diff --git a/API.md b/API.md
index 9263c1831..dda44dd4e 100644
--- a/API.md
+++ b/API.md
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ in the hash portion of the URL:
   `{z}`/`{zoom}`, `{ty}` for flipped TMS-style Y coordinates, and `{switch:a,b,c}` for
   DNS multiplexing.<br/>
   _Example:_ `background=custom:https://{switch:a,b,c}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{zoom}/{x}/{y}.png`
+* __`disable_features`__ - Disables features in the list.<br/>
+  _Example:_ `disable_features=water,service_roads,points,paths,boundaries`<br/>
+  _Available features:_ `points` `traffic_roads` `service_roads` `paths` `buildings` `landuse`
+  `boundaries` `water` `rail` `power` `past_future` `others`
 * __`gpx`__ - A custom URL for loading a gpx track.  Specifying a `gpx` parameter will
   automatically enable the gpx layer for display.<br/>
   _Example:_ `gpx=https://tasks.hotosm.org/project/592/task/16.gpx`
@@ -34,10 +38,6 @@ in the hash portion of the URL:
   _Example:_ `hashtags=%23hotosm-task-592,%23MissingMaps`
 * __`rtl=true`__ - Force iD into right-to-left mode (useful for testing).
 * __`walkthrough=true`__ - Start the walkthrough automatically
-* __`features`__ - Enables features in the list.<br/>
-  _Example:_ `features=water,service_roads,points,paths`<br/>
-  _Available features:_ `points` `traffic_roads` `service_roads` `paths` `buildings` `landuse`
-  `boundaries` `water` `rail` `power` `past_future` `others`
 
 ##### iD on openstreetmap.org (Rails Port)
 
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@ are available as regular URL query parameters:
 * __`lat`__, __`lon`__, __`zoom`__ - Self-explanatory.
 * __`node`__, __`way`__, __`relation`__ - Select the specified entity.
 * __`background`__ - same as standalone
+* __`disable_features`__ - same as standalone
 * __`gpx`__ - same as standalone
 * __`offset`__ - same as standalone
 * __`comment`__ - same as standalone
 * __`hashtags`__ - same as standalone
 * __`walkthrough`__ - same as standalone
-* __`features`__ - same as standalone
 
 
 ## CSS selectors
diff --git a/modules/core/context.js b/modules/core/context.js
index 8bdc08bc1..28ec30f60 100644
--- a/modules/core/context.js
+++ b/modules/core/context.js
@@ -471,6 +471,7 @@ export function coreContext() {
     });
 
     background.init();
+    features.init();
     presets.init();
     areaKeys = presets.areaKeys();
 
diff --git a/modules/renderer/features.js b/modules/renderer/features.js
index 23f58b94c..47dcd3091 100644
--- a/modules/renderer/features.js
+++ b/modules/renderer/features.js
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import _groupBy from 'lodash-es/groupBy';
 import _reduce from 'lodash-es/reduce';
 import _some from 'lodash-es/some';
 import _union from 'lodash-es/union';
-import _get from 'lodash-es/get';
 
 import { dispatch as d3_dispatch } from 'd3-dispatch';
 
@@ -65,16 +64,13 @@ export function rendererFeatures(context) {
         _features = {},
         _stats = {},
         _keys = [],
-        _hidden = [],
-        _initFeaturesStr = _get(utilStringQs(window.location.hash.substring(1)), 'features', '').trim();
+        _hidden = [];
 
 
     function update() {
-        var q = utilStringQs(window.location.hash.substring(1));
-
-        q.features = context.features().enabledList();
-
         if (!window.mocha) {
+            var q = utilStringQs(window.location.hash.substring(1));
+            q.disable_features = features.disabled().join(',');
             window.location.replace('#' + utilQsString(q, true));
         }
 
@@ -87,10 +83,6 @@ export function rendererFeatures(context) {
     function defineFeature(k, filter, max) {
         var isEnabled = true;
 
-        if (_initFeaturesStr.length) {
-            isEnabled = _initFeaturesStr.split(',').some(function(key){ return key === k; });
-        }
-
         _keys.push(k);
         _features[k] = {
             filter: filter,
@@ -506,5 +498,14 @@ export function rendererFeatures(context) {
     };
 
 
+    features.init = function() {
+        var q = utilStringQs(window.location.hash.substring(1));
+        if (q.disable_features) {
+            q.disable_features.replace(/;/g, ',').split(',').map(function(k) {
+                features.disable(k);
+            });
+        }
+    };
+
     return utilRebind(features, dispatch, 'on');
 }