diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 10f8e7a4f..e32d5d78d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ dist/iD.js: \
 	js/lib/d3.trigger.js \
 	js/lib/d3.typeahead.js \
 	js/lib/d3.curtain.js \
+	js/lib/d3.value.js \
 	js/lib/jxon.js \
 	js/lib/lodash.js \
 	js/lib/osmauth.js \
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 440b02fa8..2438b2826 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
         <script src='js/lib/d3.keybinding.js'></script>
         <script src='js/lib/d3.curtain.js'></script>
         <script src='js/lib/d3.one.js'></script>
+        <script src='js/lib/d3.value.js'></script>
         <script src='js/lib/d3-compat.js'></script>
         <script src='js/lib/bootstrap-tooltip.js'></script>
         <script src='js/lib/rtree.js'></script>
diff --git a/js/id/ui/preset/access.js b/js/id/ui/preset/access.js
index ab6586017..fa9ca6e75 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/preset/access.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/preset/access.js
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.access = function(field, context) {
 
     function change(d) {
         var tag = {};
-        tag[d] = d3.select(this).property('value') || undefined;
+        tag[d] = d3.select(this).value() || undefined;
         event.change(tag);
     }
 
@@ -73,8 +73,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.access = function(field, context) {
 
     access.tags = function(tags) {
         items.selectAll('.preset-input-access')
-            .property('value', function(d) { return tags[d] || ''; });
-        return access;
+            .value(function(d) { return tags[d] || ''; });
     };
 
     access.focus = function() {
diff --git a/js/id/ui/preset/address.js b/js/id/ui/preset/address.js
index 219ba7ca2..8feee9c2b 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/preset/address.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/preset/address.js
@@ -90,11 +90,11 @@ iD.ui.preset.address = function(field, context) {
 
     function change() {
         event.change({
-            'addr:housename': housename.property('value') || undefined,
-            'addr:housenumber': housenumber.property('value') || undefined,
-            'addr:street': street.property('value') || undefined,
-            'addr:city': city.property('value') || undefined,
-            'addr:postcode': postcode.property('value') || undefined
+            'addr:housename': housename.value() || undefined,
+            'addr:housenumber': housenumber.value() || undefined,
+            'addr:street': street.value() || undefined,
+            'addr:city': city.value() || undefined,
+            'addr:postcode': postcode.value() || undefined
         });
     }
 
@@ -105,12 +105,11 @@ iD.ui.preset.address = function(field, context) {
     };
 
     address.tags = function(tags) {
-        housename.property('value', tags['addr:housename'] || '');
-        housenumber.property('value', tags['addr:housenumber'] || '');
-        street.property('value', tags['addr:street'] || '');
-        city.property('value', tags['addr:city'] || '');
-        postcode.property('value', tags['addr:postcode'] || '');
-        return address;
+        housename.value(tags['addr:housename'] || '');
+        housenumber.value(tags['addr:housenumber'] || '');
+        street.value(tags['addr:street'] || '');
+        city.value(tags['addr:city'] || '');
+        postcode.value(tags['addr:postcode'] || '');
     };
 
     address.focus = function() {
diff --git a/js/id/ui/preset/combo.js b/js/id/ui/preset/combo.js
index a078ee647..c1ed4cc2c 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/preset/combo.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/preset/combo.js
@@ -44,12 +44,12 @@ iD.ui.preset.combo = function(field) {
 
     function change() {
         var t = {};
-        t[field.key] = input.property('value').replace(' ', '_') || undefined;
+        t[field.key] = input.value().replace(' ', '_') || undefined;
         event.change(t);
     }
 
     combo.tags = function(tags) {
-        input.property('value', tags[field.key] || '');
+        input.value(tags[field.key] || '');
     };
 
     combo.focus = function() {
diff --git a/js/id/ui/preset/input.js b/js/id/ui/preset/input.js
index d9b62f1d0..69b7b9749 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/preset/input.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/preset/input.js
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@ iD.ui.preset.url = function(field) {
 
     function change() {
         var t = {};
-        t[field.key] = input.property('value') || undefined;
+        t[field.key] = input.value() || undefined;
         event.change(t);
     }
 
     i.tags = function(tags) {
-        input.property('value', tags[field.key] || '');
+        input.value(tags[field.key] || '');
     };
 
     i.focus = function() {
diff --git a/js/id/ui/preset/localized.js b/js/id/ui/preset/localized.js
index 9957455d6..2b5f1943a 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/preset/localized.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/preset/localized.js
@@ -48,14 +48,14 @@ iD.ui.preset.localized = function(field, context) {
 
     function change() {
         var t = {};
-        t[field.key] = d3.select(this).property('value') || undefined;
+        t[field.key] = d3.select(this).value() || undefined;
         event.change(t);
     }
 
     function key(lang) { return field.key + ':' + lang; }
 
     function changeLang(d) {
-        var value = d3.select(this).property('value'),
+        var value = d3.select(this).value(),
             t = {},
             language = _.find(iD.data.wikipedia, function(d) {
                 return d[0].toLowerCase() === value.toLowerCase() ||
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.localized = function(field, context) {
 
     function changeValue(d) {
         var t = {};
-        t[key(d.lang)] = d3.select(this).property('value') || '';
+        t[key(d.lang)] = d3.select(this).value() || '';
         event.change(t);
 
     }
@@ -173,18 +173,16 @@ iD.ui.preset.localized = function(field, context) {
             .style('top','-10px')
             .remove();
 
