diff --git a/modules/services/osm_wikibase.js b/modules/services/osm_wikibase.js
index b6f44a87b..f600b6f0f 100644
--- a/modules/services/osm_wikibase.js
+++ b/modules/services/osm_wikibase.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import _forEach from 'lodash-es/forEach';
 
 import { json as d3_json } from 'd3-request';
 
+import { utilDetect } from '../util/detect';
 import { utilQsString } from '../util';
 
 
@@ -109,6 +110,17 @@ export default {
     },
 
 
+    //
+    // Pass params object of the form:
+    // {
+    //   key: 'string',     // required
+    //   value: 'string'    // optional
+    // }
+    //   -or-
+    // {
+    //   rtype: 'rtype'     // relation type  (e.g. 'multipolygon')
+    // }
+    //
     getEntity: function(params, callback) {
         var doRequest = params.debounce ? debouncedRequest : request;
         var self = this;
@@ -202,11 +214,112 @@ export default {
     },
 
 
+    //
+    // Pass params object of the form:
+    // {
+    //   key: 'string',     // required
+    //   value: 'string'    // optional
+    // }
+    //   -or-
+    // {
+    //   rtype: 'rtype'     // relation type  (e.g. 'multipolygon')
+    // }
+    //
+    // Get an result object used to display tag documentation
+    // {
+    //   title:        'string',
+    //   description:  'string',
+    //   editURL:      'string',
+    //   imageURL:     'string',
+    //   wiki:         { title: 'string', text: 'string', url: 'string' }
+    // }
+    //
+    getDocs: function(params, callback) {
+        var that = this;
+        var langCode = utilDetect().locale.toLowerCase();
+        params.langCode = langCode;
+
+        this.getEntity(params, function(err, data) {
+            if (err) {
+                callback(err);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            var entity = data.tag || data.key;
+            if (!entity) {
+                callback('No entity');
+                return;
+            }
+
+            // prepare result
+            var result = {
+                title: entity.title,
+                description: entity.description,
+                editURL: 'https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/' + entity.title
+            };
+
+            // add image
+            if (entity.claims) {
+                var imageroot;
+                var image = that.claimToValue(entity, 'P4', langCode);
+                if (image) {
+                    imageroot = 'https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php';
+                } else {
+                    image = that.claimToValue(entity, 'P28', langCode);
+                    if (image) {
+                        imageroot = 'https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/w/index.php';
+                    }
+                }
+                if (imageroot && image) {
+                    result.imageURL = imageroot + '?' + utilQsString({
+                        title: 'Special:Redirect/file/' + image,
+                        width: 100,
+                        height: 100
+                    });
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Try to get a wiki page from tag data item first, followed by the corresponding key data item.
+            // If neither tag nor key data item contain a wiki page in the needed language nor English,
+            // get the first found wiki page from either the tag or the key item.
+            var tagWiki = that.monolingualClaimToValueObj(data.tag, 'P31');
+            var keyWiki = that.monolingualClaimToValueObj(data.key, 'P31');
+
+            // If exact language code does not exist, try to find the first part before the '-'
+            // BUG: in some cases, a more elaborate fallback logic might be needed
+            var langPrefix = langCode.split('-', 2)[0];
+
+            result.wiki =
+                getWikiInfo(tagWiki, langCode, 'inspector.wiki_reference') ||
+                getWikiInfo(tagWiki, langPrefix, 'inspector.wiki_reference') ||
+                getWikiInfo(tagWiki, 'en', 'inspector.wiki_en_reference') ||
+                getWikiInfo(keyWiki, langCode, 'inspector.wiki_reference') ||
+                getWikiInfo(keyWiki, langPrefix, 'inspector.wiki_reference') ||
+                getWikiInfo(keyWiki, 'en', 'inspector.wiki_en_reference');
+
+            callback(null, result);
+
+
+            // Helper method to get wiki info if a given language exists
+            function getWikiInfo(wiki, langCode, tKey) {
+                if (wiki && wiki[langCode]) {
+                    return {
+                        title: wiki[langCode],
+                        text: tKey,
+                        url: 'https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/' + wiki[langCode]
+                    };
+                }
+            }
+        });
+    },
+
+
     addLocale: function(langCode, qid) {
         // Makes it easier to unit test
         _localeIDs[langCode] = qid;
     },
 
+
     apibase: function(val) {
         if (!arguments.length) return apibase;
         apibase = val;
diff --git a/modules/ui/tag_reference.js b/modules/ui/tag_reference.js
index c7e0ebaa3..0123a9460 100644
--- a/modules/ui/tag_reference.js
+++ b/modules/ui/tag_reference.js
@@ -4,12 +4,19 @@ import {
 } from 'd3-selection';
 
 import { t } from '../util/locale';
-import { utilDetect } from '../util/detect';
 import { services } from '../services';
 import { svgIcon } from '../svg';
-import { utilQsString } from '../util';
 
 
+// Pass `tag` object of the form:
+// {
+//   key: 'string',     // required
+//   value: 'string'    // optional
+// }
+//   -or-
+// {
+//   rtype: 'rtype'     // relation type  (e.g. 'multipolygon')
+// }
 export function uiTagReference(tag) {
     var wikibase = services.osmWikibase;
     var tagReference = {};
@@ -19,79 +26,14 @@ export function uiTagReference(tag) {
     var _loaded;
     var _showing;
 
