diff --git a/src/main/java/uk/ac/sanger/sccp/stan/service/label/LabwareLabelDataService.java b/src/main/java/uk/ac/sanger/sccp/stan/service/label/LabwareLabelDataService.java
index df0b9580..d9b48704 100644
--- a/src/main/java/uk/ac/sanger/sccp/stan/service/label/LabwareLabelDataService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/uk/ac/sanger/sccp/stan/service/label/LabwareLabelDataService.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import java.time.LocalDateTime;
 import java.time.format.DateTimeFormatter;
 import java.util.*;
+import java.util.function.Predicate;
 import java.util.stream.IntStream;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ public LabwareLabelData getLabelData(Labware labware) {
         List<LabelContent> content = labware.getSlots().stream()
                 .sorted(slotOrder)
                 .flatMap(slot -> slot.getSamples().stream())
+                .distinct()
                 .map(this::getContent)
                 .collect(toList());
         Set<String> mediums = labware.getSlots().stream()
@@ -425,12 +427,22 @@ public String prefix(LifeStage lifeStage) {
 
     public List<LabelContent> getPlannedContent(List<PlanAction> planActions, Comparator<Slot> slotOrder) {
         return planActions.stream()
+                .filter(distinctPlanSection())
                 .sorted(Comparator.comparing(PlanAction::getDestination, slotOrder)
                         .thenComparing(PlanAction::getId))
                 .map(this::getContent)
                 .collect(toList());
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Creates a filter to dedupe new sections. Doesn't filter out non-sections.
+     * @return a predicate to filter out plan actions creating the same section
+     */
+    static Predicate<PlanAction> distinctPlanSection() {
+        final Set<PlanActionKey> keys = new HashSet<>();
+        return pa -> (nullOrEmpty(pa.getNewSection()) || keys.add(new PlanActionKey(pa)));
+    }
+
     public LabelContent getContent(PlanAction planAction) {
         BioState bs = planAction.getNewBioState();
         if (bs==null) {
@@ -468,4 +480,11 @@ public SimpleContent(Sample sample) {
             this(sample.getTissue(), sample.getSection());
         }
     }
+
+    /** The characteristics to dedupe the new section that will be created from a plan action */
+    record PlanActionKey(Sample parentSample, String section) {
+        public PlanActionKey(PlanAction pa) {
+            this(pa.getSample(), pa.getNewSection());
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/uk/ac/sanger/sccp/stan/service/label/TestLabwareLabelDataService.java b/src/test/java/uk/ac/sanger/sccp/stan/service/label/TestLabwareLabelDataService.java
index cbd0459b..a5f94b7d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/uk/ac/sanger/sccp/stan/service/label/TestLabwareLabelDataService.java
+++ b/src/test/java/uk/ac/sanger/sccp/stan/service/label/TestLabwareLabelDataService.java
@@ -575,6 +575,32 @@ static Stream<Arguments> getContentArgs() {
         }).map(Arguments::of);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void testDistinctPlanSection() {
+        Sample[] samples = EntityFactory.makeSamples(2);
+        List<PlanAction> pas = List.of(
+                makePlanAction(1, samples[0], null),
+                makePlanAction(2, samples[0], null),
+                makePlanAction(3, samples[1], null),
+                makePlanAction(4, samples[0], "1a"),
+                makePlanAction(5, samples[0], "1a"), // this one gets filtered out
+                makePlanAction(6, samples[1], "1a"),
+                makePlanAction(7, samples[1], "2b")
+        );
+        assertThat(pas.stream()
+                .filter(LabwareLabelDataService.distinctPlanSection())
+                .map(PlanAction::getId)
+        ).containsExactly(1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7);
+    }
+
+    static PlanAction makePlanAction(int id, Sample sam, String newSection) {
+        PlanAction pa = new PlanAction();
+        pa.setId(id);
+        pa.setSample(sam);
+        pa.setNewSection(newSection);
+        return pa;
+    }
+
     private String tissueString(Tissue tissue) {
         String prefix = switch (tissue.getDonor().getLifeStage()) {
             case paediatric -> "P";