diff --git a/data/core.yaml b/data/core.yaml
index b3c0a3a1e..5cc6fd21d 100644
--- a/data/core.yaml
+++ b/data/core.yaml
@@ -1558,6 +1558,8 @@ en:
         title: Use a bridge or tunnel
       use_different_layers:
         title: Use different layers
+      use_different_layers_or_levels:
+        title: Use different layers or levels
       use_different_levels:
         title: Use different levels
       use_tunnel:
diff --git a/dist/locales/en.json b/dist/locales/en.json
index 69efd0175..9d505660e 100644
--- a/dist/locales/en.json
+++ b/dist/locales/en.json
@@ -1952,6 +1952,9 @@
                 "use_different_layers": {
                     "title": "Use different layers"
                 },
+                "use_different_layers_or_levels": {
+                    "title": "Use different layers or levels"
+                },
                 "use_different_levels": {
                     "title": "Use different levels"
                 },
diff --git a/modules/validations/close_nodes.js b/modules/validations/close_nodes.js
index 274f6dcbb..0f7efc7aa 100644
--- a/modules/validations/close_nodes.js
+++ b/modules/validations/close_nodes.js
@@ -134,6 +134,19 @@ export function validationCloseNodes(context) {
                 if (nearby.loc === node.loc ||
                     geoSphericalDistance(node.loc, nearby.loc) < pointThresholdMeters) {
 
+                    // allow very close points if the z-axis varies
+                    var zAxisKeys = { layer: true, level: true };
+                    var zAxisDifferentiates = false;
+                    for (var key in zAxisKeys) {
+                        var nodeValue = node.tags[key] || '0';
+                        var nearbyValue = nearby.tags[key] || '0';
+                        if (nodeValue !== nearbyValue) {
+                            zAxisDifferentiates = true;
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    if (zAxisDifferentiates) continue;
+
                     issues.push(new validationIssue({
                         type: type,
                         severity: 'warning',
@@ -151,6 +164,10 @@ export function validationCloseNodes(context) {
                             new validationIssueFix({
                                 icon: 'iD-operation-disconnect',
                                 title: t('issues.fix.move_points_apart.title')
+                            }),
+                            new validationIssueFix({
+                                icon: 'iD-icon-layers',
+                                title: t('issues.fix.use_different_layers_or_levels.title')
                             })
                         ]
                     }));