diff --git a/pcbnew/router/pns_dragger.cpp b/pcbnew/router/pns_dragger.cpp
index 14c1610899..217235576b 100644
--- a/pcbnew/router/pns_dragger.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/router/pns_dragger.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,48 @@ bool DRAGGER::propagateViaForces( NODE* node, std::set<VIA*>& vias )
     return false;
 }
 
+
+VVIA* DRAGGER::checkVirtualVia( const VECTOR2D& aP, SEGMENT* aSeg )
+{
+    int w2 = aSeg->Width() / 2;
+
+    auto distA = ( aP - aSeg->Seg().A ).EuclideanNorm();
+    auto distB = ( aP - aSeg->Seg().B ).EuclideanNorm();
+
+    VECTOR2I psnap;
+
+    if( distA <= w2 )
+    {
+        psnap = aSeg->Seg().A;
+    }
+    else if( distB <= w2 )
+    {
+        psnap = aSeg->Seg().B;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    JOINT *jt = m_world->FindJoint( psnap, aSeg );
+
+    if ( !jt )
+    {
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    for( auto lnk : jt->LinkList() )
+    {
+        if( lnk.item->IsVirtual() && lnk.item->OfKind( ITEM::VIA_T ))
+        {
+            return static_cast<VVIA*>( lnk.item );
+        }
+    }
+
+    return nullptr;
+}
+
+
 bool DRAGGER::startDragSegment( const VECTOR2D& aP, SEGMENT* aSeg )
 {
     int w2 = aSeg->Width() / 2;
@@ -111,7 +153,6 @@ bool DRAGGER::startDragSegment( const VECTOR2D& aP, SEGMENT* aSeg )
 }
 
 
-
 bool DRAGGER::startDragArc( const VECTOR2D& aP, ARC* aArc )
 {
     m_draggedLine = m_world->AssembleLine( aArc, &m_draggedSegmentIndex );
@@ -193,8 +234,19 @@ bool DRAGGER::Start( const VECTOR2I& aP, ITEM_SET& aPrimitives )
     switch( startItem->Kind() )
     {
     case ITEM::SEGMENT_T:
-        return startDragSegment( aP, static_cast<SEGMENT*>( startItem ) );
+    {
+        SEGMENT* seg = static_cast<SEGMENT*>( startItem );
+        VVIA* vvia = checkVirtualVia( aP, seg );
 
+        if( vvia )
+        {
+            return startDragVia( vvia );
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            return startDragSegment( aP, seg );
+        }
+    }
     case ITEM::VIA_T:
         return startDragVia( static_cast<VIA*>( startItem ) );
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/router/pns_dragger.h b/pcbnew/router/pns_dragger.h
index c597524cca..771c042e02 100644
--- a/pcbnew/router/pns_dragger.h
+++ b/pcbnew/router/pns_dragger.h
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ private:
     void optimizeAndUpdateDraggedLine( LINE& aDragged, const LINE& aOrig, const VECTOR2I& aP );
     bool propagateViaForces( NODE* node, std::set<VIA*>& vias );
     bool tryWalkaround( NODE* aNode, LINE& aOrig, LINE& aWalk );
+    VVIA* checkVirtualVia( const VECTOR2D& aP, SEGMENT* aSeg );
 
 
     VIA_HANDLE             m_initialVia;
diff --git a/pcbnew/router/pns_node.cpp b/pcbnew/router/pns_node.cpp
index 0268bcbb4a..2dffa07f1b 100644
--- a/pcbnew/router/pns_node.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/router/pns_node.cpp
@@ -1051,6 +1051,58 @@ int NODE::FindLinesBetweenJoints( const JOINT& aA, const JOINT& aB, std::vector<
 }
 
