diff --git a/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbLEFDEFImporter.cc b/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbLEFDEFImporter.cc
index ec404f7c8..a8dac54e5 100644
--- a/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbLEFDEFImporter.cc
+++ b/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbLEFDEFImporter.cc
@@ -223,8 +223,13 @@ RuleBasedViaGenerator::create_cell (LEFDEFReaderState &reader, Layout &layout, d
 
   //  NOTE: missing cuts due to pattern holes don't change mask assignment
 
-  db::Vector vs ((m_cutsize.x () * m_columns + m_cutspacing.x () * (m_columns - 1)) / 2, (m_cutsize.y () * m_rows + m_cutspacing.y () * (m_rows - 1)) / 2);
-  db::Box via_box (m_offset - vs, m_offset + vs);
+  //  special rounding to ensure the dimensions are correct for non-even width or height (issue #1877)
+  db::Vector vs ((m_cutsize.x () * m_columns + m_cutspacing.x () * (m_columns - 1)), (m_cutsize.y () * m_rows + m_cutspacing.y () * (m_rows - 1)));
+  if (vs.x () % 2 != 0 || vs.y () % 2 != 0) {
+    reader.warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Via has odd width or height (x,y dimension of cut array is %s database units) - this may lead to inaccurate positioning of the via")), vs.to_string ()));
+  }
+  db::Point via_ll = m_offset - db::Vector (vs.x () / 2, vs.y () / 2);
+  db::Box via_box (via_ll, via_ll + vs);
 
   std::set <unsigned int> dl;
 
@@ -975,7 +980,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::~LEFDEFReaderState ()
 }
 
 void
-LEFDEFReaderState::common_reader_error (const std::string &msg)
+LEFDEFReaderState::error (const std::string &msg)
 {
   if (mp_importer) {
     mp_importer->error (msg);
@@ -983,7 +988,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::common_reader_error (const std::string &msg)
 }
 
 void
-LEFDEFReaderState::common_reader_warn (const std::string &msg, int warn_level)
+LEFDEFReaderState::warn (const std::string &msg, int warn_level)
 {
   if (mp_importer) {
     mp_importer->warn (msg, warn_level);
@@ -1117,7 +1122,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::read_single_map_file (const std::string &path, std::map<std::
       size_t max_purpose_str = 15;
 
       if (! ex.try_read_word (w1) || ! ex.try_read_word (w2, "._$,/:") || ! try_read_layers (ex, layers) || ! try_read_layers (ex, datatypes)) {
-        common_reader_warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d not understood - skipped")), path, ts.line_number ()));
+        warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d not understood - skipped")), path, ts.line_number ()));
         continue;
       }
 
@@ -1143,7 +1148,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::read_single_map_file (const std::string &path, std::map<std::
           name = "REGIONS_NONE";
           lp = RegionsNone;
         } else if (w2 != "ALL") {
-          common_reader_warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d - ignoring unknowns REGION purpose %s (use FENCE, GUIDE or ALL)")), path, ts.line_number (), w2));
+          warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d - ignoring unknowns REGION purpose %s (use FENCE, GUIDE or ALL)")), path, ts.line_number (), w2));
         }
 
         for (std::vector<int>::const_iterator l = layers.begin (); l != layers.end (); ++l) {
@@ -1176,7 +1181,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::read_single_map_file (const std::string &path, std::map<std::
 
           if (*p == "DIEAREA" || *p == "ALL" || *p == "COMP") {
 
-            common_reader_warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: NAME record ignored for entity: %s")), path, ts.line_number (), *p));
+            warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: NAME record ignored for entity: %s")), path, ts.line_number (), *p));
 
           } else {
 
@@ -1193,7 +1198,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::read_single_map_file (const std::string &path, std::map<std::
               if (label_purpose == Pins || label_purpose == LEFPins) {
                 layer_defs.push_back (std::make_pair (lp.front (), label_purpose == Pins ? Label : LEFLabel));
               } else {
-                common_reader_warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: NAME record ignored for purpose: %s")), path, ts.line_number (), purpose_to_name (label_purpose)));
+                warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: NAME record ignored for purpose: %s")), path, ts.line_number (), purpose_to_name (label_purpose)));
               }
 
             } else {
@@ -1226,7 +1231,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::read_single_map_file (const std::string &path, std::map<std::
       } else if (w1 == "COMP") {
 
         //  ignore "COMP (ALL) ..."
-        common_reader_warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: COMP entry ignored")), path, ts.line_number ()));
+        warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: COMP entry ignored")), path, ts.line_number ()));
 
       } else {
 
@@ -1261,7 +1266,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::read_single_map_file (const std::string &path, std::map<std::
               if (ex.test (":VOLTAGE:")) {
                 double f = 0.0;
                 ex.read (f);
-                common_reader_warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: NET voltage constraint ignored for layer %s")), path, ts.line_number (), w1));
+                warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: NET voltage constraint ignored for layer %s")), path, ts.line_number (), w1));
               }
 
             } else if (i->second == ViaGeometry) {
@@ -1284,7 +1289,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::read_single_map_file (const std::string &path, std::map<std::
 
           if (i == purpose_translation.end ()) {
 
-            common_reader_warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: purpose %s ignored for layer %s")), path, ts.line_number (), ps, w1));
+            warn (tl::sprintf (tl::to_string (tr ("Reading layer map file %s, line %d: purpose %s ignored for layer %s")), path, ts.line_number (), ps, w1));
 
