diff --git a/js/id/graph/graph.js b/js/id/graph/graph.js
index f44245385..f5a615852 100644
--- a/js/id/graph/graph.js
+++ b/js/id/graph/graph.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-iD.Graph = function(entities) {
-    if (!(this instanceof iD.Graph)) return new iD.Graph(entities);
+iD.Graph = function(entities, mutable) {
+    if (!(this instanceof iD.Graph)) return new iD.Graph(entities, mutable);
 
     if (_.isArray(entities)) {
         this.entities = {};
@@ -15,9 +15,8 @@ iD.Graph = function(entities) {
     this._parentRels = {};
     this._fetches = {};
 
-    if (iD.debug) {
-        Object.freeze(this);
-        Object.freeze(this.entities);
+    if (!mutable) {
+        this.freeze();
     }
 };
 
@@ -87,27 +86,46 @@ iD.Graph.prototype = {
     },
 
     merge: function(graph) {
-        var entities = _.clone(this.entities);
-        _.defaults(entities, graph.entities);
-        return iD.Graph(entities);
+        return this.update(function () {
+            _.defaults(this.entities, graph.entities);
+        });
     },
 
     replace: function(entity) {
-        var entities = _.clone(this.entities);
-        entities[entity.id] = entity;
-        return iD.Graph(entities);
+        return this.update(function () {
+            this.entities[entity.id] = entity;
+        });
     },
 
     remove: function(entity) {
-        var entities = _.clone(this.entities);
+        return this.update(function () {
+            if (entity.created()) {
+                delete this.entities[entity.id];
+            } else {
+                this.entities[entity.id] = undefined;
+            }
+        });
+    },
 
-        if (entity.created()) {
-            delete entities[entity.id];
-        } else {
-            entities[entity.id] = undefined;
+    update: function() {
+        var graph = this.frozen ? iD.Graph(_.clone(this.entities), true) : this;
+
+        for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; i++) {
+            arguments[i].call(graph, graph);
         }
 
-        return iD.Graph(entities);
+        return this.frozen ? graph.freeze() : this;
+    },
+
+    freeze: function() {
+        this.frozen = true;
+
+        if (iD.debug) {
+            Object.freeze(this);
+            Object.freeze(this.entities);
+        }
+
+        return this;
     },
 
     // get all objects that intersect an extent.
diff --git a/test/spec/graph/graph.js b/test/spec/graph/graph.js
index 5cd57e617..81e76ca6f 100644
--- a/test/spec/graph/graph.js
+++ b/test/spec/graph/graph.js
@@ -64,6 +64,50 @@ describe('iD.Graph', function() {
         });
     });
 
+    describe("#update", function () {
+        it("returns a new graph if self is frozen", function () {
+            var graph = iD.Graph();
+            expect(graph.update()).not.to.equal(graph);
+        });
+
+        it("returns self if self is not frozen", function () {
+            var graph = iD.Graph({}, true);
+            expect(graph.update()).to.equal(graph);
+        });
+
+        it("doesn't modify self is self is frozen", function () {
+            var node = iD.Node(),
+                graph = iD.Graph([node]);
+
+            graph.update(function (graph) { graph.remove(node); });
+
+            expect(graph.entity(node.id)).to.equal(node);
+        });
+
+        it("modifies self is self is not frozen", function () {
+            var node = iD.Node(),
+                graph = iD.Graph([node], true);
+
+            graph.update(function (graph) { graph.remove(node); });
+
+            expect(graph.entity(node.id)).to.be.undefined;
+        });
+
+        it("executes all of the given functions", function () {
+            var a = iD.Node(),
+                b = iD.Node(),
+                graph = iD.Graph([a]);
+
+            graph = graph.update(
+                function (graph) { graph.remove(a); },
+                function (graph) { graph.replace(b); }
+            );
+
+            expect(graph.entity(a.id)).to.be.undefined;
+            expect(graph.entity(b.id)).to.equal(b);
+        });
+    });
+
     describe("#parentWays", function() {
         it("returns an array of ways that contain the given node id", function () {
             var node  = iD.Node({id: "n1"}),