diff --git a/js/id/renderer/background.js b/js/id/renderer/background.js
index 305ab66e0..7a420e014 100644
--- a/js/id/renderer/background.js
+++ b/js/id/renderer/background.js
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 iD.Background = function(context) {
     var dispatch = d3.dispatch('change'),
-        baseLayer = iD.TileLayer()
-            .projection(context.projection),
-        gpxLayer = iD.svg.Gpx(context, dispatch)
-            .projection(context.projection),
+        baseLayer = iD.TileLayer().projection(context.projection),
+        gpxLayer = iD.svg.Gpx(context.projection, context),
         mapillaryImageLayer,
         mapillarySignLayer,
         overlayLayers = [];
@@ -78,13 +76,20 @@ iD.Background = function(context) {
         overlays.exit()
             .remove();
 
-        var gpx = selection.selectAll('.layer-gpx')
-            .data([0]);
 
-        gpx.enter().insert('div')
-            .attr('class', 'layer-layer layer-gpx');
 
-        gpx.call(gpxLayer);
+        // var gpx = selection.selectAll('.layer-gpx')
+        //     .data([0]);
+
+        // gpx.enter().insert('div')
+        //     .attr('class', 'layer-layer layer-gpx');
+
+        // gpx.call(gpxLayer);
+
+        selection.selectAll('#surface')
+            .call(gpxLayer);
+
+
 
 
         var mapillary = iD.services.mapillary,
@@ -133,7 +138,6 @@ iD.Background = function(context) {
 
     background.dimensions = function(_) {
         baseLayer.dimensions(_);
-        gpxLayer.dimensions(_);
         if (mapillaryImageLayer) mapillaryImageLayer.dimensions(_);
         if (mapillarySignLayer) mapillarySignLayer.dimensions(_);
 
@@ -156,51 +160,20 @@ iD.Background = function(context) {
         background.baseLayerSource(findSource('Bing'));
     };
 
+    background.gpxLayer = function() {
+        return gpxLayer;
+    };
+
     background.hasGpxLayer = function() {
         return !_.isEmpty(gpxLayer.geojson());
     };
 
     background.showsGpxLayer = function() {
-        return background.hasGpxLayer() && gpxLayer.enable();
-    };
-
-    function toDom(x) {
-        return (new DOMParser()).parseFromString(x, 'text/xml');
-    }
-
-    background.gpxLayerFiles = function(fileList) {
-        var f = fileList[0],
-            reader = new FileReader();
-
-        reader.onload = function(e) {
-            gpxLayer.geojson(toGeoJSON.gpx(toDom(e.target.result)));
-            iD.ui.MapInMap.gpxLayer.geojson(toGeoJSON.gpx(toDom(e.target.result)));
-            background.zoomToGpxLayer();
-            dispatch.change();
-        };
-
-        reader.readAsText(f);
-    };
-
-    background.zoomToGpxLayer = function() {
-        if (background.hasGpxLayer()) {
-            var map = context.map(),
-                viewport = map.trimmedExtent().polygon(),
-                coords = _.reduce(gpxLayer.geojson().features, function(coords, feature) {
-                    var c = feature.geometry.coordinates;
-                    return _.union(coords, feature.geometry.type === 'Point' ? [c] : c);
-                }, []);
-
-            if (!iD.geo.polygonIntersectsPolygon(viewport, coords, true)) {
-                var extent = iD.geo.Extent(d3.geo.bounds(gpxLayer.geojson()));
-                map.centerZoom(extent.center(), map.trimmedExtentZoom(extent));
-            }
-        }
+        return background.hasGpxLayer() && gpxLayer.enabled();
     };
 
     background.toggleGpxLayer = function() {
-        gpxLayer.enable(!gpxLayer.enable());
-        iD.ui.MapInMap.gpxLayer.enable(!iD.ui.MapInMap.gpxLayer.enable());
+        gpxLayer.enabled(!gpxLayer.enabled());
         dispatch.change();
     };
 
@@ -317,15 +290,8 @@ iD.Background = function(context) {
             if (overlay) background.toggleOverlayLayer(overlay);
         });
 
