diff --git a/vpr/src/draw/draw_debug.cpp b/vpr/src/draw/draw_debug.cpp
index be7f9acdc4..fbfc597448 100644
--- a/vpr/src/draw/draw_debug.cpp
+++ b/vpr/src/draw/draw_debug.cpp
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@ void breakpoint_info_window(std::string bpDescription, BreakpointState draw_brea
     gtk_widget_set_margin_left(ri_info, 5);
 #endif
     gtk_widget_set_halign(ri_info, GTK_ALIGN_START);
-    std::string net_id = "rouet_net_id: " + std::to_string(draw_breakpoint_state.route_net_id);
+    std::string net_id = "route_net_id: " + std::to_string(draw_breakpoint_state.route_net_id);
     GtkWidget* net_info = gtk_label_new(net_id.c_str());
 #if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 12, 0)
     gtk_widget_set_margin_start(net_info, 5);
@@ -766,6 +766,17 @@ bool valid_expression(std::string exp) {
             return false;
     }
 
+    //use the formula parser for checking the validity of the formula.
+    //we ignore the actual result here, since we only care about whether parsing succeeds without a VtrError.
+    vtr::FormulaParser fp;
+    vtr::t_formula_data dummy;
+    try {
+        int result = fp.parse_formula(exp, dummy, true);
+        (void)result; 
+    } catch (const vtr::VtrError& e) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/vpr/src/route/route_utils.cpp b/vpr/src/route/route_utils.cpp
index 9d5107a4d0..d11da79167 100644
--- a/vpr/src/route/route_utils.cpp
+++ b/vpr/src/route/route_utils.cpp
@@ -672,12 +672,25 @@ void update_draw_pres_fac(const float /*new_pres_fac*/) {
 
 #ifndef NO_GRAPHICS
 void update_router_info_and_check_bp(bp_router_type type, int net_id) {
-    if (type == BP_ROUTE_ITER)
+    bool hit_bp = false;
+    if (type == BP_ROUTE_ITER) {
         get_bp_state_globals()->get_glob_breakpoint_state()->router_iter++;
-    else if (type == BP_NET_ID)
+        hit_bp = check_for_breakpoints(false);
+    } else if (type == BP_NET_ID) {
+        // Between net id iters, check only net id and expression breakpoints
         get_bp_state_globals()->get_glob_breakpoint_state()->route_net_id = net_id;
-    f_router_debug = check_for_breakpoints(false);
-    if (f_router_debug) {
+        t_draw_state* draw_state = get_draw_state_vars();
+        for (size_t i = 0; i < draw_state->list_of_breakpoints.size(); i++) {
+            if (draw_state->list_of_breakpoints[i].type == BT_ROUTE_NET_ID && draw_state->list_of_breakpoints[i].active) {
+                hit_bp = check_for_route_net_id_iter_breakpoints(draw_state->list_of_breakpoints[i].bt_route_net_id);
+                break;
+            } else if (draw_state->list_of_breakpoints[i].type == BT_EXPRESSION && draw_state->list_of_breakpoints[i].active) {
+                hit_bp = check_for_expression_breakpoints(draw_state->list_of_breakpoints[i].bt_expression, false);
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    if (hit_bp) {
         breakpoint_info_window(get_bp_state_globals()->get_glob_breakpoint_state()->bp_description, *get_bp_state_globals()->get_glob_breakpoint_state(), false);
         update_screen(ScreenUpdatePriority::MAJOR, "Breakpoint Encountered", ROUTING, nullptr);
     }