 
+void NODE::FixupVirtualVias()
+{
+    int n;
+
+    std::vector<VVIA*> vvias;
+
+    for( auto& joint : m_joints )
+    {
+        if( joint.second.Layers().IsMultilayer() )
+            continue;
+
+        int  n_seg = 0, n_solid = 0, n_vias = 0;
+        int  prev_w = -1;
+        int  max_w = -1;
+        bool is_width_change = false;
+
+        for( const auto& lnk : joint.second.LinkList() )
+        {
+            if( lnk.item->OfKind( ITEM::VIA_T ) )
+                n_vias++;
+            else if( lnk.item->OfKind( ITEM::SOLID_T ) )
+                n_solid++;
+            else if( const auto t = dyn_cast<PNS::SEGMENT*>( lnk.item ) )
+            {
+                int w = t->Width();
+
+                if( prev_w >= 0 && w != prev_w )
+                {
+                    is_width_change = true;
+                }
+
+                max_w = std::max( w, max_w );
+                prev_w = w;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if( ( is_width_change || n_seg >= 3 ) && n_solid == 0 && n_vias == 0 )
+        {
+            // fixme: the hull margin here is an ugly temporary workaround. The real fix
+            // is to use octagons for via force propagation.
+            vvias.push_back( new VVIA( joint.second.Pos(), joint.second.Layers().Start(),
+                                       max_w + 2 * PNS_HULL_MARGIN, joint.second.Net() ) );
+        }
+    }
+
+    for( auto vvia : vvias )
+    {
+        Add( ItemCast<VIA>( std::move( std::unique_ptr<VVIA>( vvia ) ) ) );
+    }
+}
+
+
 JOINT* NODE::FindJoint( const VECTOR2I& aPos, int aLayer, int aNet )
 {
     JOINT::HASH_TAG tag;
diff --git a/pcbnew/router/pns_node.h b/pcbnew/router/pns_node.h
index f62aa8a725..3b3dfb8d27 100644
--- a/pcbnew/router/pns_node.h
+++ b/pcbnew/router/pns_node.h
@@ -380,6 +380,8 @@ public:
         return m_override.find( aItem ) != m_override.end();
     }
 
+    void FixupVirtualVias();
+
 private:
     void Add( std::unique_ptr< ITEM > aItem, bool aAllowRedundant = false );
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/router/pns_router.cpp b/pcbnew/router/pns_router.cpp
index 14bf90cc10..1c13a2a960 100644
--- a/pcbnew/router/pns_router.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/router/pns_router.cpp
@@ -96,9 +96,10 @@ void ROUTER::SyncWorld()
 
     m_world = std::make_unique<NODE>( );
     m_iface->SyncWorld( m_world.get() );
-
+    m_world->FixupVirtualVias();
 }
 
+
 void ROUTER::ClearWorld()
 {
     if( m_world )
@@ -612,15 +613,25 @@ void ROUTER::CommitRouting( NODE* aNode )
             }
         }
 
-        if( !is_changed )
+        if( !is_changed && !item->IsVirtual() )
             m_iface->RemoveItem( item );
     }
 
     for( ITEM* item : added )
-        m_iface->AddItem( item );
+    {
+        if( !item->IsVirtual() )
+        {
+            m_iface->AddItem( item );
+        }
+    }
 
     for( ITEM* item : changed )
-        m_iface->UpdateItem( item );
+    {
+        if( !item->IsVirtual() )
+        {
+            m_iface->UpdateItem( item );
+        }
+    }
 
     m_iface->Commit();
     m_world->Commit( aNode );
diff --git a/pcbnew/router/router_preview_item.cpp b/pcbnew/router/router_preview_item.cpp
index 49da41906d..9c85ba072c 100644
--- a/pcbnew/router/router_preview_item.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/router/router_preview_item.cpp
@@ -70,13 +70,16 @@ void ROUTER_PREVIEW_ITEM::Update( const PNS::ITEM* aItem )
 {
     m_originLayer = aItem->Layers().Start();
 
-    if( aItem->OfKind( PNS::ITEM::LINE_T ) )
+    if( const auto l = dyn_cast<const PNS::LINE*>( aItem ) )
     {
-        const PNS::LINE* l = static_cast<const PNS::LINE*>( aItem );
-
         if( !l->SegmentCount() )
             return;
     }
+    else if( const auto v = dyn_cast<const PNS::VIA*>( aItem ) )
+    {
+        if( v->IsVirtual() )
+            return;
+    }
 
     assert( m_originLayer >= 0 );