diff --git a/src/Navaids/routePath.cxx b/src/Navaids/routePath.cxx
index 8aee6051e..de7d14fed 100644
--- a/src/Navaids/routePath.cxx
+++ b/src/Navaids/routePath.cxx
@@ -287,7 +287,8 @@ public:
   // compute leg courses for all static legs (both ends are fixed)
   void initPass1(const WayptData& previous, WayptData* next)
   {
-    if (wpt->type() == "vectors") {
+    const auto ty = wpt->type();
+    if ((ty == "vectors") || (ty == "discontinuity")) {
       // relying on the fact vectors will be followed by a static fix/wpt
       if (next && next->posValid) {
         posValid = true;
@@ -295,7 +296,7 @@ public:
       }
     }
 
-    if (wpt->type() == "via") {
+    if (ty == "via") {
         // even though both ends may be known, we don't
         // want to compute a leg course for a VIA
     } else if (posValid && !legCourseValid && previous.posValid) {
@@ -309,7 +310,11 @@ public:
             // use the runway departure end pos
             FGRunway* rwy = static_cast<RunwayWaypt*>(previous.wpt.get())->runway();
             legCourseTrue = SGGeodesy::courseDeg(rwy->end(), pos);
-        } else if (wpt->type() != "runway") {
+        } else if (ty == "discontinuity") {
+            // we want to keep the path across DISCONs sharp (no turn entry/exit)
+            // so we keep the leg course invalid, even though we actually
+            // could compute it
+        } else if (ty != "runway") {
             // need to wait to compute runway leg course
             legCourseTrue = SGGeodesy::courseDeg(previous.pos, pos);
             legCourseValid = true;
@@ -323,7 +328,7 @@ public:
           return;
       }
 
-      if ((wpt->type() == "discontinuity") ||  (wpt->type()  == "via"))
+      if ((wpt->type() == "via") || (wpt->type() == "discontinuty"))
       {
           // do nothing, we can't compute a valid leg course for these types
           // we'll generate sharp turns in the path but that's no problem.
@@ -792,14 +797,13 @@ public:
   
     WayptDataVec::iterator previousValidWaypoint(unsigned int index)
     {
-        if (index == 0) {
-            return waypoints.end();
-        }
-
-        while (waypoints[--index].skipped) {
-            // waypoint zero should be unskippable, this assert verified that
-            assert(index > 0);
-        }
+        do {
+            if (index == 0) {
+                return waypoints.end();
+            }
+            
+            --index;
+        } while (waypoints.at(index).skipped || (waypoints.at(index).wpt->type() == "discontinuity"));
 
         return waypoints.begin() + index;
     }
@@ -822,7 +826,7 @@ public:
         }
 
         ++it;
-        while ((it != waypoints.end()) && it->skipped) {
+        while ((it != waypoints.end()) && (it->skipped || (it->wpt->type() == "discontinuity"))) {
             ++it;
         }
         return it;
@@ -870,7 +874,8 @@ void RoutePath::commonInit()
   
   for (unsigned int i=1; i<d->waypoints.size(); ++i) {
     WayptData* nextPtr = ((i + 1) < d->waypoints.size()) ? &d->waypoints[i+1] : nullptr;
-    d->waypoints[i].initPass1(d->waypoints[i-1], nextPtr);
+    auto prev = d->previousValidWaypoint(i);
+    d->waypoints[i].initPass1(*prev, nextPtr);
   }
 
   for (unsigned int i=0; i<d->waypoints.size(); ++i) {
@@ -1073,9 +1078,14 @@ double RoutePath::computeDistanceForIndex(int index) const
         return 0.0;
     }
 
-    if (it->wpt->type() == "via") {
+    const auto ty = it->wpt->type();
+    if (ty == "via") {
         return distanceForVia(static_cast<Via*>(it->wpt.get()), index);
     }
+    
+    if (ty == "discontinuity") {
+        return 0.0;
+    }
 
     auto prevIt = d->previousValidWaypoint(index);
     assert(prevIt != d->waypoints.end());
diff --git a/test_suite/FGTestApi/testGlobals.cxx b/test_suite/FGTestApi/testGlobals.cxx
index 4144ecaa0..183aa2e9e 100644
--- a/test_suite/FGTestApi/testGlobals.cxx
+++ b/test_suite/FGTestApi/testGlobals.cxx
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@ void populateFPWithoutNasal(flightgear::FlightPlanRef f,
     
     for (auto ws : simgear::strutils::split(waypoints)) {
         WayptRef wpt = f->waypointFromString(ws);
+        if (!wpt) {
+            SG_LOG(SG_NAVAID, SG_ALERT, "No waypoint created for:" << ws);
+            continue;
+        }
         f->insertWayptAtIndex(wpt, -1);
     }
     
diff --git a/test_suite/unit_tests/Navaids/test_flightplan.cxx b/test_suite/unit_tests/Navaids/test_flightplan.cxx
index fe5fbd7be..256ef6ffd 100644
--- a/test_suite/unit_tests/Navaids/test_flightplan.cxx
+++ b/test_suite/unit_tests/Navaids/test_flightplan.cxx
@@ -394,3 +394,68 @@ void FlightplanTests::testLoadSaveMachRestriction()
     
