diff --git a/js/id/renderer/background_source.js b/js/id/renderer/background_source.js
index dffe5e9ec..d0408557c 100644
--- a/js/id/renderer/background_source.js
+++ b/js/id/renderer/background_source.js
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ iD.BackgroundSource.template = function(template, subdomains, scaleExtent) {
     return generator;
 };
 
+iD.BackgroundSource.Custom = function() {
+    var template = window.prompt('Enter a tile template. Valid tokens are {z}, {x}, {y} for Z/X/Y scheme and {u} for quadtile scheme.');
+    if (!template) return null;
+    return iD.BackgroundSource.template(template, null, [0, 20]);
+};
+
 iD.BackgroundSource.Bing = iD.BackgroundSource.template(
     'http://ecn.t{t}.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/a{u}.jpeg?g=587&mkt=en-gb&n=z',
     [0, 1, 2, 3], [0, 20]);
diff --git a/js/id/ui/layerswitcher.js b/js/id/ui/layerswitcher.js
index 18f802e1f..bf26f0163 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/layerswitcher.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/layerswitcher.js
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ iD.layerswitcher = function(map) {
             name: 'OSM',
             source: iD.BackgroundSource.OSM,
             description: 'The default OpenStreetMap layer.'
+        }, {
+            name: 'Custom',
+            source: iD.BackgroundSource.Custom,
+            description: 'A custom layer (requires configuration)'
         }],
         opacities = [1, 0.5, 0];
 
@@ -101,6 +105,12 @@ iD.layerswitcher = function(map) {
                     .call(bootstrap.tooltip().placement('right'))
                     .on('click.set-source', function(d) {
                         d3.event.preventDefault();
+                        if (d.name === 'Custom') {
+                            var configured = d.source();
+                            if (!configured) return;
+                            d.source = configured;
+                            d.name = 'Custom (configured)';
+                        }
                         map.background.source(d.source);
                         map.redraw();
                         selectLayer(d);