diff --git a/front-end/tests/hashtag.spec.mjs b/front-end/tests/hashtag.spec.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..303c47c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/front-end/tests/hashtag.spec.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
+
+test.describe("hashtag view", () => {
+    test("should only make one fetch request when navigating to a hashtag", async ({ page }) => {
+        let fetchCount = 0;
+        page.on("request", (request) => {
+        if (
+            request.url().includes(":3000/hashtag/do") &&
+            request.resourceType() === "fetch"
+        ) {
+            fetchCount++;
+        }
+        });
+        // When I navigate to the hashtag
+        await page.goto("/#/hashtag/do");
+        // And I wait a reasonable time for any additional requests
+        await page.waitForTimeout(200);
+
+        // Then the number of fetch requests should be 1
+        expect(fetchCount).toEqual(1);
+        });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/front-end/views/hashtag.mjs b/front-end/views/hashtag.mjs
index 7b7e996..2275170 100644
--- a/front-end/views/hashtag.mjs
+++ b/front-end/views/hashtag.mjs
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ import {createHeading} from "../components/heading.mjs";
 function hashtagView(hashtag) {
   destroy();
 
-  apiService.getBloomsByHashtag(hashtag);
+  const normalized = hashtag.startsWith("#") ? hashtag : `#${hashtag}`;
+  if(normalized !== state.currentHashtag){
+    apiService.getBloomsByHashtag(hashtag);
+  }
 
   renderOne(
     state.isLoggedIn,