diff --git a/data/core.yaml b/data/core.yaml
index d7b123749..dcbab6945 100644
--- a/data/core.yaml
+++ b/data/core.yaml
@@ -191,8 +191,14 @@ en:
     disconnect:
       title: Disconnect
       description: Disconnect these lines/areas from each other.
+      line:
+        description: Disconnect this line from other features.
+      area:
+        description: Disconnect this area from other features.
       key: D
       annotation: Disconnected lines/areas.
+      too_large:
+        single: This can't be disconnected because not enough of it is currently visible.
       not_connected: There aren't enough lines/areas here to disconnect.
       connected_to_hidden: This can't be disconnected because it is connected to a hidden feature.
       relation: This can't be disconnected because it connects members of a relation.
diff --git a/dist/locales/en.json b/dist/locales/en.json
index 29234efef..0eebd7146 100644
--- a/dist/locales/en.json
+++ b/dist/locales/en.json
@@ -246,8 +246,17 @@
             "disconnect": {
                 "title": "Disconnect",
                 "description": "Disconnect these lines/areas from each other.",
+                "line": {
+                    "description": "Disconnect this line from other features."
+                },
+                "area": {
+                    "description": "Disconnect this area from other features."
+                },
                 "key": "D",
                 "annotation": "Disconnected lines/areas.",
+                "too_large": {
+                    "single": "This can't be disconnected because not enough of it is currently visible."
+                },
                 "not_connected": "There aren't enough lines/areas here to disconnect.",
                 "connected_to_hidden": "This can't be disconnected because it is connected to a hidden feature.",
                 "relation": "This can't be disconnected because it connects members of a relation."
diff --git a/modules/actions/disconnect.js b/modules/actions/disconnect.js
index 169dbf92e..aa8c6a393 100644
--- a/modules/actions/disconnect.js
+++ b/modules/actions/disconnect.js
@@ -82,9 +82,6 @@ export function actionDisconnect(nodeId, newNodeId) {
         var sharedRelation;
 
         parentWays.forEach(function(way) {
-            if (wayIds && wayIds.indexOf(way.id) === -1)
-                return;
-
             var relations = graph.parentRelations(way);
             relations.forEach(function(relation) {
                 if (relation.id in seenRelationIds) {
diff --git a/modules/operations/disconnect.js b/modules/operations/disconnect.js
index 0b35597f7..59b5a4407 100644
--- a/modules/operations/disconnect.js
+++ b/modules/operations/disconnect.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ export function operationDisconnect(selectedIDs, context) {
     var vertices = [],
         ways = [],
         others = [];
+    var extent;
 
     selectedIDs.forEach(function(id) {
         if (context.geometry(id) === 'vertex') {
@@ -20,17 +21,30 @@ export function operationDisconnect(selectedIDs, context) {
 
     var actions = [];
 
-    vertices.forEach(function(vertexID) {
-        var action = actionDisconnect(vertexID);
+    var disconnectingWay = vertices.length === 0 && ways.length === 1 && ways[0];
 
-        if (ways.length > 0) {
-            var waysIDsForVertex = ways.filter(function(wayID) {
-                return context.graph().entity(wayID).nodes.includes(vertexID);
-            });
-            action.limitWays(waysIDsForVertex);
-        }
-        actions.push(action);
-    });
+    if (disconnectingWay) {
+        extent = context.entity(disconnectingWay).extent(context.graph());
+
+        context.entity(disconnectingWay).nodes.forEach(function(vertexID) {
+            var action = actionDisconnect(vertexID).limitWays(ways);
+            if (action.disabled(context.graph()) !== 'not_connected') {
+                actions.push(action);
+            }
+        });
+    } else {
+        vertices.forEach(function(vertexID) {
+            var action = actionDisconnect(vertexID);
+
+            if (ways.length > 0) {
+                var waysIDsForVertex = ways.filter(function(wayID) {
+                    return context.graph().entity(wayID).nodes.includes(vertexID);
+                });
+                action.limitWays(waysIDsForVertex);
+            }
+            actions.push(action);
+        });
+    }
 
 
     var operation = function() {
@@ -44,18 +58,26 @@ export function operationDisconnect(selectedIDs, context) {
 
 
     operation.available = function() {
-        return vertices.length > 0 &&
-            others.length === 0 &&
-            (ways.length === 0 || ways.every(function(way) {
-                return vertices.some(function(vertex) {
-                    return context.graph().entity(way).nodes.includes(vertex);
-                });
-            }));
+
+        if (actions.length === 0) return false;
+
+        if (others.length !== 0) return false;
+
+        if (vertices.length !== 0 && ways.length !== 0 && !ways.every(function(way) {
+            return vertices.some(function(vertex) {
+                return context.graph().entity(way).nodes.includes(vertex);
+            });
+        })) return false;
+
+        return true;
     };
 
 
     operation.disabled = function() {
         var reason;
+        if (extent && extent.area() && extent.percentContainedIn(context.extent()) < 0.8) {
+            return 'too_large.single';
+        }
         if (selectedIDs.some(context.hasHiddenConnections)) {
             reason = 'connected_to_hidden';
         }
@@ -70,9 +92,13 @@ export function operationDisconnect(selectedIDs, context) {
 
     operation.tooltip = function() {
         var disable = operation.disabled();
-        return disable ?
-            t('operations.disconnect.' + disable) :
-            t('operations.disconnect.description');
+        if (disable) {
+            return t('operations.disconnect.' + disable);
+        }
+        if (disconnectingWay) {
+            return t('operations.disconnect.' + context.geometry(disconnectingWay) + '.description');
+        }
+        return t('operations.disconnect.description');
     };