diff --git a/modules/core/context.js b/modules/core/context.js
index fd3c6d23b..ec37236b0 100644
--- a/modules/core/context.js
+++ b/modules/core/context.js
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ export function coreContext() {
     context.loadTiles = function(projection, callback) {
         var handle = window.requestIdleCallback(function() {
             _deferred.delete(handle);
-            if (connection && context.editable()) {
+            if (connection && context.editableDataEnabled()) {
                 var cid = connection.getConnectionId();
                 connection.loadTiles(projection, afterLoad(cid, callback));
             }
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ export function coreContext() {
     context.loadTileAtLoc = function(loc, callback) {
         var handle = window.requestIdleCallback(function() {
             _deferred.delete(handle);
-            if (connection && context.editable()) {
+            if (connection && context.editableDataEnabled()) {
                 var cid = connection.getConnectionId();
                 connection.loadTileAtLoc(loc, afterLoad(cid, callback));
             }
@@ -346,7 +346,15 @@ export function coreContext() {
     context.map = function() { return map; };
     context.layers = function() { return map.layers; };
     context.surface = function() { return map.surface; };
-    context.editable = function() { return map.editable(); };
+    context.editableDataEnabled = function() { return map.editableDataEnabled(); };
+    context.editable = function() {
+
+       // don't allow editing during save
+       var mode = context.mode();
+       if (!mode || mode.id === 'save') return false;
+
+       return map.editableDataEnabled();
+    };
     context.surfaceRect = function() {
         return map.surface.node().getBoundingClientRect();
     };
diff --git a/modules/renderer/features.js b/modules/renderer/features.js
index b99e2a05d..fba1b2268 100644
--- a/modules/renderer/features.js
+++ b/modules/renderer/features.js
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ export function rendererFeatures(context) {
             enable: function() { this.enabled = true; this.currentMax = this.defaultMax; },
             disable: function() { this.enabled = false; this.currentMax = 0; },
             hidden: function() {
-                return !context.editable() ||
+                return !context.editableDataEnabled() ||
                     (this.count === 0 && !this.enabled) ||
                     this.count > this.currentMax * _cullFactor;
             },
diff --git a/modules/renderer/map.js b/modules/renderer/map.js
index e3bd47316..98918c973 100644
--- a/modules/renderer/map.js
+++ b/modules/renderer/map.js
@@ -167,14 +167,14 @@ export function rendererMap(context) {
                 _mouseEvent = d3_event;
             })
             .on('mouseover.vertices', function() {
-                if (map.editable() && !_isTransformed) {
+                if (map.editableDataEnabled() && !_isTransformed) {
                     var hover = d3_event.target.__data__;
                     surface.call(drawVertices.drawHover, context.graph(), hover, map.extent());
                     dispatch.call('drawn', this, { full: false });
                 }
             })
             .on('mouseout.vertices', function() {
-                if (map.editable() && !_isTransformed) {
+                if (map.editableDataEnabled() && !_isTransformed) {
                     var hover = d3_event.relatedTarget && d3_event.relatedTarget.__data__;
                     surface.call(drawVertices.drawHover, context.graph(), hover, map.extent());
                     dispatch.call('drawn', this, { full: false });
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ export function rendererMap(context) {
             });
 
         context.on('enter.map',  function() {
-            if (map.editable() && !_isTransformed) {
+            if (map.editableDataEnabled() && !_isTransformed) {
                 // redraw immediately any objects affected by a change in selectedIDs.
                 var graph = context.graph();
                 var selectedAndParents = {};
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ export function rendererMap(context) {
         }
 
         // OSM
-        if (map.editable()) {
+        if (map.editableDataEnabled()) {
             context.loadTiles(projection);
             drawEditable(difference, extent);
         } else {
@@ -915,7 +915,8 @@ export function rendererMap(context) {
     };
 
 
-    map.editable = function() {
+    map.editableDataEnabled = function() {
+
         var layer = context.layers().layer('osm');
         if (!layer || !layer.enabled()) return false;
 
diff --git a/modules/ui/tools/add_favorite.js b/modules/ui/tools/add_favorite.js
index c921bc7f6..d2b7e844b 100644
--- a/modules/ui/tools/add_favorite.js
+++ b/modules/ui/tools/add_favorite.js
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ export function uiToolAddFavorite(context) {
     }
 
     function osmEditable() {
-        var mode = context.mode();
-        return context.editable() && mode && mode.id !== 'save';
+        return context.editable();
     }
 
     function toggleMode(d) {
diff --git a/modules/ui/tools/add_recent.js b/modules/ui/tools/add_recent.js
index 9db1803c8..04f3f0c11 100644
--- a/modules/ui/tools/add_recent.js
+++ b/modules/ui/tools/add_recent.js
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ export function uiToolAddRecent(context) {
     }
 
     function osmEditable() {
-        var mode = context.mode();
-        return context.editable() && mode && mode.id !== 'save';
+        return context.editable();
     }
 
     function toggleMode(d) {
diff --git a/modules/ui/tools/modes.js b/modules/ui/tools/modes.js
index 8ae74ee99..348f0428e 100644
--- a/modules/ui/tools/modes.js
+++ b/modules/ui/tools/modes.js
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ export function uiToolOldDrawModes(context) {
     }
 
     function osmEditable() {
-        var mode = context.mode();
-        return context.editable() && mode && mode.id !== 'save';
+        return context.editable();
     }
 
     modes.forEach(function(mode) {
diff --git a/modules/ui/tools/search_add.js b/modules/ui/tools/search_add.js
index da484593b..48b11f287 100644
--- a/modules/ui/tools/search_add.js
+++ b/modules/ui/tools/search_add.js
@@ -194,8 +194,7 @@ export function uiToolSearchAdd(context) {
     };
 
     function osmEditable() {
-        var mode = context.mode();
-        return context.editable() && mode && mode.id !== 'save';
+        return context.editable();
     }
 
     function updateEnabledState() {
diff --git a/modules/ui/tools/undo_redo.js b/modules/ui/tools/undo_redo.js
index 12414bd1d..7e1b216da 100644
--- a/modules/ui/tools/undo_redo.js
+++ b/modules/ui/tools/undo_redo.js
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ export function uiToolUndoRedo(context) {
 
 
     function editable() {
-        var mode = context.mode();
-        return context.editable() && mode && mode.id !== 'save';
+        return context.editable();
     }
 
 
diff --git a/modules/validations/disconnected_way.js b/modules/validations/disconnected_way.js
index 4df3f07c6..5a7fa4825 100644
--- a/modules/validations/disconnected_way.js
+++ b/modules/validations/disconnected_way.js
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ export function validationDisconnectedWay() {
 
                     // make sure the vertex is actually visible and editable
                     var map = context.map();
-                    if (!map.editable() || !map.trimmedExtent().contains(vertex.loc)) {
+                    if (!context.editable() || !map.trimmedExtent().contains(vertex.loc)) {
                         map.zoomToEase(vertex);
                     }
 
diff --git a/modules/validations/impossible_oneway.js b/modules/validations/impossible_oneway.js
index b03219c40..5f7c97a02 100644
--- a/modules/validations/impossible_oneway.js
+++ b/modules/validations/impossible_oneway.js
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ export function validationImpossibleOneway() {
     function continueDrawing(way, vertex, context) {
         // make sure the vertex is actually visible and editable
         var map = context.map();
-        if (!map.editable() || !map.trimmedExtent().contains(vertex.loc)) {
+        if (!context.editable() || !map.trimmedExtent().contains(vertex.loc)) {
             map.zoomToEase(vertex);
         }