           } else if (i->second == All) {
 
@@ -1379,7 +1384,7 @@ LEFDEFReaderState::open_layer (db::Layout &layout, const std::string &n, LayerPu
         msg += tl::to_string (tr (" Via size ")) + via_size.to_string ();
       }
 #endif
-      common_reader_warn (msg + tl::to_string (tr (" - layer is ignored")));
+      warn (msg + tl::to_string (tr (" - layer is ignored")));
     }
 
     return ll;
diff --git a/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbLEFDEFImporter.h b/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbLEFDEFImporter.h
index 647e3afd2..9720d6edf 100644
--- a/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbLEFDEFImporter.h
+++ b/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/db_plugin/dbLEFDEFImporter.h
@@ -1354,9 +1354,19 @@ class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LEFDEFReaderState
     return m_foreign_cells;
   }
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Issues an error
+   */
+  void error (const std::string &msg);
+
+  /**
+   *  @brief Issues a warning
+   */
+  void warn (const std::string &msg, int warn_level = 1);
+
 protected:
-  virtual void common_reader_error (const std::string &msg);
-  virtual void common_reader_warn (const std::string &msg, int warn_level = 1);
+  virtual void common_reader_error (const std::string &msg) { error (msg); }
+  virtual void common_reader_warn (const std::string &msg, int warn_level) { warn (msg, warn_level); }
 
 private:
   /**
diff --git a/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/unit_tests/dbLEFDEFImportTests.cc b/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/unit_tests/dbLEFDEFImportTests.cc
index 6c1127863..fd890f96b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/unit_tests/dbLEFDEFImportTests.cc
+++ b/src/plugins/streamers/lefdef/unit_tests/dbLEFDEFImportTests.cc
@@ -1077,3 +1077,26 @@ TEST(213_no_duplicate_LEF)
   db::compare_layouts (_this, ly, fn_path + "au.oas", db::WriteOAS);
 }
 
+//  issue-1877 (VIA placement rounding)
+TEST(214_issue1877)
+{
+  db::Layout ly;
+
+  std::string fn_path (tl::testdata ());
+  fn_path += "/lefdef/issue-1877/";
+
+  db::LEFDEFReaderOptions lefdef_opt = default_options ();
+  lefdef_opt.set_map_file ("tech.map");
+  lefdef_opt.set_read_lef_with_def (true);
+  db::LoadLayoutOptions opt;
+  opt.set_options (lefdef_opt);
+
+  {
+    tl::InputStream is (fn_path + "test.def");
+    db::Reader reader (is);
+    reader.read (ly, opt);
+  }
+
+  db::compare_layouts (_this, ly, fn_path + "au.oas", db::WriteOAS);
+}
+
diff --git a/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/au.oas b/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/au.oas
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3cf8767c5
Binary files /dev/null and b/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/au.oas differ
diff --git a/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/tech.lef b/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/tech.lef
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e96c48b57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/tech.lef
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+VERSION 5.6 ;
+BUSBITCHARS "[]" ;
+DIVIDERCHAR "/" ;
+ 
+UNITS
+  DATABASE MICRONS 1000 ;
+END UNITS
+MANUFACTURINGGRID 0.001 ;
+ 
+LAYER METAL_1
+  TYPE ROUTING ;
+  DIRECTION HORIZONTAL ;
+    WIDTH 0.6 ;
+END METAL_1
+
+LAYER VIA_1
+  TYPE CUT ;
+END VIA_1
+
+LAYER METAL_2
+  TYPE ROUTING ;
+  DIRECTION VERTICAL ;
+    WIDTH 0.6 ;
+END METAL_2 
+
+END LIBRARY
+
diff --git a/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/tech.map b/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/tech.map
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d3fd1898
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/tech.map
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+DIEAREA ALL 1 0
+METAL_1 ALL 2 0
+VIA_1 ALL 3 0
+METAL_2 ALL 4 0
diff --git a/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/test.def b/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/test.def
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cf273a04c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/lefdef/issue-1877/test.def
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+VERSION 5.8 ;
+DIVIDERCHAR "/" ;
+BUSBITCHARS "[]" ;
+DESIGN dummy_design ;
+UNITS DISTANCE MICRONS 1000 ;
+
+DIEAREA ( 21500 7000 ) ( 26000 9000 ) ;
+
+VIAS 1 ;
+    - via1_2_XXXX_XXX_X_X_XXX_XXX + VIARULE MYVIA1_ARRAY + CUTSIZE 246 246  + LAYERS METAL_1 VIA_1 METAL_2  + CUTSPACING 231 231  + ENCLOSURE 62 137 8 61  + ROWCOL 1 8  ;
+END VIAS
+ 
+ 
+SPECIALNETS 1 ;
+    - VDD 
+# ( PIN VDD ) ( * vdd ) 
+      + USE POWER
+      + ROUTED METAL_1 0 + SHAPE STRIPE ( 23620 7840 ) via1_2_XXXX_XXX_X_X_XXX_XXX ;
+END SPECIALNETS
+ 
+END DESIGN