Debugging the Google Maps Duplicate Loading Bug in React

Originally published on — a production e-commerce platform —

I integrated Google Places Autocomplete across 20+ screens.

I had the Maps JavaScript API loading in two places:

• A provider.tsx for global script loading across the app


• A useLoadGoogleMaps hook inside a shared component

This caused race conditions. The Autocomplete and Directions

APIs were initialising before the script fully resolved in some

renders, silently failing in others. The failure wasn't

consistent, which made it harder to catch.

The fix

Step 1 — Remove the global load


Delete the script tag or next/script call in provider.tsx.

There should be exactly one place the Maps API loads.

Step 2 — Centralise in a hook


Move all loading logic into a single useLoadGoogleMaps hook

using dynamic loading. If you're on Next.js, next/script

with strategy="afterInteractive" inside the hook is the

right approach.

Step 3 — Guard before initialising

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if (!window.google?.maps) return;

Check that the API is fully available before attempting to

attach Autocomplete or Directions. Don't assume the script

load event means every namespace is ready.

Step 4 — Scope your ref correctly


Bind the autocomplete instance to inputRef.current explicitly.

If the component remounts, re-initialise the binding — don't

assume the previous instance is still attached.

The result

One load, one source of truth, no race conditions. Autocomplete

and Directions worked consistently across all 20+ screens

without reinitialising on every render.

Security — the step most developers skip

Restrict your API key at the Google Cloud Console level:

• 
  HTTP referrers: whitelist your domain only
  (e.g. https://yourapp.com/*)


• 
  API restrictions: enable only the services you actually
  use — Maps JavaScript API, Places, Directions.
  Nothing else.

An unrestricted Maps key on a public frontend will get scraped

and abused. It happens faster than you'd expect.

I'm a frontend engineer open to remote EU roles —

connect on LinkedIn

if this was useful.

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