diff --git a/data/core.yaml b/data/core.yaml
index 1617207af..eee956b15 100644
--- a/data/core.yaml
+++ b/data/core.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ en:
       annotation:
         point: Added a point.
         vertex: Added a node to a way.
+        relation: Added a relation.
     start:
       annotation:
         line: Started a line.
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ en:
     all_tags: All tags
     all_members: All members
     all_relations: All relations
+    new_relation: New relation...
     role: Role
     choose: Select feature type
     results: "{n} results for {search}"
diff --git a/dist/locales/en.json b/dist/locales/en.json
index 029021dc0..5b8c0188c 100644
--- a/dist/locales/en.json
+++ b/dist/locales/en.json
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@
         "add": {
             "annotation": {
                 "point": "Added a point.",
-                "vertex": "Added a node to a way."
+                "vertex": "Added a node to a way.",
+                "relation": "Added a relation."
             }
         },
         "start": {
@@ -219,6 +220,7 @@
         "all_tags": "All tags",
         "all_members": "All members",
         "all_relations": "All relations",
+        "new_relation": "New relation...",
         "role": "Role",
         "choose": "Select feature type",
         "results": "{n} results for {search}",
diff --git a/js/id/ui/raw_membership_editor.js b/js/id/ui/raw_membership_editor.js
index 24a2e9ab5..26a1ea9d7 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/raw_membership_editor.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/raw_membership_editor.js
@@ -14,9 +14,22 @@ iD.ui.RawMembershipEditor = function(context) {
 
     function addMembership(d, role) {
         showBlank = false;
-        context.perform(
-            iD.actions.AddMember(d.relation.id, {id: id, type: context.entity(id).type, role: role}),
-            t('operations.add_member.annotation'))
+
+        if (d.relation) {
+            context.perform(
+                iD.actions.AddMember(d.relation.id, {id: id, type: context.entity(id).type, role: role}),
+                t('operations.add_member.annotation'));
+
+        } else {
+            var relation = iD.Relation();
+
+            context.perform(
+                iD.actions.AddEntity(relation),
+                iD.actions.AddMember(relation.id, {id: id, type: context.entity(id).type, role: role}),
+                t('operations.add.annotation.relation'));
+
+            context.enter(iD.modes.Select(context, [relation.id]));
+        }
     }
 
     function deleteMembership(d) {
@@ -26,7 +39,10 @@ iD.ui.RawMembershipEditor = function(context) {
     }
 
     function relations(q) {
-        var result = [],
+        var result = [{
+                relation: null,
+                value: t('inspector.new_relation')
+            }],
             graph = context.graph();
 
         context.intersects(context.extent()).forEach(function(entity) {