diff --git a/src/main/org/openscience/cdk/io/cml/CMLCoreModule.java b/src/main/org/openscience/cdk/io/cml/CMLCoreModule.java
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/src/main/org/openscience/cdk/io/cml/CMLCoreModule.java
+++ b/src/main/org/openscience/cdk/io/cml/CMLCoreModule.java
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ public class CMLCoreModule implements ICMLModule {
                 formalCharges.add(charge);
             }
         } else if ("bondStereo".equals(name)){
-            if(!currentChars.isEmpty()){
+            if(!currentChars.isEmpty() && !stereoGiven){
                 bondStereo.add(currentChars);
                 stereoGiven = Boolean.TRUE;
             }
[bug:<I>] added conditional to ensure that when multiple bond stereo is specified as attributes and characters only one is used. This is achieved by using the existing flag to determine if a stereo bond value has already been provided.

Change-Id: I2a4e<I>b1df2cbfdc5a3dfe5d8ff9a<I>c<I>f<I>e<I>