diff --git a/API.md b/API.md
index 01e5b0235..29868521f 100644
--- a/API.md
+++ b/API.md
@@ -43,8 +43,9 @@ of iD (e.g. `http://preview.ideditor.com/release/`), the following parameters ar
 * __`photo_overlay`__ - The street-level photo overlay layers to enable.<br/>
   _Example:_ `photo_overlay=streetside,mapillary,openstreetcam`<br/>
   _Available values:_ `streetside` (Microsoft Bing), `mapillary`, `mapillary-signs`, `openstreetcam`
-* __`presets`__ - A path to an external presets file.<br/>
+* __`presets`__ - A path to an external presets file or a comma-separated list of preset IDs. These will be the only presets the user may select.<br/>
   _Example:_ `presets=https://path/to/presets.json`
+  _Example 2:_ `presets=building,highway/residential,highway/unclassified`
 * __`rtl=true`__ - Force iD into right-to-left mode (useful for testing).
 * __`source`__ - Prefills the changeset source. Pass a url encoded string.<br/>
   _Example:_ `source=Bing%3BMapillary`
diff --git a/modules/core/context.js b/modules/core/context.js
index 97ca63a50..15cbcab1b 100644
--- a/modules/core/context.js
+++ b/modules/core/context.js
@@ -558,8 +558,10 @@ export function coreContext() {
     features.init();
     photos.init();
 
-    if (utilStringQs(window.location.hash).presets) {
-        var external = utilStringQs(window.location.hash).presets;
+    var presetsParameter = utilStringQs(window.location.hash).presets;
+    if (presetsParameter && presetsParameter.indexOf('://') !== -1) {
+        // assume URL of external presets file
+
         presets.fromExternal(external, function(externalPresets) {
             context.presets = function() { return externalPresets; }; // default + external presets...
             osmSetAreaKeys(presets.areaKeys());
@@ -567,7 +569,15 @@ export function coreContext() {
             osmSetVertexTags(presets.vertexTags());
         });
     } else {
-        presets.init();
+        var isVisible;
+        if (presetsParameter) {
+            // assume list of allowed preset IDs
+            var visiblePresetIDs = new Set(presetsParameter.split(','));
+            isVisible = function(presetID) {
+                return visiblePresetIDs.has(presetID);
+            };
+        }
+        presets.init(isVisible);
         osmSetAreaKeys(presets.areaKeys());
         osmSetPointTags(presets.pointTags());
         osmSetVertexTags(presets.vertexTags());
diff --git a/modules/presets/index.js b/modules/presets/index.js
index b8c9ee48e..a7c94b6fb 100644
--- a/modules/presets/index.js
+++ b/modules/presets/index.js
@@ -199,10 +199,11 @@ export function presetIndex(context) {
             Object.keys(d.presets).forEach(function(id) {
                 var p = d.presets[id];
                 var existing = all.index(id);
+                var isVisible = typeof visible === 'function' ? visible(id, p) : visible;
                 if (existing !== -1) {
-                    all.collection[existing] = presetPreset(id, p, _fields, visible, rawPresets);
+                    all.collection[existing] = presetPreset(id, p, _fields, isVisible, rawPresets);
                 } else {
-                    all.collection.push(presetPreset(id, p, _fields, visible, rawPresets));
+                    all.collection.push(presetPreset(id, p, _fields, isVisible, rawPresets));
                 }
             });
         }
@@ -244,7 +245,7 @@ export function presetIndex(context) {
         return all;
     };
 
-    all.init = function() {
+    all.init = function(shouldShow) {
         all.collection = [];
         _favorites = null;
         _recents = null;
@@ -252,7 +253,7 @@ export function presetIndex(context) {
         _universal = [];
         _index = { point: {}, vertex: {}, line: {}, area: {}, relation: {} };
 
-        return all.build(data.presets, true);
+        return all.build(data.presets, shouldShow || true);
     };
 
 
diff --git a/modules/ui/preset_list.js b/modules/ui/preset_list.js
index 48b3d6725..71dbe260f 100644
--- a/modules/ui/preset_list.js
+++ b/modules/ui/preset_list.js
@@ -167,7 +167,11 @@ export function uiPresetList(context) {
     function drawList(list, presets) {
         var collection = presets.collection.reduce(function(collection, preset) {
             if (preset.members) {
-                collection.push(CategoryItem(preset));
+                if (preset.members.collection.filter(function(preset) {
+                    return preset.visible();
+                }).length > 1) {
+                    collection.push(CategoryItem(preset));
+                }
             } else if (preset.visible()) {
                 collection.push(PresetItem(preset));
             }