diff --git a/js/id/graph/entity.js b/js/id/graph/entity.js
index 3918f4172..d0ed8b6e6 100644
--- a/js/id/graph/entity.js
+++ b/js/id/graph/entity.js
@@ -124,7 +124,12 @@ iD.Way.isClosed = function(d) {
 iD.Way.isArea = function(d) {
     return (d.tags.area && d.tags.area === 'yes') ||
         (iD.Way.isClosed(d) &&
-             (!d.tags.area || d.tags.area === 'no') && !d.tags.highway);
+             // area-ness is disabled
+             (!d.tags.area || d.tags.area !== 'no') &&
+             // Tags that disable area-ness unless they are accompanied by
+             // area=yes
+             !d.tags.highway &&
+             !d.tags.barrier);
 };
 
 iD.Relation = function(attrs) {