diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 55001fb98..621ced9da 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ _Breaking developer changes, which may affect downstream projects or sites that
 # Unreleased (2.31.0-dev)
 
 #### :sparkles: Usability & Accessibility
+* Fix flickering when switching between background imagery layers, make switching backgrounds snappier
 #### :scissors: Operations
 #### :camera: Street-Level
 #### :white_check_mark: Validation
diff --git a/css/80_app.css b/css/80_app.css
index 81297915b..3f5aa4942 100644
--- a/css/80_app.css
+++ b/css/80_app.css
@@ -4361,17 +4361,13 @@ img.tile {
 
     -webkit-user-drag: none;
 
-    opacity: 0;
-
-    transition: opacity 200ms linear;
-}
-
-img.tile-loaded {
     opacity: 1;
+    transition: opacity 120ms linear;
 }
 
 img.tile-removing {
     opacity: 0;
+    z-index: 1;
 }
 
 .tile-label-debug {
diff --git a/modules/renderer/tile_layer.js b/modules/renderer/tile_layer.js
index 318a0f884..90fc7aca3 100644
--- a/modules/renderer/tile_layer.js
+++ b/modules/renderer/tile_layer.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export function rendererTileLayer(context) {
 
     function tileSizeAtZoom(d, z) {
         var EPSILON = 0.002;    // close seams
-        return ((_tileSize * Math.pow(2, z - d[2])) / _tileSize) + EPSILON;
+        return ((d.tileSize * Math.pow(2, z - d[2])) / d.tileSize) + EPSILON;
     }
 
 
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ export function rendererTileLayer(context) {
 
 
     function addSource(d) {
-        d.push(_source.url(d));
+        d.url = _source.url(d);
+        d.tileSize = _tileSize;
         return d;
     }
 
@@ -107,31 +108,30 @@ export function rendererTileLayer(context) {
 
             tiler().forEach(function(d) {
                 addSource(d);
-                if (d[3] === '') return;
-                if (typeof d[3] !== 'string') return; // Workaround for #2295
+                if (d.url === '') return;
+                if (typeof d.url !== 'string') return; // Workaround for #2295
                 requests.push(d);
-                if (_cache[d[3]] === false && lookUp(d)) {
+                if (_cache[d.url] === false && lookUp(d)) {
                     requests.push(addSource(lookUp(d)));
                 }
             });
 
-            requests = uniqueBy(requests, 3).filter(function(r) {
+            requests = uniqueBy(requests, 'url').filter(function(r) {
                 // don't re-request tiles which have failed in the past
-                return _cache[r[3]] !== false;
+                return _cache[r.url] !== false;
             });
         }
 
         function load(d3_event, d) {
-            _cache[d[3]] = true;
+            _cache[d.url] = true;
             d3_select(this)
                 .on('error', null)
-                .on('load', null)
-                .classed('tile-loaded', true);
+                .on('load', null);
             render(selection);
         }
 
         function error(d3_event, d) {
-            _cache[d[3]] = false;
+            _cache[d.url] = false;
             d3_select(this)
                 .on('error', null)
                 .on('load', null)
@@ -140,16 +140,18 @@ export function rendererTileLayer(context) {
         }
 
         function imageTransform(d) {
-            var ts = _tileSize * Math.pow(2, _zoom - d[2]);
+            var ts = d.tileSize * Math.pow(2, _zoom - d[2]);
             var scale = tileSizeAtZoom(d, _zoom);
             return 'translate(' +
-                ((d[0] * ts) - _tileOrigin[0]) + 'px,' +
-                ((d[1] * ts) - _tileOrigin[1]) + 'px) ' +
-                'scale(' + scale + ',' + scale + ')';
+                ((d[0] * ts) * _tileSize / d.tileSize - _tileOrigin[0]
+            ) + 'px,' +
+                ((d[1] * ts) * _tileSize / d.tileSize - _tileOrigin[1]
+            ) + 'px) ' +
+                'scale(' + scale * _tileSize / d.tileSize + ',' + scale * _tileSize / d.tileSize + ')';
         }
 
         function tileCenter(d) {
-            var ts = _tileSize * Math.pow(2, _zoom - d[2]);
+            var ts = d.tileSize * Math.pow(2, _zoom - d[2]);
             return [
                 ((d[0] * ts) - _tileOrigin[0] + (ts / 2)),
                 ((d[1] * ts) - _tileOrigin[1] + (ts / 2))
@@ -180,7 +182,7 @@ export function rendererTileLayer(context) {
 
 
         var image = selection.selectAll('img')
-            .data(requests, function(d) { return d[3]; });
+            .data(requests, function(d) { return d.url; });
 
         image.exit()
             .style(transformProp, imageTransform)
@@ -192,7 +194,7 @@ export function rendererTileLayer(context) {
                     if (tile.classed('tile-removing')) {
                         tile.remove();
                     }
-                }, 300);
+                }, 120);
             });
 
         image.enter()
@@ -202,7 +204,7 @@ export function rendererTileLayer(context) {
             .attr('draggable', 'false')
             .style('width', _tileSize + 'px')
             .style('height', _tileSize + 'px')
-            .attr('src', function(d) { return d[3]; })
+            .attr('src', function(d) { return d.url; })
             .on('error', error)
             .on('load', load)
           .merge(image)
@@ -214,7 +216,7 @@ export function rendererTileLayer(context) {
 
 
         var debug = selection.selectAll('.tile-label-debug')
-            .data(showDebug ? requests : [], function(d) { return d[3]; });
+            .data(showDebug ? requests : [], function(d) { return d.url; });
 
         debug.exit()
             .remove();