diff --git a/modules/services/osm.js b/modules/services/osm.js
index 77976531e..edcaa78db 100644
--- a/modules/services/osm.js
+++ b/modules/services/osm.js
@@ -148,7 +148,8 @@ var parsers = {
 };
 
 
-function parse(xml, callback) {
+function parse(xml, callback, options) {
+    options = _.extend({ cache: true }, options);
     if (!xml || !xml.childNodes) return;
 
     var root = xml.childNodes[0],
@@ -158,12 +159,13 @@ function parse(xml, callback) {
         var parser = parsers[child.nodeName];
         if (parser) {
             var uid = osmEntity.id.fromOSM(child.nodeName, child.attributes.id.value);
-            if (entityCache[uid]) {
+            if (options.cache && entityCache[uid]) {
                 return null;
             }
             return parser(child, uid);
         }
     }
+
     utilIdleWorker(children, parseChild, callback);
 }
 
@@ -216,7 +218,8 @@ export default {
     },
 
 
-    loadFromAPI: function(path, callback) {
+    loadFromAPI: function(path, callback, options) {
+        options = _.extend({ cache: true }, options);
         var that = this;
 
         function done(err, xml) {
@@ -242,11 +245,13 @@ export default {
                 if (callback) {
                     if (err) return callback(err, null);
                     parse(xml, function (entities) {
-                        for (var i in entities) {
-                            entityCache[entities[i].id] = true;
+                        if (options.cache) {
+                            for (var i in entities) {
+                                entityCache[entities[i].id] = true;
+                            }
                         }
                         callback(null, entities);
-                    });
+                    }, options);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -275,13 +280,15 @@ export default {
 
     loadEntityVersion: function(id, version, callback) {
         var type = osmEntity.id.type(id),
-            osmID = osmEntity.id.toOSM(id);
+            osmID = osmEntity.id.toOSM(id),
+            options = { cache: false };
 
         this.loadFromAPI(
             '/api/0.6/' + type + '/' + osmID + '/' + version,
             function(err, entities) {
                 if (callback) callback(err, { data: entities });
-            }
+            },
+            options
         );
     },
 
diff --git a/modules/util/idle_worker.js b/modules/util/idle_worker.js
index f1ff47451..2a5cc5cfb 100644
--- a/modules/util/idle_worker.js
+++ b/modules/util/idle_worker.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ export function utilIdleWorker(tasks, processor, callback) {
     function worker(deadline) {
         while (deadline.timeRemaining() > 0 && currentPos < totalTasks) {
             var result = processor(tasks[currentPos]);
-           
+
             // if falsy dont add to the processed list
             if (result) processed.push(result);
             currentPos++;
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export function utilIdleWorker(tasks, processor, callback) {
         // more tasks are left, we might need more idleCallbacks
         if (currentPos < totalTasks) {
             return window.requestIdleCallback(function(deadline) {worker(deadline);});
-        } 
+        }
 
         // tasks are completed
         return callback(processed);
diff --git a/test/spec/services/osm.js b/test/spec/services/osm.js
index f23c1d635..0ba3f5387 100644
--- a/test/spec/services/osm.js
+++ b/test/spec/services/osm.js
@@ -320,6 +320,23 @@ describe('iD.serviceOsm', function () {
                 [200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/xml' }, wayXML]);
             server.respond();
         });
+
+        it('ignores repeat requests using entityCache', function(done) {
+            var id = 'n1';
+            connection.loadEntity(id, function(err, result) {
+                var entity = _.find(result.data, function(e) { return e.id === id; });
+                expect(entity).to.be.an.instanceOf(iD.Node);
+                connection.loadEntity(id, function(err, result) {
+                    expect(result.data).to.eql([]);
+                    done();
+                });
+                server.respond();
+            });
+
+            server.respondWith('GET', 'http://www.openstreetmap.org/api/0.6/node/1',
+                [200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/xml' }, nodeXML]);
+            server.respond();
+        });
     });
 
     describe('#loadEntityVersion', function () {
@@ -363,6 +380,24 @@ describe('iD.serviceOsm', function () {
                 [200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/xml' }, wayXML]);
             server.respond();
         });
+
+        it('does not ignore repeat requests', function(done) {
+            var id = 'n1';
+            connection.loadEntityVersion(id, 1, function(err1, result1) {
+                var entity1 = _.find(result1.data, function(e1) { return e1.id === id; });
+                expect(entity1).to.be.an.instanceOf(iD.Node);
+                connection.loadEntityVersion(id, 1, function(err2, result2) {
+                    var entity2 = _.find(result2.data, function(e2) { return e2.id === id; });
+                    expect(entity2).to.be.an.instanceOf(iD.Node);
+                    done();
+                });
+                server.respond();
+            });
+
+            server.respondWith('GET', 'http://www.openstreetmap.org/api/0.6/node/1/1',
+                [200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/xml' }, nodeXML]);
+            server.respond();
+        });
     });
 
     describe('#loadMultiple', function () {