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(8, f2->legAtIndex(2)->holdCount());
 }
+
+void FlightplanTests::testBasicDiscontinuity()
+{
+    FlightPlanRef fp1 = makeTestFP("LIRF", "34L", "LEBL", "25R",
+                                   "ESINO GITRI BALEN MUREN TOSNU");
+
+    const auto tdBefore = fp1->totalDistanceNm();
+    
+    
+    const SGGeod balenPos = fp1->legAtIndex(3)->waypoint()->position();
+    const SGGeod murenPos = fp1->legAtIndex(4)->waypoint()->position();
+    
+    // total distance should not change
+    fp1->insertWayptAtIndex(new Discontinuity(fp1), 4); // betwee BALEN and MUREN
+    
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_DOUBLES_EQUAL(tdBefore, fp1->totalDistanceNm(), 1.0);
+
+    
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_DOUBLES_EQUAL(fp1->legAtIndex(4)->courseDeg(),
+                                 SGGeodesy::courseDeg(balenPos, murenPos), 0.1);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_DOUBLES_EQUAL(fp1->legAtIndex(4)->distanceNm(), 0.0, 0.1);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_DOUBLES_EQUAL(fp1->legAtIndex(5)->courseDeg(),
+                                 SGGeodesy::courseDeg(balenPos, murenPos), 0.1);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_DOUBLES_EQUAL(fp1->legAtIndex(5)->distanceNm(),
+                                 SGGeodesy::distanceNm(balenPos, murenPos), 0.1);
+    
+    // remove the discontinuity
+    fp1->deleteIndex(4);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_DOUBLES_EQUAL(fp1->legAtIndex(4)->courseDeg(),
+                                 SGGeodesy::courseDeg(balenPos, murenPos), 0.1);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_DOUBLES_EQUAL(fp1->legAtIndex(4)->distanceNm(),
+                                 SGGeodesy::distanceNm(balenPos, murenPos), 0.1);
+    
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_DOUBLES_EQUAL(tdBefore, fp1->totalDistanceNm(), 1.0);
+
+}
+
+void FlightplanTests::testOnlyDiscontinuityRoute()
+{
+    FlightPlanRef f = new FlightPlan;
+    FGAirportRef depApt = FGAirport::getByIdent("LFBD");
+    f->setDeparture(depApt);
+
+
+    FGAirportRef destApt = FGAirport::getByIdent("EHAM");
+    f->setDestination(destApt);
+
+    f->insertWayptAtIndex(new Discontinuity(f), 0);
+    
+    RoutePath rp1(f);
+    
+    // discontinuity should act like a straight segment between preceeding and following
+    const double d = SGGeodesy::distanceNm(depApt->geod(), destApt->geod());
+   // CPPUNIT_ASSERT_DOUBLES_EQUAL(rp1.distanceForIndex(0), d, 0.5);
+    
+    // start inserting waypoints ahead of the DISCON, Boeing FPL style
+    WayptRef wpt = f->waypointFromString("LMG");
+    f->insertWayptAtIndex(wpt, 0);
+    
+    wpt = f->waypointFromString("KUKOR");
+    f->insertWayptAtIndex(wpt, 1);
+    
+    wpt = f->waypointFromString("EPL");
+    f->insertWayptAtIndex(wpt, 2);
+}
diff --git a/test_suite/unit_tests/Navaids/test_flightplan.hxx b/test_suite/unit_tests/Navaids/test_flightplan.hxx
index 1be0b5209..ce7dd03b2 100644
--- a/test_suite/unit_tests/Navaids/test_flightplan.hxx
+++ b/test_suite/unit_tests/Navaids/test_flightplan.hxx
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ class FlightplanTests : public CppUnit::TestFixture
     CPPUNIT_TEST(testRoutPathWpt0Midflight);
     CPPUNIT_TEST(testRoutePathVec);
     CPPUNIT_TEST(testLoadSaveMachRestriction);
+    CPPUNIT_TEST(testOnlyDiscontinuityRoute);
+    CPPUNIT_TEST(testBasicDiscontinuity);
     
   //  CPPUNIT_TEST(testParseICAORoute);
    // CPPUNIT_TEST(testParseICANLowLevelRoute);
@@ -66,6 +68,8 @@ public:
     void testRoutPathWpt0Midflight();
     void testRoutePathVec();
     void testLoadSaveMachRestriction();
+    void testBasicDiscontinuity();
+    void testOnlyDiscontinuityRoute();
 };
 
 #endif  // FG_FLIGHTPLAN_UNIT_TESTS_HXX