diff --git a/common/workflow-operator/src/main/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopOpDesc.scala b/common/workflow-operator/src/main/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopOpDesc.scala
index 5783cda99ec..e4990194572 100644
--- a/common/workflow-operator/src/main/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopOpDesc.scala
+++ b/common/workflow-operator/src/main/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopOpDesc.scala
@@ -94,7 +94,14 @@ abstract class LoopOpDesc extends LogicalOp {
       operatorName,
       operatorDescription,
       OperatorGroupConstants.CONTROL_GROUP,
-      inputPorts = List(InputPort()),
+      // A loop operator takes exactly one link on its input port. Every reader
+      // on a materialized input port replays that port's states independently,
+      // so a second link would deliver the loop state twice per iteration; a
+      // Loop Start additionally needs a single reader for the scheduler to
+      // resolve its bookkeeping URIs from. Declaring it here is what makes the
+      // GUI refuse to draw the second link, instead of the plan being rejected
+      // only at StartWorkflow (discussion #6966).
+      inputPorts = List(InputPort(disallowMultiLinks = true)),
       // Loop End reuses its output storage across region re-executions (it
       // accumulates across the iterations of its own loop); the flag is
       // declared on the output port and the region scheduler reads it there.
diff --git a/common/workflow-operator/src/test/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopEndOpDescSpec.scala b/common/workflow-operator/src/test/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopEndOpDescSpec.scala
index 5f4b88b82ed..bbdab441202 100644
--- a/common/workflow-operator/src/test/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopEndOpDescSpec.scala
+++ b/common/workflow-operator/src/test/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopEndOpDescSpec.scala
@@ -49,6 +49,14 @@ class LoopEndOpDescSpec extends AnyFlatSpec with LoopOpDescSpecMixin {
     info.outputPorts should have length 1
   }
 
+  it should "disallow more than one link into its input port" in {
+    // Each reader on an input port replays the loop state independently, so a
+    // second link would make this Loop End consume the same iteration twice
+    // (double `update`, double back-edge). Declaring it on the port stops the
+    // GUI from drawing the second link (discussion #6966).
+    desc().operatorInfo.inputPorts.head.disallowMultiLinks shouldBe true
+  }
+
   "LoopEndOpDesc.generatePythonCode" should "wrap user inputs in the base64 decode template" in {
     // Distinct sentinels so we know the codegen wires the right user
     // field into the right `decode_python_template` site. If `condition`
diff --git a/common/workflow-operator/src/test/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopStartOpDescSpec.scala b/common/workflow-operator/src/test/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopStartOpDescSpec.scala
index cc86c5d9d2f..0e6e59f8012 100644
--- a/common/workflow-operator/src/test/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopStartOpDescSpec.scala
+++ b/common/workflow-operator/src/test/scala/org/apache/texera/amber/operator/loop/LoopStartOpDescSpec.scala
@@ -46,6 +46,15 @@ class LoopStartOpDescSpec extends AnyFlatSpec with LoopOpDescSpecMixin {
     info.outputPorts should have length 1
   }
 
+  it should "disallow more than one link into its input port" in {
+    // The runtime resolves the loop's bookkeeping URIs from this port's single
+    // reader (WorkflowExecutionManager requires exactly one storage pair), and
+    // every extra reader would replay the loop state again. Declaring it on
+    // the port is what stops the GUI from drawing a second link at all, rather
+    // than failing at StartWorkflow (discussion #6966).
+    desc().operatorInfo.inputPorts.head.disallowMultiLinks shouldBe true
+  }
+
   "LoopStartOpDesc.generatePythonCode" should "wrap user inputs in the base64 decode template" in {
     // Distinct sentinels prove the codegen routes the right user field
     // through the encode pipeline (not accidentally swapped) and that