-        var gpx = q.gpx;
-        if (gpx) {
-            d3.text(gpx, function(err, gpxTxt) {
-                if (!err) {
-                    gpxLayer.geojson(toGeoJSON.gpx(toDom(gpxTxt)));
-                    iD.ui.MapInMap.gpxLayer.geojson(toGeoJSON.gpx(toDom(gpxTxt)));
-                    dispatch.change();
-                }
-            });
+        if (q.gpx) {
+            gpxLayer.url(q.gpx);
         }
     };
 
diff --git a/js/id/renderer/map.js b/js/id/renderer/map.js
index 8e21e7a8b..3c606061f 100644
--- a/js/id/renderer/map.js
+++ b/js/id/renderer/map.js
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ iD.Map = function(context) {
 
     function editOff() {
         context.features().resetStats();
-        surface.selectAll('.layer *').remove();
+        surface.selectAll('.layer-osm *').remove();
         dispatch.drawn({full: true});
     }
 
diff --git a/js/id/svg/gpx.js b/js/id/svg/gpx.js
index c12326a1e..bc4699fef 100644
--- a/js/id/svg/gpx.js
+++ b/js/id/svg/gpx.js
@@ -1,101 +1,160 @@
-iD.svg.Gpx = function(context) {
-    var projection,
-        gj = {},
-        enable = true,
-        svg;
+iD.svg.Gpx = function(projection, context) {
+    var showLabels = true,
+        layer;
 
-    function render(selection) {
-        svg = selection.selectAll('svg')
-            .data([render]);
 
-        svg.enter()
-            .append('svg');
+    function init() {
+        if (iD.svg.Gpx.initialized) return;  // run once
 
-        svg.style('display', enable ? 'block' : 'none');
+        iD.svg.Gpx.geojson = {};
+        iD.svg.Gpx.enabled = true;
 
-        var paths = svg
+        function over() {
+            d3.event.stopPropagation();
+            d3.event.preventDefault();
+            d3.event.dataTransfer.dropEffect = 'copy';
+        }
+
+        d3.select('body')
+            .attr('dropzone', 'copy')
+            .on('drop.localgpx', function() {
+                d3.event.stopPropagation();
+                d3.event.preventDefault();
+                if (!iD.detect().filedrop) return;
+                gpx.files(d3.event.dataTransfer.files);
+            })
+            .on('dragenter.localgpx', over)
+            .on('dragexit.localgpx', over)
+            .on('dragover.localgpx', over);
+
+        iD.svg.Gpx.initialized = true;
+    }
+
+
+    function gpx(surface) {
+        var geojson = iD.svg.Gpx.geojson,
+            enabled = iD.svg.Gpx.enabled;
+
+        layer = surface.selectAll('.layer-gpx')
+            .data(enabled ? [0] : []);
+
+        layer.enter()
+            .append('g')
+            .attr('class', 'layer layer-gpx');
+
+        layer.exit()
+            .remove();
+
+
+        var paths = layer
             .selectAll('path')
-            .data([gj]);
+            .data([geojson]);
 
-        paths
-            .enter()
+        paths.enter()
             .append('path')
             .attr('class', 'gpx');
 
+        paths.exit()
+            .remove();
+
         var path = d3.geo.path()
             .projection(projection);
 
         paths
             .attr('d', path);
 
-        if (typeof gj.features !== 'undefined') {
-            svg
-                .selectAll('text')
-                .remove();
 
