diff --git a/rs/sns/governance/src/cached_upgrade_steps.rs b/rs/sns/governance/src/cached_upgrade_steps.rs
index 2c706789393..39c59632dcf 100644
--- a/rs/sns/governance/src/cached_upgrade_steps.rs
+++ b/rs/sns/governance/src/cached_upgrade_steps.rs
@@ -336,7 +336,22 @@ impl Governance {
         .await;
 
         let upgrade_steps = match upgrade_steps {
-            Ok(upgrade_steps) => upgrade_steps,
+            Ok(upgrade_steps) => {
+                // Check for duplicate versions in the response
+                let mut seen = std::collections::HashSet::new();
+                for version in &upgrade_steps {
+                    if !seen.insert(version) {
+                        log!(
+                            ERROR,
+                            "Cannot refresh cached_upgrade_steps: SNS-W response contains duplicate versions"
+                        );
+                        return;
+                    }
+                }
+                Versions {
+                    versions: upgrade_steps,
+                }
+            }
             Err(err) => {
                 log!(
                     ERROR,
@@ -346,9 +361,6 @@ impl Governance {
                 return;
             }
         };
-        let upgrade_steps = Versions {
-            versions: upgrade_steps,
-        };
 
         // Ensure `cached_upgrade_steps` is initialized
         let cached_upgrade_steps = self
diff --git a/rs/sns/governance/src/governance/advance_target_sns_version_tests.rs b/rs/sns/governance/src/governance/advance_target_sns_version_tests.rs
index dc4f90c1513..270e9a5814d 100644
--- a/rs/sns/governance/src/governance/advance_target_sns_version_tests.rs
+++ b/rs/sns/governance/src/governance/advance_target_sns_version_tests.rs
@@ -659,6 +659,72 @@ fn test_upgrade_periodic_task_lock_times_out() {
     assert!(!gov.acquire_upgrade_periodic_task_lock());
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_refresh_cached_upgrade_steps_rejects_duplicate_versions() {
+    // Step 1: Prepare the world.
+    let root_canister_id = *TEST_ROOT_CANISTER_ID;
+    let governance_canister_id = *TEST_GOVERNANCE_CANISTER_ID;
+
+    let mut env = NativeEnvironment::new(Some(governance_canister_id));
+
+    let version = SnsVersion {
+        root_wasm_hash: vec![1, 2, 3],
+        governance_wasm_hash: vec![2, 3, 4],
+        ledger_wasm_hash: vec![3, 4, 5],
+        swap_wasm_hash: vec![4, 5, 6],
+        archive_wasm_hash: vec![5, 6, 7],
+        index_wasm_hash: vec![6, 7, 8],
+    };
+
+    // Set up environment to return upgrade steps with a duplicate version
+    env.set_call_canister_response(
+        SNS_WASM_CANISTER_ID,
+        "list_upgrade_steps",
+        Encode!(&ListUpgradeStepsRequest {
+            starting_at: Some(version.clone()),
+            sns_governance_canister_id: Some(governance_canister_id.into()),
+            limit: 0,
+        })
+        .unwrap(),
+        Ok(Encode!(&ListUpgradeStepsResponse {
+            steps: vec![
+                ListUpgradeStep {
+                    version: Some(version.clone())
+                },
+                ListUpgradeStep {
+                    version: Some(version.clone()) // Duplicate version
+                },
+            ]
+        })
+        .unwrap()),
+    );
+
+    let mut governance = Governance::new(
+        GovernanceProto {
+            root_canister_id: Some(root_canister_id.get()),
+            deployed_version: Some(Version::from(version.clone())),
+            ..basic_governance_proto()
+        }
+        .try_into()
+        .unwrap(),
+        Box::new(env),
+        Box::new(DoNothingLedger {}),
+        Box::new(DoNothingLedger {}),
+        Box::new(FakeCmc::new()),
+    );
+
+    // Step 2: Run code under test.
+    assert_eq!(governance.proto.cached_upgrade_steps, None);
+    governance.temporarily_lock_refresh_cached_upgrade_steps();
+    governance.refresh_cached_upgrade_steps().await;
+
+    // Step 3: Verify that the cached_upgrade_steps was not updated due to duplicate versions
+    assert_eq!(
+        governance.proto.cached_upgrade_steps.unwrap().upgrade_steps,
+        None
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_upgrade_periodic_task_lock_doesnt_get_stuck_during_overflow() {
     let env = NativeEnvironment::new(Some(*TEST_GOVERNANCE_CANISTER_ID));
diff --git a/rs/sns/governance/tests/governance.rs b/rs/sns/governance/tests/governance.rs
index 49277c7982a..dda1fc021c7 100644
--- a/rs/sns/governance/tests/governance.rs
+++ b/rs/sns/governance/tests/governance.rs
@@ -2909,7 +2909,17 @@ async fn test_refresh_cached_upgrade_steps_noop_if_deployed_version_none() {
 async fn test_refresh_cached_upgrade_steps() {
     let mut canister_fixture = GovernanceCanisterFixtureBuilder::new().create();
 
-    let expected_upgrade_steps = vec![Version::default(), Version::default(), Version::default()];
+    let v1 = Version::default();
+    let v2 = Version {
+        governance_wasm_hash: vec![1],
+        ..v1.clone()
+    };
+    let v3 = Version {
+        governance_wasm_hash: vec![1, 2],
+        ..v2.clone()
+    };
+
+    let expected_upgrade_steps = vec![v1.clone(), v2.clone(), v3.clone()];
 
     // Set up the fixture state
     {
@@ -2927,7 +2937,7 @@ async fn test_refresh_cached_upgrade_steps() {
         canister_fixture
             .environment_fixture
             .push_mocked_canister_reply(ListUpgradeStepsResponse { steps });
-        canister_fixture.governance.proto.deployed_version = Some(Version::default());
+        canister_fixture.governance.proto.deployed_version = Some(v1);
     }
 
     // Check that the initial state is None