diff --git a/js/id/id.js b/js/id/id.js
index 09e412650..f98c28f9f 100644
--- a/js/id/id.js
+++ b/js/id/id.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ window.iD = function(container) {
             .on('click', function (mode) { controller.enter(mode); });
 
         controller.on('enter', function (entered) {
-            buttons.classed('active', function (mode) { return entered === mode; });
+            buttons.classed('active', function (mode) { return entered.button === mode.button; });
         });
 
         var undo_buttons = bar.append('div')
diff --git a/js/id/modes/add_area.js b/js/id/modes/add_area.js
index 976e4c584..06857ba32 100644
--- a/js/id/modes/add_area.js
+++ b/js/id/modes/add_area.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 iD.modes.AddArea = function() {
     var mode = {
         id: 'add-area',
+        button: 'area',
         title: '+ Area',
         description: 'Add parks, buildings, lakes, or other areas to the map.'
     };
diff --git a/js/id/modes/add_road.js b/js/id/modes/add_road.js
index da7420071..efb3db113 100644
--- a/js/id/modes/add_road.js
+++ b/js/id/modes/add_road.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 iD.modes.AddRoad = function() {
     var mode = {
         id: 'add-road',
+        button: 'road',
         title: '+ Road',
         description: 'Roads can be highways, streets, pedestrian paths, or even canals'
     };
diff --git a/js/id/modes/browse.js b/js/id/modes/browse.js
index cff5c9af3..0e6789f77 100644
--- a/js/id/modes/browse.js
+++ b/js/id/modes/browse.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 iD.modes.Browse = function() {
     var mode = {
+        button: 'browse',
         id: 'browse',
         title: 'Browse',
         description: 'Pan and zoom the map'
diff --git a/js/id/modes/draw_area.js b/js/id/modes/draw_area.js
index e2ac3c634..e2eac7392 100644
--- a/js/id/modes/draw_area.js
+++ b/js/id/modes/draw_area.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 iD.modes.DrawArea = function(way_id) {
-    var mode = {};
+    var mode = {
+        button: 'area'
+    };
 
     mode.enter = function() {
 
diff --git a/js/id/modes/draw_road.js b/js/id/modes/draw_road.js
index ec644cc76..bd176a794 100644
--- a/js/id/modes/draw_road.js
+++ b/js/id/modes/draw_road.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 iD.modes.DrawRoad = function(way_id, direction) {
-    var mode = {};
+    var mode = {
+        button: 'road'
+    };
 
     mode.enter = function() {
         mode.map.dblclickEnable(false);
diff --git a/js/id/modes/select.js b/js/id/modes/select.js
index 5bc24ee77..fe18dba6d 100644
--- a/js/id/modes/select.js
+++ b/js/id/modes/select.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 iD.modes.Select = function (entity) {
-    var mode = {},
+    var mode = {
+        button: ''
+    },
         inspector = iD.Inspector(),
         dragging, target;