-            svg
-                .selectAll('path')
-                .data(gj.features)
-                .enter()
-                .append('text')
-                .attr('class', 'gpx')
-                .text(function(d) {
-                    return d.properties.desc || d.properties.name;
-                })
-                .attr('x', function(d) {
-                    var centroid = path.centroid(d);
-                    return centroid[0] + 5;
-                })
-                .attr('y', function(d) {
-                    var centroid = path.centroid(d);
-                    return centroid[1];
-                });
+        var labels = layer.selectAll('text')
+            .data(showLabels && geojson.features ? geojson.features : []);
+
+        labels.enter()
+            .append('text')
+            .attr('class', 'gpx')
+            .text(function(d) {
+                return d.properties.desc || d.properties.name;
+            });
+
+        labels.exit()
+            .remove();
+
+        labels
+            .attr('x', function(d) {
+                var centroid = path.centroid(d);
+                return centroid[0] + 7;
+            })
+            .attr('y', function(d) {
+                var centroid = path.centroid(d);
+                return centroid[1];
+            });
+
+    }
+
+    function toDom(x) {
+        return (new DOMParser()).parseFromString(x, 'text/xml');
+    }
+
+
+    gpx.showLabels = function(_) {
+        if (!arguments.length) return showLabels;
+        showLabels = _;
+        return gpx;
+    };
+
+    gpx.enabled = function(_) {
+        if (!arguments.length) return iD.svg.Gpx.enabled;
+        iD.svg.Gpx.enabled = _;
+        return gpx;
+    };
+
+    gpx.geojson = function(gj) {
+        if (!arguments.length) return iD.svg.Gpx.geojson;
+        if (_.isEmpty(gj) || _.isEmpty(gj.features)) return gpx;
+        iD.svg.Gpx.geojson = gj;
+        return gpx;
+    };
+
+    gpx.url = function(url) {
+        d3.text(url, function(err, data) {
+            if (!err) {
+                gpx.geojson(toGeoJSON.gpx(toDom(data)));
+                // dispatch.change();
+            }
+        });
+        return gpx;
+    };
+
+    gpx.files = function(fileList) {
+        var f = fileList[0],
+            reader = new FileReader();
+
+        reader.onload = function(e) {
+            gpx.geojson(toGeoJSON.gpx(toDom(e.target.result))).fitZoom();
+            // dispatch.change();
+        };
+
+        reader.readAsText(f);
+        return gpx;
+    };
+
+    gpx.fitZoom = function() {
+        var geojson = iD.svg.Gpx.geojson;
+        if (_.isEmpty(geojson) || _.isEmpty(geojson.features)) return gpx;
+
+        var map = context.map(),
+            viewport = map.trimmedExtent().polygon(),
+            coords = _.reduce(geojson.features, function(coords, feature) {
+                var c = feature.geometry.coordinates;
+                return _.union(coords, feature.geometry.type === 'Point' ? [c] : c);
+            }, []);
+
+        if (!iD.geo.polygonIntersectsPolygon(viewport, coords, true)) {
+            var extent = iD.geo.Extent(d3.geo.bounds(geojson));
+            map.centerZoom(extent.center(), map.trimmedExtentZoom(extent));
         }
-    }
 
-    render.projection = function(_) {
-        if (!arguments.length) return projection;
-        projection = _;
-        return render;
+        return gpx;
     };
 
-    render.enable = function(_) {
-        if (!arguments.length) return enable;
-        enable = _;
-        return render;
-    };
-
-    render.geojson = function(_) {
-        if (!arguments.length) return gj;
-        gj = _;
-        return render;
-    };
-
-    render.dimensions = function(_) {
-        if (!arguments.length) return svg.dimensions();
-        svg.dimensions(_);
-        return render;
-    };
-
-    render.id = 'layer-gpx';
-
-    function over() {
-        d3.event.stopPropagation();
-        d3.event.preventDefault();
-        d3.event.dataTransfer.dropEffect = 'copy';
-    }
-
-    d3.select('body')
-        .attr('dropzone', 'copy')
-        .on('drop.localgpx', function() {
-            d3.event.stopPropagation();
-            d3.event.preventDefault();
-            if (!iD.detect().filedrop) return;
-            context.background().gpxLayerFiles(d3.event.dataTransfer.files);
-        })
-        .on('dragenter.localgpx', over)
-        .on('dragexit.localgpx', over)
-        .on('dragover.localgpx', over);
-
-    return render;
+    init();
+    return gpx;
 };
diff --git a/js/id/svg/surface.js b/js/id/svg/surface.js
index fbd7ba99d..0aafadd1b 100644
--- a/js/id/svg/surface.js
+++ b/js/id/svg/surface.js
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ iD.svg.Surface = function() {
             .data(['areas', 'lines', 'hit', 'halo', 'label']);
 
         layers.enter().append('g')
-            .attr('class', function(d) { return 'layer layer-' + d; });
+            .attr('class', function(d) { return 'layer layer-osm layer-' + d; });
     };
 };
diff --git a/js/id/ui/map_data.js b/js/id/ui/map_data.js
index 0298910e4..b3dee69b5 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/map_data.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/map_data.js
@@ -133,10 +133,9 @@ iD.ui.MapData = function(context) {
 
 
         function drawGpxItem(selection) {
-            var supportsGpx = iD.detect().filedrop,
-                gpxLayerItem = selection
-                    .selectAll('.layer-gpx')
-                    .data(supportsGpx ? [0] : []);
+            var gpxLayerItem = selection
+                .selectAll('.layer-gpx')
+                .data([0]);
 
