diff --git a/modules/actions/add_member.js b/modules/actions/add_member.js
index 3d7654d36..d5f5b26b7 100644
--- a/modules/actions/add_member.js
+++ b/modules/actions/add_member.js
@@ -1,18 +1,21 @@
 import { osmJoinWays } from '../osm';
 
 
-export function actionAddMember(relationId, member, memberIndex) {
-    return function(graph) {
+export function actionAddMember(relationId, member, memberIndex, insertHint) {
+
+    var action = function(graph) {
         var relation = graph.entity(relationId);
         var numAdded = 0;
 
         // If we weren't passed a memberIndex,
         // try to perform sensible inserts based on how the ways join together
-        if (isNaN(memberIndex) && member.type === 'way') {
+        if ((isNaN(memberIndex) || insertHint) && member.type === 'way') {
             var members = relation.indexedMembers();
-            members.push(member);
+            if (!insertHint) {
+                members.push(member);   // just push and let osmJoinWays sort it out
+            }
 
-            var joined = osmJoinWays(members, graph);
+            var joined = osmJoinWays(members, graph, insertHint);
 
             for (var i = 0; i < joined.length; i++) {
                 var segment = joined[i];
@@ -40,4 +43,7 @@ export function actionAddMember(relationId, member, memberIndex) {
 
         return graph.replace(relation);
     };
+
+
+    return action;
 }
diff --git a/modules/actions/split.js b/modules/actions/split.js
index e0bd8b20f..a9d0bd77f 100644
--- a/modules/actions/split.js
+++ b/modules/actions/split.js
@@ -134,14 +134,12 @@ export function actionSplit(nodeId, newWayIds) {
                     role: relation.memberById(wayA.id).role
                 };
 
-                // how many times should this member be inserted?
-                // var matches = relation.members.filter(function(member) {
-                //     return member.id === wayA.id;
-                // });
+                var insertHint = {
+                    item: member,
+                    nextTo: wayA.id
+                };
 
-                // matches.forEach(function() {
-                    graph = actionAddMember(relation.id, member)(graph);
-                // });
+                graph = actionAddMember(relation.id, member, undefined, insertHint)(graph);
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/modules/osm/multipolygon.js b/modules/osm/multipolygon.js
index c8412fecf..0990e3e30 100644
--- a/modules/osm/multipolygon.js
+++ b/modules/osm/multipolygon.js
@@ -88,12 +88,12 @@ export function osmSimpleMultipolygonOuterMember(entity, graph) {
 // Incomplete members (those for which `graph.hasEntity(element.id)` returns
 // false) and non-way members are ignored.
 //
-// `tryInsert` is an optional object.
-// If supplied, insert the given way/member after an existing way/member:
-//   `{ item: wayOrMember, afterID: id }`
+// `insertHint` is an optional object.
+// If supplied, insert the given way/member next to an existing way/member:
+//   `{ item: wayOrMember, nextTo: id }`
 // (This feature is used by `actionSplit`)
 //
-export function osmJoinWays(toJoin, graph, tryInsert) {
+export function osmJoinWays(toJoin, graph, insertHint) {
     function resolve(member) {
         return graph.childNodes(graph.entity(member.id));
     }
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ export function osmJoinWays(toJoin, graph, tryInsert) {
             // If it is time to attempt an insert, try that item first.
             // Otherwise, search for a next item in `toJoin`
             var toCheck;
-            if (!isInserting && tryInsert && tryInsert.afterID === currWays[currWays.length - 1].id) {
-                toCheck = [tryInsert.item];
+            if (!isInserting && insertHint && insertHint.nextTo === currWays[currWays.length - 1].id) {
+                toCheck = [insertHint.item];
                 isInserting = true;
             } else {
                 toCheck = toJoin.slice();
diff --git a/test/spec/actions/add_member.js b/test/spec/actions/add_member.js
index 95e9d98a6..863045849 100644
--- a/test/spec/actions/add_member.js
+++ b/test/spec/actions/add_member.js
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ describe('iD.actionAddMember', function() {
             expect(members(graph)).to.eql(['-', '=', '~']);
         });
 
-        it('inserts the member multiple times if the way exists multiple times (middle)', function() {
+        it('inserts the member multiple times if hint provided (middle)', function() {
             // Before:  a ---> b  ..  c ~~~> d <~~~ c  ..  b <--- a
             // After:   a ---> b ===> c ~~~> d <~~~ c <=== b <--- a
             var graph = iD.coreGraph([
@@ -120,11 +120,13 @@ describe('iD.actionAddMember', function() {
                 ]})
             ]);
 
-            graph = iD.actionAddMember('r', {id: '=', type: 'way'})(graph);
+            var member = { id: '=', type: 'way' };
+            var hint = { item: member, nextTo: '-' };
+            graph = iD.actionAddMember('r', member, undefined, hint)(graph);
             expect(members(graph)).to.eql(['-', '=', '~', '~', '=', '-']);
         });
 
-        it('inserts the member multiple times if the way exists multiple times (beginning/end)', function() {
+        it('inserts the member multiple times if hint provided (beginning/end)', function() {
             // Before:         b ===> c ~~~> d <~~~ c <=== b
             // After:   a ---> b ===> c ~~~> d <~~~ c <=== b <--- a
             var graph = iD.coreGraph([
@@ -143,7 +145,9 @@ describe('iD.actionAddMember', function() {
                 ]})
             ]);
 
-            graph = iD.actionAddMember('r', {id: '-', type: 'way'})(graph);
+            var member = { id: '-', type: 'way' };
+            var hint = { item: member, nextTo: '=' };
+            graph = iD.actionAddMember('r', member, undefined, hint)(graph);
             expect(members(graph)).to.eql(['-', '=', '~', '~', '=', '-']);
         });