diff --git a/app/views/govuk_publishing_components/components/_chart.html.erb b/app/views/govuk_publishing_components/components/_chart.html.erb
index 09101aa3d4..81112c6e28 100644
--- a/app/views/govuk_publishing_components/components/_chart.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/govuk_publishing_components/components/_chart.html.erb
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 
   chart_id = "chart-id-#{SecureRandom.hex(4)}"
   table_id = "table-id-#{SecureRandom.hex(4)}"
+  @external_script ||= OpenStruct.new(loaded: 0)
+  @external_script[:loaded] += 1
 
   shared_helper = GovukPublishingComponents::Presenters::SharedHelper.new(local_assigns)
   component_helper = GovukPublishingComponents::Presenters::ComponentWrapperHelper.new(local_assigns)
@@ -79,7 +81,7 @@
   end
 %>
 <% if rows.length > 0 && keys.length > 0 && valid_minimal %>
-  <%= javascript_include_tag "https://www.gstatic.com/charts/loader.js" %>
+  <%= javascript_include_tag "https://www.gstatic.com/charts/loader.js" if @external_script[:loaded] == 1 %>
   <%= tag.div(**component_helper.all_attributes) do %>
     <% if chart_heading && !minimal %>
       <%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/heading", {
diff --git a/spec/components/chart_spec.rb b/spec/components/chart_spec.rb
index 03ba7bfd13..34d14937c8 100644
--- a/spec/components/chart_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/chart_spec.rb
@@ -124,4 +124,12 @@ def component_name
     data[:minimal] = true
     assert_empty render_component(data)
   end
+
+  it "only calls an external script once" do
+    render_component(data)
+    data[:classes] = "" # need to 'reset' this otherwise it carries from the first component and breaks shared_helper
+    render_component(data)
+
+    assert_select 'script[src="https://www.gstatic.com/charts/loader.js"]', count: 1
+  end
 end