             // Enter
             var enter = gpxLayerItem.enter()
@@ -153,7 +152,7 @@ iD.ui.MapData = function(context) {
                 .on('click', function() {
                     d3.event.preventDefault();
                     d3.event.stopPropagation();
-                    context.background().zoomToGpxLayer();
+                    context.background().gpxLayer().fitZoom();
                 })
                 .call(iD.svg.Icon('#icon-search'));
 
@@ -166,7 +165,7 @@ iD.ui.MapData = function(context) {
                     d3.select(document.createElement('input'))
                         .attr('type', 'file')
                         .on('change', function() {
-                            context.background().gpxLayerFiles(d3.event.target.files);
+                            context.background().gpxLayer().files(d3.event.target.files);
                         })
                         .node().click();
                 })
@@ -185,8 +184,8 @@ iD.ui.MapData = function(context) {
                 .text(t('gpx.local_layer'));
 
             // Update
-            var hasGpx = supportsGpx && context.background().hasGpxLayer(),
-                showsGpx = supportsGpx && context.background().showsGpxLayer();
+            var hasGpx = context.background().hasGpxLayer(),
+                showsGpx = context.background().showsGpxLayer();
 
             gpxLayerItem
                 .classed('active', showsGpx)
diff --git a/js/id/ui/map_in_map.js b/js/id/ui/map_in_map.js
index 58a08874b..07a7e4cf6 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/map_in_map.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/map_in_map.js
@@ -4,18 +4,15 @@ iD.ui.MapInMap = function(context) {
     function map_in_map(selection) {
         var backgroundLayer = iD.TileLayer(),
             overlayLayers = {},
-            dispatch = d3.dispatch('change'),
-            gpxLayer = iD.svg.Gpx(context, dispatch),
             projection = iD.geo.RawMercator(),
+            gpxLayer = iD.svg.Gpx(projection, context).showLabels(false),
             zoom = d3.behavior.zoom()
                 .scaleExtent([ztok(0.5), ztok(24)])
                 .on('zoom', zoomPan),
             transformed = false,
             panning = false,
             zDiff = 6,    // by default, minimap renders at (main zoom - 6)
-            tStart, tLast, tCurr, kLast, kCurr, tiles, svg, gpx, timeoutId;
-
-        iD.ui.MapInMap.gpxLayer = gpxLayer;
+            tStart, tLast, tCurr, kLast, kCurr, tiles, svg, timeoutId;
 
         function ztok(z) { return 256 * Math.pow(2, z); }
         function ktoz(k) { return Math.log(k) / Math.LN2 - 8; }
@@ -155,6 +152,7 @@ iD.ui.MapInMap = function(context) {
             background
                 .call(backgroundLayer);
 
+
             // redraw overlay
             var overlaySources = context.background().overlayLayerSources();
             var activeOverlayLayers = [];
@@ -188,20 +186,20 @@ iD.ui.MapInMap = function(context) {
             overlays.exit()
                 .remove();
 
-            // redraw gpx overlay
-            gpxLayer
-                .projection(projection);
 
-            gpx = tiles
+            var gpx = tiles
                 .selectAll('.map-in-map-gpx')
-                .data([0]);
+                .data(gpxLayer.enabled() ? [0] : []);
 
             gpx.enter()
-                .append('div')
+                .append('svg')
                 .attr('class', 'map-in-map-gpx');
 
+            gpx.exit()
+                .remove();
+
             gpx.call(gpxLayer);
-            gpx.dimensions(dMini);
+
 
             // redraw bounding box
             if (!panning) {