diff --git a/modules/renderer/photos.js b/modules/renderer/photos.js
index d71d64e96..daefdf2e3 100644
--- a/modules/renderer/photos.js
+++ b/modules/renderer/photos.js
@@ -50,17 +50,35 @@ export function rendererPhotos(context) {
         return val === _dateFilters[0] ? _fromDate : _toDate;
     };
 
-    photos.setDateFilter = function(type, val) {
+    photos.setDateFilter = function(type, val, updateUrl) {
         if (type === _dateFilters[0]) _fromDate = val;
         if (type === _dateFilters[1]) _toDate = val;
         dispatch.call('change', this);
+        if (updateUrl) {
+            setUrlFilterValue(type, val);
+        }
     };
 
-    photos.setUsernameFilter = function(val) {
+    photos.setUsernameFilter = function(val, updateUrl) {
         _username = val;
         dispatch.call('change', this);
+        if (updateUrl) {
+            setUrlFilterValue('username', val);
+        }
     };
 
+    function setUrlFilterValue(type, val) {
+        if (!window.mocha) {
+            var hash = utilStringQs(window.location.hash);
+            if (val) {
+                hash[type] = val;
+            } else {
+                delete hash[type];
+            }
+            window.location.replace('#' + utilQsString(hash, true));
+        }
+    }
+
     function showsLayer(id) {
         var layer = context.layers().layer(id);
         return layer && layer.supported() && layer.enabled();
@@ -127,6 +145,15 @@ export function rendererPhotos(context) {
                 if (layer && !layer.enabled()) layer.enabled(true);
             });
         }
+        if (hash.fromDate) {
+            this.setDateFilter('fromDate', hash.fromDate, false);
+        }
+        if (hash.toDate) {
+            this.setDateFilter('toDate', hash.toDate, false);
+        }
+        if (hash.username) {
+            this.setUsernameFilter(hash.username, false);
+        }
         if (hash.photo) {
             // support opening a photo via a URL parameter, e.g. `photo=mapillary-fztgSDtLpa08ohPZFZjeRQ`
 
diff --git a/modules/ui/sections/photo_overlays.js b/modules/ui/sections/photo_overlays.js
index 58087be84..2986d6083 100644
--- a/modules/ui/sections/photo_overlays.js
+++ b/modules/ui/sections/photo_overlays.js
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ export function uiSectionPhotoOverlays(context) {
             })
             .on('change', function(d) {
                 var value = d3_select(this).property('value');
-                context.photos().setDateFilter(d, value);
+                context.photos().setDateFilter(d, value, true);
             });
 
         li
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ export function uiSectionPhotoOverlays(context) {
             .property('value', context.photos().username())
             .on('change', function() {
                 var value = d3_select(this).property('value');
-                context.photos().setUsernameFilter(value);
+                context.photos().setUsernameFilter(value, true);
             });
         
         li