) {
 
           std::string ln = get ();
 
diff --git a/testdata/lefdef/specialnets_geo/test.def b/testdata/lefdef/specialnets_geo/test.def
index 0686c4fec..b9b3e39c8 100644
--- a/testdata/lefdef/specialnets_geo/test.def
+++ b/testdata/lefdef/specialnets_geo/test.def
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ VIAS 1 ;
 END VIAS
 SPECIALNETS 1 ;
 - dummy
-  + ROUTED RECT M2 ( 350 0 ) ( 200 100 )
+  + ROUTED + RECT M2 ( 350 0 ) ( 200 100 )
   + POLYGON M1 ( 300 0 ) ( 300 50 ) ( 350 50 ) ( 400 100 ) ( 400 0 )
-  + ROUTED POLYGON M2 ( 300 150 ) ( 300 200 ) ( 350 200 ) ( 400 250 ) ( 400 150 )
+  + ROUTED + POLYGON M2 ( 300 150 ) ( 300 200 ) ( 350 200 ) ( 400 250 ) ( 400 150 )
   + RECT M1 ( 0 0 ) ( 100 200 )
   + ROUTED M1 30 ( 0 0 15 ) ( 100 0 0 ) VIA1_dummy ( 100 100 10 )
   + ROUTED M2 50 + SHAPE RING + STYLE 1 ( 0 100 ) ( 100 200 ) ( 200 200 )