-        selection.selectAll('.entry').select('.localized-lang').property('value', function(d) {
+        selection.selectAll('.entry').select('.localized-lang').value(function(d) {
             var lang = _.find(iD.data.wikipedia, function(lang) {
                 return lang[2] === d.lang;
             });
             return lang ? lang[1] : d.lang;
         });
 
-        selection.selectAll('.entry').select('.localized-value').property('value', function(d) {
+        selection.selectAll('.entry').select('.localized-value').value(function(d) {
             return d.value;
         });
-
-
     }
 
     i.tags = function(tags) {
@@ -200,7 +198,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.localized = function(field, context) {
             }
         }
 
-        input.property('value', tags[field.key] || '');
+        input.value(tags[field.key] || '');
 
         var postfixed = [];
         for (var i in tags) {
diff --git a/js/id/ui/preset/maxspeed.js b/js/id/ui/preset/maxspeed.js
index a538ff982..85a39523d 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/preset/maxspeed.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/preset/maxspeed.js
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ iD.ui.preset.maxspeed = function(field, context) {
             .call(unitCombobox);
 
         function changeUnits() {
-            imperial = unitInput.property('value') === 'mph';
-            unitInput.property('value', imperial ? 'mph' : 'km/h');
+            imperial = unitInput.value() === 'mph';
+            unitInput.value(imperial ? 'mph' : 'km/h');
             setSuggestions();
             change();
         }
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.maxspeed = function(field, context) {
 
     function setSuggestions() {
         combobox.data((imperial ? imperialValues : metricValues).map(comboValues));
-        unitInput.property('value', imperial ? 'mph' : 'km/h');
+        unitInput.value(imperial ? 'mph' : 'km/h');
     }
 
     function comboValues(d) {
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.maxspeed = function(field, context) {
 
     function change() {
         var tag = {},
-            value = input.property('value');
+            value = input.value();
 
         if (!value) {
             tag[field.key] = undefined;
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.maxspeed = function(field, context) {
 
         setSuggestions();
 
-        input.property('value', value || '');
+        input.value(value || '');
     };
 
     maxspeed.focus = function() {
diff --git a/js/id/ui/preset/textarea.js b/js/id/ui/preset/textarea.js
index 4a6fdfb36..2ee99aa2b 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/preset/textarea.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/preset/textarea.js
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ iD.ui.preset.textarea = function(field) {
 
     function change() {
         var t = {};
-        t[field.key] = input.property('value') || undefined;
+        t[field.key] = input.value() || undefined;
         event.change(t);
     }
 
     i.tags = function(tags) {
-        input.property('value', tags[field.key] || '');
+        input.value(tags[field.key] || '');
     };
 
     i.focus = function() {
diff --git a/js/id/ui/preset/wikipedia.js b/js/id/ui/preset/wikipedia.js
index 5306fe611..a7f964370 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/preset/wikipedia.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/preset/wikipedia.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.wikipedia = function(field, context) {
     }
 
     function changeLang() {
-        var value = lang.property('value').toLowerCase();
+        var value = lang.value().toLowerCase();
         language = _.find(iD.data.wikipedia, function(d) {
             return d[0].toLowerCase() === value ||
                 d[1].toLowerCase() === value ||
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.wikipedia = function(field, context) {
         }) || iD.data.wikipedia[0];
 
         if (value !== language[0]) {
-            lang.property('value', language[1]);
+            lang.value(language[1]);
         }
 
         change();
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.wikipedia = function(field, context) {
     function change() {
         var t = {};
 
-        var value = title.property('value');
+        var value = title.value();
 
         var m = value.match('http://([a-z]+)\\.wikipedia.org/wiki/(.*)'),
             newlanguage = m && m[1] && m[2] && _.find(iD.data.wikipedia, function(d) {
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ iD.ui.preset.wikipedia = function(field, context) {
             value = m[2].replace(/_/g, ' ');
             value = value.slice(0, 1).toUpperCase() + value.slice(1);
             language = newlanguage;
-            lang.property('value', language[0]);
+            lang.value(language[0]);
         }
 
         t[field.key] = value ? language[2] + ':' + value : undefined;
@@ -115,14 +115,14 @@ iD.ui.preset.wikipedia = function(field, context) {
 
         // value in correct format
         if (language) {
-            lang.property('value', language[1]);
-            title.property('value', m[2]);
+            lang.value(language[1]);
+            title.value(m[2]);
             link.attr('href', 'http://' + m[1] + '.wikipedia.org/wiki/' + m[2]);
 
         // unrecognized value format
         } else {
-            lang.property('value', 'English');
-            title.property('value', tags[field.key] || '');
+            lang.value('English');
+            title.value(tags[field.key] || '');
             language = iD.data.wikipedia[0];
             link.attr('href', 'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=' + tags[field.key]);
         }
diff --git a/js/lib/d3.value.js b/js/lib/d3.value.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1261034e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/lib/d3.value.js
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// Like selection.property('value', ...), but avoids no-op value sets,
+// which can result in layout/repaint thrashing in some situations.
+d3.selection.prototype.value = function(value) {
+    function d3_selection_value(value) {
+      function valueNull() {
+        delete this.value;
+      }
+
+      function valueConstant() {
+        if (this.value !== value) this.value = value;
+      }
+
+      function valueFunction() {
+        var x = value.apply(this, arguments);
+        if (x == null) delete this.value;
+        else if (this.value !== x) this.value = x;
+      }
+
+      return value == null
+          ? valueNull : (typeof value === "function"
+          ? valueFunction : valueConstant);
+    }
+
+    if (!arguments.length) return this.property('value');
+    return this.each(d3_selection_value(value));
+};