diff --git a/vrp-pragmatic/src/format/problem/goal_reader.rs b/vrp-pragmatic/src/format/problem/goal_reader.rs
index 1724b7efe..073cdc869 100644
--- a/vrp-pragmatic/src/format/problem/goal_reader.rs
+++ b/vrp-pragmatic/src/format/problem/goal_reader.rs
@@ -222,9 +222,15 @@ fn get_objective_feature_layer(
 }
 
 fn get_hierarchical_areas_feature(blocks: &ProblemBlocks, levels: usize) -> GenericResult<Feature> {
-    let locations = (0..blocks.transport.size()).collect::<Vec<_>>();
     let profile =
         blocks.fleet.profiles.first().cloned().ok_or_else(|| GenericError::from("should have at least one profile"))?;
+    let locations: Vec<_> = (0..blocks.transport.size())
+        .filter(|&loc| {
+            // Exclude locations with zero distance to all others (no real coordinates)
+            (0..blocks.transport.size())
+                .any(|other| other != loc && blocks.transport.distance_approx(&profile, loc, other) > 0.0)
+        })
+        .collect();
 
     let clusters = create_hierarchical_kmedoids(&locations, levels, {
         let transport = blocks.transport.clone();
@@ -237,6 +243,13 @@ fn get_hierarchical_areas_feature(blocks: &ProblemBlocks, levels: usize) -> Gene
         .set_activity_cost(blocks.activity.clone())
         .build_minimize_distance()?;
 
+    // With too few distinct locations, clustering cannot produce a usable hierarchy
+    // (the first tier must have exactly two clusters), so fall back to the plain
+    // distance minimization the feature is based on.
+    if clusters.first().is_none_or(|clusters| clusters.len() != 2) {
+        return Ok(cost_feature);
+    }
+
     create_hierarchical_areas_feature(cost_feature, &clusters, {
         let transport = blocks.transport.clone();
         move |profile, from, to| transport.distance_approx(profile, from, to)
diff --git a/vrp-pragmatic/tests/features/tour_shape/mod.rs b/vrp-pragmatic/tests/features/tour_shape/mod.rs
index 3c0b8f89a..3bcaf8f98 100644
--- a/vrp-pragmatic/tests/features/tour_shape/mod.rs
+++ b/vrp-pragmatic/tests/features/tour_shape/mod.rs
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 mod basic_tour_compactness;
+mod small_hierarchical_areas;
diff --git a/vrp-pragmatic/tests/features/tour_shape/small_hierarchical_areas.rs b/vrp-pragmatic/tests/features/tour_shape/small_hierarchical_areas.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4e55c7ae9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vrp-pragmatic/tests/features/tour_shape/small_hierarchical_areas.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+use crate::format::problem::Objective::*;
+use crate::format::problem::*;
+use crate::helpers::*;
+
+#[test]
+fn can_handle_hierarchical_areas_with_too_few_locations() {
+    let problem = Problem {
+        plan: Plan {
+            jobs: vec![create_delivery_job("job1", (1., 0.)), create_delivery_job("job2", (2., 0.))],
+            ..create_empty_plan()
+        },
+        fleet: create_default_fleet(),
+        objectives: Some(vec![
+            MinimizeUnassigned { breaks: None },
+            HierarchicalAreas { levels: 3 },
+            MinimizeCost,
+        ]),
+        ..create_empty_problem()
+    };
+    let matrix = create_matrix_from_problem(&problem);
+
+    let solution = solve_with_metaheuristic(problem, Some(vec![matrix]));
+
+    assert!(solution.unassigned.is_none());
+    assert_eq!(solution.tours.len(), 1);
+}