diff --git a/src/cts/include/cts/TritonCTS.h b/src/cts/include/cts/TritonCTS.h
index 4bdc943ebb0..d7a2c632de7 100644
--- a/src/cts/include/cts/TritonCTS.h
+++ b/src/cts/include/cts/TritonCTS.h
@@ -179,7 +179,8 @@ class TritonCTS
                              int depth,
                              bool fullTree,
                              const std::unordered_set<odb::dbITerm*>& sinks,
-                             const std::unordered_set<odb::dbInst*>& dummies);
+                             const std::unordered_set<odb::dbInst*>& dummies,
+                             std::unordered_set<odb::dbNet*>& visitedNets);
   std::pair<int, int> branchBufferCount(ClockInst* inst,
                                         int bufCounter,
                                         Clock& clockNet);
diff --git a/src/cts/src/HTreeBuilder.cpp b/src/cts/src/HTreeBuilder.cpp
index cc77b90bf9c..13297516266 100644
--- a/src/cts/src/HTreeBuilder.cpp
+++ b/src/cts/src/HTreeBuilder.cpp
@@ -2123,6 +2123,9 @@ void HTreeBuilder::createSingleBufferClockNet()
   ClockInst& rootBuffer = clock_.addClockBuffer(
       "clkbuf_0", options_->getRootBuffer(), centerX, centerY);
 
+  if (topBufferName_.empty()) {
+    topBufferName_ = rootBuffer.getName();
+  }
   // clang-format off
   if (center != legalCenter) {
     debugPrint(logger_, CTS, "legalizer", 2, "createSingleBufferClockNet "
diff --git a/src/cts/src/TritonCTS.cpp b/src/cts/src/TritonCTS.cpp
index 5ebefdfe55b..67ac97314dc 100644
--- a/src/cts/src/TritonCTS.cpp
+++ b/src/cts/src/TritonCTS.cpp
@@ -362,8 +362,18 @@ void TritonCTS::countSinksPostDbWrite(
     int depth,
     bool fullTree,
     const std::unordered_set<odb::dbITerm*>& sinks,
-    const std::unordered_set<odb::dbInst*>& dummies)
+    const std::unordered_set<odb::dbInst*>& dummies,
+    std::unordered_set<odb::dbNet*>& visitedNets)
 {
+  if (net->getSigType() != odb::dbSigType::CLOCK) {
+    logger_->error(CTS,
+                   369,
+                   "Unexpected data net '{}' found during clock tree traversal",
+                   net->getName());
+  }
+  if (!visitedNets.insert(net).second) {
+    return;  // cycle detected: this net was already visited on this path
+  }
   odb::dbSet<odb::dbITerm> iterms = net->getITerms();
   int driverX = 0;
   int driverY = 0;
@@ -403,8 +413,18 @@ void TritonCTS::countSinksPostDbWrite(
       bool terminate = fullTree
                            ? (sinks.find(iterm) != sinks.end())
                            : !builder->isAnyTreeBuffer(getClockFromInst(inst));
-      odb::dbITerm* outputPin = iterm->getInst()->getFirstOutput();
       bool trueSink = true;
+
+      // Macro tree top net also drives the register tree top buffer,
+      // avoid the recursion going into the register tree.
+      if (builder->getTreeType() != TreeType::RegisterTree) {
+        if (!depth && builder->getTopBufferName() != inst->getName()) {
+          terminate = true;
+          trueSink = false;
+        }
+      }
+
+      odb::dbITerm* outputPin = iterm->getInst()->getFirstOutput();
       if (outputPin && outputPin->getNet() == net) {
         // Skip feedback loop.  When input pin and output pin are
         // connected to the same net this can lead to infinite recursion. For
@@ -413,26 +433,6 @@ void TritonCTS::countSinksPostDbWrite(
         trueSink = false;
       }
 
-      if (!terminate && inst) {
-        if (inst->isBlock()) {
-          // Skip non-sink macro blocks
-          terminate = true;
-          trueSink = false;
-        } else {
-          sta::Cell* masterCell = network_->dbToSta(inst->getMaster());
-          if (masterCell) {
-            sta::LibertyCell* libCell = network_->libertyCell(masterCell);
-            if (libCell) {
-              if (libCell->hasSequentials()) {
-                // Skip non-sink registers
-                terminate = true;
-                trueSink = false;
-              }
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      }
-
       if (!terminate) {
         // ignore dummy buffer and inverters added to balance loads
         if (outputPin && outputPin->getNet() != nullptr) {
@@ -447,7 +447,8 @@ void TritonCTS::countSinksPostDbWrite(
                                 depth + 1,
                                 fullTree,
                                 sinks,
-                                dummies);
+                                dummies,
+                                visitedNets);
         } else {
           std::string cellType = "Complex cell";
           odb::dbInst* inst = iterm->getInst();
@@ -529,6 +530,7 @@ void TritonCTS::writeDataToDb()
           CTS, 124, "Clock net \"{}\"", builder->getClock().getName());
       logger_->info(CTS, 125, " Sinks {}", sinks.size());
     } else {
+      std::unordered_set<odb::dbNet*> visitedNets;
       countSinksPostDbWrite(builder.get(),
                             topClockNet,
                             sinkCount,
@@ -540,7 +542,8 @@ void TritonCTS::writeDataToDb()
                             0,
                             reportFullTree,
                             sinks,
-                            clkDummies);
+                            clkDummies,
+                            visitedNets);
       logger_->info(CTS, 98, "Clock net \"{}\"", builder->getClock().getName());
       logger_->info(CTS, 99, " Sinks {}", sinkCount);
       logger_->info(CTS, 100, " Leaf buffers {}", leafSinks);