diff --git a/dask_expr/_expr.py b/dask_expr/_expr.py
index 3a42d3d96..c32cea1d0 100644
--- a/dask_expr/_expr.py
+++ b/dask_expr/_expr.py
@@ -1893,21 +1893,29 @@ def _tree_repr_argument_construction(self, i, op, header):
     def _node_label_args(self):
         return self.operands
 
+    def _remove_common_columns(self, other):
+        if set(self.keys) & set(other.keys):
+            keys = set(self.keys)
+            operands = [[k, v] for k, v in zip(other.keys, other.vals) if k not in keys]
+            return [other.frame] + list(flatten(operands)) + self.operands[1:]
+        else:
+            return other.operands + self.operands[1:]
+
     def _simplify_down(self):
         if isinstance(self.frame, Assign):
             if self._check_for_previously_created_column(self.frame):
                 # don't squash if we are using a column that was previously created
                 return
-            return Assign(*self.frame.operands, *self.operands[1:])
+            return Assign(*self._remove_common_columns(self.frame))
         elif isinstance(self.frame, Projection) and isinstance(
             self.frame.frame, Assign
         ):
             if self._check_for_previously_created_column(self.frame.frame):
                 return
             new_columns = self.frame.operands[1].copy()
-            new_columns.extend(self.keys)
+            new_columns.extend([k for k in self.keys if k not in new_columns])
             return Projection(
-                Assign(*self.frame.frame.operands, *self.operands[1:]), new_columns
+                Assign(*self._remove_common_columns(self.frame.frame)), new_columns
             )
 
     def _check_for_previously_created_column(self, child):
diff --git a/dask_expr/tests/test_collection.py b/dask_expr/tests/test_collection.py
index f2bee98f7..50bbc041d 100644
--- a/dask_expr/tests/test_collection.py
+++ b/dask_expr/tests/test_collection.py
@@ -2689,6 +2689,33 @@ def apply_func(x):
     assert result.expr._depth() == 13.0  # this grew exponentially previously
 
 
+def test_assign_overwriting_column(df, pdf):
+    pdf = pd.DataFrame(
+        {"partner": ["A", np.nan, "C", "A", np.nan, "C", "A", np.nan, "C"]},
+        dtype="string[pyarrow]",
+    )
+
+    df = from_pandas(pdf, npartitions=2)
+
+    df["partner1"] = ""
+    df["partner1"] = "google"
+
+    df["partner2"] = ""
+    df["partner2"] = np.nan
+    df["partner2"] = df["partner2"].mask(cond=(df["partner"] == "A"), other="Blackhawk")
+
+    pdf["partner1"] = ""
+    pdf["partner1"] = "google"
+
+    pdf["partner2"] = ""
+    pdf["partner2"] = np.nan
+    pdf["partner2"] = pdf["partner2"].mask(
+        cond=(pdf["partner"] == "A"), other="Blackhawk"
+    )
+    df.compute()
+    assert_eq(df, pdf, check_dtype=False)
+
+
 def test_dropna_merge(df, pdf):
     dropped_na = df.dropna(subset=["x"])
     result = dropped_na.merge(dropped_na, on="x")