diff --git a/js/id/ui/preset/combo.js b/js/id/ui/preset/combo.js
index eda700ad9..fe0247d8e 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/preset/combo.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/preset/combo.js
@@ -1,52 +1,61 @@
 iD.ui.preset.combo =
 iD.ui.preset.typeCombo = function(field) {
     var event = d3.dispatch('change'),
+        optstrings = field.strings && field.strings.options,
+        strings = {},
         input;
 
+    if (optstrings) {
+        _.each(optstrings, function(v, k) {
+            strings[k] = field.t('options.' + k, { 'default': v });
+        });
+    } else {
+        iD.taginfo().values({key: field.key}, function(err, data) {
+            if (!err) {
+                _.each(_.pluck(data, 'value'), function(k) {
+                    strings[k] = k.replace(/_+/g, ' ');
+                });
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
     function combo(selection) {
         var combobox = d3.combobox();
 
         input = selection.selectAll('input')
             .data([0]);
 
-        input.enter().append('input')
+        var enter = input.enter()
+            .append('input')
             .attr('type', 'text')
             .attr('id', 'preset-input-' + field.id);
 
+        if (optstrings) { enter.attr('readonly', 'readonly'); }
+
         input
             .call(combobox)
             .on('change', change)
             .on('blur', change)
             .each(function() {
-                if (field.options) {
-                    options(field.options);
-                } else {
-                    iD.taginfo().values({
-                        key: field.key
-                    }, function(err, data) {
-                        if (!err) options(_.pluck(data, 'value'));
-                    });
-                }
+                var keys = _.keys(strings);
+                combobox.data(keys.map(function(k) {
+                    var o = {};
+                    o.title = o.value = strings[k];
+                    return o;
+                }));
+
+                input.attr('placeholder', field.placeholder() ||
+                    (keys.length < 3 ? '' : keys.slice(0, 3).join(', ') + '...'));
             });
-
-        function options(opts) {
-            combobox.data(opts.map(function(d) {
-                var o = {};
-                o.title = o.value = d.replace(/_+/g, ' ');
-                return o;
-            }));
-
-            input.attr('placeholder', field.placeholder() ||
-                (opts.length < 3 ? '' : opts.slice(0, 3).join(', ') + '...'));
-        }
     }
 
     function change() {
-        var value = input.value()
-            .split(';')
-            .map(function(s) { return s.trim(); })
-            .join(';')
-            .replace(/\s+/g, '_');
+        var optstring = _.find(_.keys(strings), function(k) { return strings[k] === input.value(); }),
+            value = optstring || (input.value()
+                .split(';')
+                .map(function(s) { return s.trim(); })
+                .join(';')
+                .replace(/\s+/g, '_'));
 
         if (field.type === 'typeCombo' && !value) value = 'yes';
 
@@ -56,8 +65,9 @@ iD.ui.preset.typeCombo = function(field) {
     }
 
     combo.tags = function(tags) {
-        var value = tags[field.key] || '';
-        if (field.type === 'typeCombo' && value === 'yes') value = '';
+        var key = tags[field.key],
+            value = strings[key] || key || '';
+        if (field.type === 'typeCombo' && value.toLowerCase() === 'yes') value = '';
         input.value(value);
     };