diff --git a/modules/core/way.js b/modules/core/way.js
index 06424b4e7..1b66e660c 100644
--- a/modules/core/way.js
+++ b/modules/core/way.js
@@ -190,8 +190,9 @@ _.extend(Way.prototype, {
             if (!str) return;
             var parsedArray = str.split('|')
                 .map(function (s) {
+                    if (s === 'none') return s;
                     var m = parseInt(s);
-                    if (s === '' || m === maxspeed) return 'none';
+                    if (s === '' || m === maxspeed) return null;
                     return _.isNaN(m) ? 'unknown': m;
                 });
             return parsedArray;
diff --git a/test/spec/core/way.js b/test/spec/core/way.js
index a052f7a87..14e4a86a0 100644
--- a/test/spec/core/way.js
+++ b/test/spec/core/way.js
@@ -1466,7 +1466,7 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
             });
         });
 
-        describe('maxspeed:lanes', function() {
+        describe.only('maxspeed:lanes', function() {
 
             it('should parse correctly', function() {
                 var maxspeedLanes = iD.Way({
@@ -1494,10 +1494,10 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
                     }
                 }).lanes().metadata;
                 expect(metadata.maxspeedLanes.forward).to.deep.equal([
-                    'none', 40, 40, 40
+                    null, 40, 40, 40
                 ]);
                 expect(metadata.maxspeedLanes.backward).to.deep.equal([
-                    'none'
+                    null
                 ]);
             });
 
@@ -1511,7 +1511,7 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
                     }
                 }).lanes().metadata.maxspeedLanes;
                 expect(maxspeedLanes.unspecified).to.deep.equal([
-                    30, 'none', 'none', 'none'
+                    30, null, null, null
                 ]);
             });
 
@@ -1529,7 +1529,7 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
                     }
                 }).lanes();
                 expect(lanes.metadata.maxspeedLanes.unspecified).to.deep.equal([
-                    30, 'none', 'none', 'none'
+                    30, null, null, null
                 ]);
             });
 
@@ -1543,7 +1543,7 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
                     }
                 }).lanes().metadata.maxspeedLanes;
                 expect(maxspeedLanes.unspecified).to.deep.equal([
-                    30, 'none', 'none', 'none', 'none'
+                    30, null, null, null, null
                 ]);
                 maxspeedLanes = iD.Way({
                     tags: {
@@ -1565,7 +1565,7 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
                     }
                 }).lanes().metadata.maxspeedLanes;
                 expect(maxspeedLanes.unspecified).to.deep.equal([
-                    'none', 40, 40, 40, 40
+                    null, 40, 40, 40, 40
                 ]);
             });
 
@@ -1579,7 +1579,7 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
                     }
                 }).lanes().metadata.maxspeedLanes;
                 expect(maxspeedLanes.unspecified).to.deep.equal([
-                    'none', 40, 'unknown', 40, 40
+                    null, 40, 'unknown', 40, 40
                 ]);
                 maxspeedLanes = iD.Way({
                     tags: {
@@ -1591,9 +1591,23 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
                 }).lanes().metadata.maxspeedLanes;
 
                 expect(maxspeedLanes.unspecified).to.deep.equal([
-                    'none', 40, 'unknown', 40, 'unknown'
+                    null, 40, 'unknown', 40, 'unknown'
                 ]);
             });
+
+            it('should parse maxspeed when none', function() {
+                var maxspeedLanes = iD.Way({
+                    tags: {
+                        highway: 'residential',
+                        lanes: 5,
+                        'maxspeed:lanes': '30|40|none|40|40'
+                    }
+                }).lanes().metadata.maxspeedLanes;
+                expect(maxspeedLanes.unspecified).to.deep.equal([
+                    30, 40, 'none', 40, 40
+                ]);
+            });
+
             it('fills lanes.unspecified with key \'maxspeed\' correctly', function() {
                 var lanes = iD.Way({
                     tags: {
@@ -1607,7 +1621,7 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
                     return l.maxspeed;
                 });
                 expect(maxspeedLanes).to.deep.equal([
-                    'none', 40, 'unknown', 40, 40
+                    null, 40, 'unknown', 40, 40
                 ]);
             });
         });