diff --git a/hw/rtl/cache/VX_tag_access.v b/hw/rtl/cache/VX_tag_access.v
index 2745cffc..fe87f0f6 100644
--- a/hw/rtl/cache/VX_tag_access.v
+++ b/hw/rtl/cache/VX_tag_access.v
@@ -112,23 +112,24 @@ module VX_tag_access #(
     assign use_invalidate = valid_in 
                          && is_snp_in 
                          && tags_match 
-                         && (use_read_dirty || snp_invalidate_in)  // block is dirty or should invalidate
+                         && (use_read_dirty || snp_invalidate_in)
                          && !force_miss_in
                          && !stall;
 
-    assign miss_out    = core_req_miss;
-    assign dirty_out   = valid_in && use_read_valid && use_read_dirty;
+    assign miss_out = core_req_miss;
+
+    assign dirty_out = valid_in && use_read_valid && use_read_dirty 
+                    && !(is_fill_in && tags_match);  // disable writeback for redundant fills
 
     assign readtag_out = use_read_tag;
-    assign writeen_out = (use_do_write || use_do_fill);    
+    assign writeen_out = (use_do_write || use_do_fill);
 
 `ifdef DBG_PRINT_CACHE_TAG
     always @(posedge clk) begin            
         if (valid_in && !stall) begin
             if (use_do_fill && tags_match) begin
                 $display("%t: warning: redundant fill - addr=%0h", $time, `LINE_TO_BYTE_ADDR(addr_in, BANK_ID));
-                assert(0);
-            end 
+            end
             if (use_do_fill) begin
                 $display("%t: cache%0d:%0d tag-fill: addr=%0h, blk_addr=%0d, tag_id=%0h, old_tag_id=%0h", $time, CACHE_ID, BANK_ID, `LINE_TO_BYTE_ADDR(addr_in, BANK_ID), addrline, addrtag, qual_read_tag);   
             end else if (tags_match) begin