diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/dictionary.c b/src/libespeak-ng/dictionary.c
index 1b43acea..6ee34fb2 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/dictionary.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/dictionary.c
@@ -1373,6 +1373,19 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 				if ((stress == 3) && (stressflags & S_NO_AUTO_2))
 					continue; // don't use secondary stress
 
+                                // don't put secondary stress on a light syllable if the rest of the word (excluding last syllable) contains a heavy syllable
+				if ((v > 1) && (stressflags & S_2_TO_HEAVY) && (syllable_weight[v] == 0)) {
+					bool skip = false;
+					for (int i = v; i < vowel_count - 1; i++) {
+						if (syllable_weight[i] > 0) {
+							skip = true;
+							break;
+						}
+					}
+					if (skip == true)
+						continue;
+				}
+
 				if ((v > 1) && (stressflags & S_2_TO_HEAVY) && (syllable_weight[v] == 0) && (syllable_weight[v+1] > 0)) {
 					// don't put secondary stress on a light syllable which is followed by a heavy syllable
 					continue;