diff --git a/modules/behavior/draw_way.js b/modules/behavior/draw_way.js
index c93b5f1a1..aed7a8042 100644
--- a/modules/behavior/draw_way.js
+++ b/modules/behavior/draw_way.js
@@ -329,6 +329,9 @@ export function behaviorDrawWay(context, wayID, index, mode, startGraph, baselin
         }, 1000);
         var isNewFeature = !mode.isContinuing;
         context.enter(modeSelect(context, [wayID]).newFeature(isNewFeature));
+        if (isNewFeature) {
+            context.validator().validate();
+        }
     };
 
 
diff --git a/modules/modes/draw_area.js b/modules/modes/draw_area.js
index 00ef60d50..c365be4a8 100644
--- a/modules/modes/draw_area.js
+++ b/modules/modes/draw_area.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { t } from '../util/locale';
 import { behaviorDrawWay } from '../behavior';
 
 
-export function modeDrawArea(context, wayId, startGraph, baselineGraph) {
+export function modeDrawArea(context, wayID, startGraph, baselineGraph) {
     var mode = {
         button: 'area',
         id: 'draw-area'
@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@ export function modeDrawArea(context, wayId, startGraph, baselineGraph) {
 
     var behavior;
 
+    mode.wayID = wayID;
 
     mode.enter = function() {
-        var way = context.entity(wayId);
+        var way = context.entity(wayID);
 
-        behavior = behaviorDrawWay(context, wayId, undefined, mode, startGraph, baselineGraph)
+        behavior = behaviorDrawWay(context, wayID, undefined, mode, startGraph, baselineGraph)
             .tail(t('modes.draw_area.tail'));
 
         var addNode = behavior.addNode;
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ export function modeDrawArea(context, wayId, startGraph, baselineGraph) {
 
 
     mode.selectedIDs = function() {
-        return [wayId];
+        return [wayID];
     };
 
 
diff --git a/modules/modes/draw_line.js b/modules/modes/draw_line.js
index ba6748e3e..f37910500 100644
--- a/modules/modes/draw_line.js
+++ b/modules/modes/draw_line.js
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ export function modeDrawLine(context, wayID, startGraph, baselineGraph, affix, c
 
     var behavior;
 
+    mode.wayID = wayID;
+
     mode.isContinuing = continuing;
 
     mode.enter = function() {
diff --git a/modules/validations/missing_tag.js b/modules/validations/missing_tag.js
index e54f20e42..a3464a9e9 100644
--- a/modules/validations/missing_tag.js
+++ b/modules/validations/missing_tag.js
@@ -29,6 +29,14 @@ export function validationMissingTag() {
             return [];
         }
 
+        var mode = context.mode();
+        if (entity.type === 'way' && mode &&
+            (mode.id === 'draw-area' || (mode.id === 'draw-line' && !mode.isContinuing)) &&
+            mode.wayID === entity.id) {
+            // don't flag missing tag issues if drawing a new way
+            return [];
+        }
+
         var messageObj = {};
         var missingTagType;