diff --git a/src/HexManiac.Core/Core/SystemExtensions.cs b/src/HexManiac.Core/Core/SystemExtensions.cs
index 261a638e..55990149 100644
--- a/src/HexManiac.Core/Core/SystemExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/HexManiac.Core/Core/SystemExtensions.cs
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ namespace HavenSoft.HexManiac.Core {
          return value;
       }
 
+      public static bool InRange<T>(this T value, T min, T max) where T : IComparable<T> {
+         return min.CompareTo(value) <= 0 && value.CompareTo(max) < 0;
+      }
+
       public static bool TryParseInt(this string str, out int result) {
          if (str.StartsWith("0x") && int.TryParse(str.Substring(2), NumberStyles.HexNumber, CultureInfo.CurrentCulture, out result)) return true;
          if (int.TryParse(str, out result)) return true;
diff --git a/src/HexManiac.Core/Models/Code/ScriptParser.cs b/src/HexManiac.Core/Models/Code/ScriptParser.cs
index 61ed79e9..f857562e 100644
--- a/src/HexManiac.Core/Models/Code/ScriptParser.cs
+++ b/src/HexManiac.Core/Models/Code/ScriptParser.cs
@@ -229,24 +229,31 @@ namespace HavenSoft.HexManiac.Core.Models.Code {
                      }
                   } else {
                      var destination = model.ReadPointer(address + length);
-                     if (destination >= 0 && destination < model.Count) {
-                        if (model.GetNextRun(address + length) is PointerRun pointerRun && pointerRun.Start == address + length) {
-                           // no need to clear/update
+                     if (destination.InRange(0, model.Count) && !destination.InRange(address + length, address + length + 4)) {
+                        var destinationRun = model.GetNextRun(destination);
+                        if (destinationRun.Start < destination) {
+                           // we're trying to point into already formatted data
+                           // don't add the pointer source or destination
                         } else {
-                           model.ClearFormat(token, address + length, 4);
-                           model.ObserveRunWritten(token, new PointerRun(address + length));
-                        }
-                        if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Script) toProcess.Add(destination);
-                        if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Text) {
-                           WriteTextStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
-                        } else if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Movement) {
-                           WriteMovementStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
-                        } else if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Mart) {
-                           WriteMartStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
-                        } else if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Decor) {
-                           WriteDecorStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
-                        } else if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.SpriteTemplate) {
-                           WriteSpriteTemplateStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
+                           var pointerSource = model.GetNextRun(address + length);
+                           if (pointerSource is PointerRun pointerRun && pointerRun.Start == address + length) {
+                              // no need to clear/update
+                           } else {
+                              model.ClearFormat(token, address + length, 4);
+                              model.ObserveRunWritten(token, new PointerRun(address + length));
+                           }
+                           if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Script) toProcess.Add(destination);
+                           if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Text) {
+                              WriteTextStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
+                           } else if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Movement) {
+                              WriteMovementStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
+                           } else if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Mart) {
+                              WriteMartStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
+                           } else if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.Decor) {
+                              WriteDecorStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
+                           } else if (arg.PointerType == ExpectedPointerType.SpriteTemplate) {
+                              WriteSpriteTemplateStream(model, token, destination, address + length);
+                           }
                         }
                      }
                   }
diff --git a/src/HexManiac.Tests/CodeToolTests.cs b/src/HexManiac.Tests/CodeToolTests.cs
index d49164ca..974f15f4 100644
--- a/src/HexManiac.Tests/CodeToolTests.cs
+++ b/src/HexManiac.Tests/CodeToolTests.cs
@@ -706,7 +706,48 @@ label2:;goto <000050>;end";
          Assert.Single(Messages);
       }
 
-      // TODO trainer ai script change -> no auto repoint?
+      [Theory]
+      [InlineData("02")]
+      [InlineData("03")]
+      [InlineData("04")]
+      [InlineData("05")]
+      public void ScriptWithPointerToPointer_Format_NoPointerFormat(string destination) {
+         SetFullModel(0xFF);
+         $"06 00 {destination} 00 00 08 02".ToByteArray().WriteInto(Model.RawData, 0);
+         ViewPort.Edit("^script`xse`");
+
+         EventScript += " "; // force formatting
+
+         var run = Model.GetNextRun(1);
+         Assert.Equal(int.MaxValue, run.Start);
+      }
+
+      [Theory]
+      [InlineData("09")]
+      [InlineData("0A")]
+      [InlineData("0B")]
+      public void ScriptWithPointerToFuturePointer_Format_OnlySecondPointerKept(string destination) {
+         SetFullModel(0xFF);
+         $"06 00 {destination} 00 00 08 06 00 00 01 00 08 02".ToByteArray().WriteInto(Model.RawData, 0);
+         ViewPort.Edit("^script`xse`");
+
+         EventScript += " "; // force formatting
+
+         var run = Model.GetNextRun(1);
+         Assert.Equal(8, run.Start);
+      }
+
+      [Fact]
+      public void ScriptWithPointerIntoExistingData_Format_DoNotFormatPointer() {
+         SetFullModel(0xFF);
+         CreateTextTable("names", 0x100, "Adam", "Brad", "Carl", "Dave", "Eric", "Fred");
+         "06 00 02 01 00 08 02".ToByteArray().WriteInto(Model.RawData, 0);
+         ViewPort.Edit("@000 ^script`xse`");
+
+         EventScript += " "; // force formatting
+
+         Model.ResolveConflicts(); // no conflicts = pass
+      }
 
       // TODO test that we get an error (not an exception) if we do auto on an unformatted pointer
    }