diff --git a/js/id/presets/preset.js b/js/id/presets/preset.js
index 709d73517..95c1f7966 100644
--- a/js/id/presets/preset.js
+++ b/js/id/presets/preset.js
@@ -81,9 +81,11 @@ iD.presets.Preset = function(id, preset, fields) {
 
     var applyTags = preset.addTags || preset.tags;
     preset.applyTags = function(tags, geometry) {
+        var k;
+
         tags = _.clone(tags);
 
-        for (var k in applyTags) {
+        for (k in applyTags) {
             if (applyTags[k] === '*') {
                 tags[k] = 'yes';
             } else {
@@ -91,6 +93,13 @@ iD.presets.Preset = function(id, preset, fields) {
             }
         }
 
+        // Add area=yes if necessary
+        for (k in applyTags) {
+            if (geometry === 'area' && !(k in iD.areaKeys))
+                tags['area'] = 'yes';
+            break;
+        }
+
         for (var f in preset.fields) {
             var field = preset.fields[f];
             if (field.matchGeometry(geometry) && field.key && !tags[field.key] && field['default']) {
diff --git a/test/spec/presets/preset.js b/test/spec/presets/preset.js
index d68ede870..b517deb86 100644
--- a/test/spec/presets/preset.js
+++ b/test/spec/presets/preset.js
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ describe('iD.presets.Preset', function() {
     describe('#applyTags', function() {
         it("adds match tags", function() {
             var preset = iD.presets.Preset('test', {tags: {highway: 'residential'}});
-            expect(preset.applyTags({}, 'area')).to.eql({highway: 'residential'});
+            expect(preset.applyTags({}, 'line')).to.eql({highway: 'residential'});
         });
 
         it("adds wildcard tags with value 'yes'", function() {
@@ -85,6 +85,18 @@ describe('iD.presets.Preset', function() {
                 preset = iD.presets.Preset('test', {fields: ['field']}, {field: field});
             expect(preset.applyTags({}, 'point')).to.eql({});
         });
+
+        context("with an area preset whose primary tag is not in areaKeys", function() {
+            var preset = iD.presets.Preset('test', {geometry: ['line', 'area'], tags: {highway: 'pedestrian'}});
+
+            it("adds no area=yes to non-areas", function() {
+                expect(preset.applyTags({}, 'line')).to.eql({highway: 'pedestrian'});
+            });
+
+            it("adds area=yes to areas", function() {
+                expect(preset.applyTags({}, 'area')).to.eql({highway: 'pedestrian', area: 'yes'});
+            });
+        });
     });
 
     describe('#removeTags', function() {