-    /**
-     * @returns {{itemTitle: String, description: String, image: String|null}|null}
-     **/
-    function findLocal(data) {
-        var entity = data.tag || data.key;
-        if (!entity) return null;
 
-        var result = {
-            title: entity.title,
-            description: entity.description,
-        };
-
-        if (entity.claims) {
-            var langCode = utilDetect().locale.toLowerCase();
-            var url;
-            var image = wikibase.claimToValue(entity, 'P4', langCode);
-            if (image) {
-                url = 'https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php';
-            } else {
-                image = wikibase.claimToValue(entity, 'P28', langCode);
-                if (image) {
-                    url = 'https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/w/index.php';
-                }
-            }
-            if (image) {
-                result.image = {
-                    url: url,
-                    title: 'Special:Redirect/file/' + image
-                };
-            }
-        }
-
-        // Helper method to get wiki info if a given language exists
-        function getWikiInfo(wiki, langCode, msg) {
-            if (wiki && wiki[langCode]) {
-                return {title: wiki[langCode], text: t(msg)};
-            }
-        }
-
-        // Try to get a wiki page from tag data item first, followed by the corresponding key data item.
-        // If neither tag nor key data item contain a wiki page in the needed language nor English,
-        // get the first found wiki page from either the tag or the key item.
-        var tagWiki = wikibase.monolingualClaimToValueObj(data.tag, 'P31');
-        var keyWiki = wikibase.monolingualClaimToValueObj(data.key, 'P31');
-
-        // If exact language code does not exist, try to find the first part before the '-'
-        // BUG: in some cases, a more elaborate fallback logic might be needed
-        var langPrefix = langCode.split('-', 2)[0];
-
-        result.wiki =
-          getWikiInfo(tagWiki, langCode, 'inspector.wiki_reference') ||
-          getWikiInfo(tagWiki, langPrefix, 'inspector.wiki_reference') ||
-          getWikiInfo(tagWiki, 'en', 'inspector.wiki_en_reference') ||
-          getWikiInfo(keyWiki, langCode, 'inspector.wiki_reference') ||
-          getWikiInfo(keyWiki, langPrefix, 'inspector.wiki_reference') ||
-          getWikiInfo(keyWiki, 'en', 'inspector.wiki_en_reference');
-
-        return result;
-    }
-
-
-    function load(param) {
+    function load() {
         if (!wikibase) return;
 
         _button
             .classed('tag-reference-loading', true);
 
-        wikibase.getEntity(param, function show(err, data) {
-            var docs;
-            if (!err && data) {
-                docs = findLocal(data);
-            }
-
+        wikibase.getDocs(tag, function(err, docs) {
             _body.html('');
 
             if (!docs || !docs.title) {
@@ -103,17 +45,11 @@ export function uiTagReference(tag) {
                 return;
             }
 
-            if (docs.image) {
-                var imageUrl = docs.image.url + '?' + utilQsString({
-                    title: docs.image.title,
-                    width: 100,
-                    height: 100,
-                });
-
+            if (docs.imageURL) {
                 _body
                     .append('img')
                     .attr('class', 'tag-reference-wiki-image')
-                    .attr('src', imageUrl)
+                    .attr('src', docs.imageURL)
                     .on('load', function() { done(); })
                     .on('error', function() { d3_select(this).remove(); done(); });
             } else {
@@ -129,7 +65,7 @@ export function uiTagReference(tag) {
                 .attr('target', '_blank')
                 .attr('tabindex', -1)
                 .attr('title', t('inspector.edit_reference'))
-                .attr('href', 'https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/' + docs.title)
+                .attr('href', docs.editURL)
                 .call(svgIcon('#iD-icon-edit', 'inline'));
 
             if (docs.wiki) {
@@ -138,14 +74,14 @@ export function uiTagReference(tag) {
                   .attr('class', 'tag-reference-link')
                   .attr('target', '_blank')
                   .attr('tabindex', -1)
-                  .attr('href', 'https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/' + docs.wiki.title)
+                  .attr('href', docs.wiki.url)
                   .call(svgIcon('#iD-icon-out-link', 'inline'))
                   .append('span')
-                  .text(docs.wiki.text);
+                  .text(t(docs.wiki.text));
             }
 
             // Add link to info about "good changeset comments" - #2923
-            if (param.key === 'comment') {
+            if (tag.key === 'comment') {
                 _body
                     .append('a')
                     .attr('class', 'tag-reference-comment-link')
@@ -212,8 +148,7 @@ export function uiTagReference(tag) {
                 } else if (_loaded) {
                     done();
                 } else {
-                    tag.langCode = utilDetect().locale.toLowerCase();
-                    load(tag);
+                    load();
                 }
             });
     };
@@ -240,9 +175,9 @@ export function uiTagReference(tag) {
     };
 
 
-    tagReference.showing = function(_) {
+    tagReference.showing = function(val) {
         if (!arguments.length) return _showing;
-        _showing = _;
+        _showing = val;
         return tagReference;
     };