diff --git a/js/id/modes/add_line.js b/js/id/modes/add_line.js
index 641e3801a..bc87238ca 100644
--- a/js/id/modes/add_line.js
+++ b/js/id/modes/add_line.js
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ iD.modes.AddLine = function() {
                 // continue an existing way
                 var id = datum.id;
                 var parents = history.graph().parentWays(datum);
-                var isWay = parents.length && parents[0].tags.area !== 'yes';
-                if (isWay && parents[0].nodes[0] === id ) {
+                var isLine = parents.length && parents[0].geometry() === 'line';
+                if (isLine && parents[0].nodes[0] === id ) {
                     way = parents[0];
                     direction = 'backward';
-                } else if (isWay && _.last(parents[0].nodes) === id) {
+                } else if (isLine && _.last(parents[0].nodes) === id) {
                     way = parents[0];
                 } else {
                     history.perform(