diff --git a/js/iD/graph/Graph.js b/js/iD/graph/Graph.js
index e179fa249..666f7eddc 100644
--- a/js/iD/graph/Graph.js
+++ b/js/iD/graph/Graph.js
@@ -1,6 +1,23 @@
 iD.Graph = function(entities, annotation) {
     if (!(this instanceof iD.Graph)) return new iD.Graph(entities, annotation);
     this.entities = entities || {};
+    for (var id in this.entities) {
+        if (this.entities[id].type === 'way') {
+            // top left, bottom right
+            var extent = [
+                [-Infinity, Infinity],
+                [Infinity, -Infinity]];
+            var w = this.fetch(id);
+            for (var j = 0, l = w.nodes.length; j < l; j++) {
+                if (w.nodes[j].lon > extent[0][0]) extent[0][0] = w.nodes[j].lon;
+                if (w.nodes[j].lon < extent[1][0]) extent[1][0] = w.nodes[j].lon;
+
+                if (w.nodes[j].lat < extent[0][1]) extent[0][1] = w.nodes[j].lat;
+                if (w.nodes[j].lat > extent[1][1]) extent[1][1] = w.nodes[j].lat;
+            }
+            this.entities[id]._extent = extent;
+        }
+    }
     this.annotation = annotation;
 };
 
@@ -36,18 +53,19 @@ iD.Graph.prototype = {
                 entity.lat < extent[0][1] &&
                 entity.lat > extent[1][1];
         }
+        function wayIntersect(entity) {
+            return entity._extent[0][0] > extent[0][0] &&
+                entity._extent[1][0] < extent[1][0] &&
+                entity._extent[0][1] < extent[0][1] &&
+                entity._extent[1][1] > extent[1][1];
+        }
         for (var i in this.entities) {
             var entity = this.entities[i];
             if (entity.type === 'node' && nodeIntersect(entity)) {
                 items.push(entity);
             } else if (entity.type === 'way') {
                 var w = this.fetch(entity.id);
-                for (var j = 0; j < w.nodes.length; j++) {
-                    if (nodeIntersect(w.nodes[j])) {
-                        items.push(w);
-                        break;
-                    }
-                }
+                if (wayIntersect(w)) items.push(w);
             }
         }
         return items;