diff --git a/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/RapiDPreferences.java b/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/RapiDPreferences.java
index 78c425b..06d655b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/RapiDPreferences.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/RapiDPreferences.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
 import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
 import java.awt.Insets;
 
+import javax.swing.JCheckBox;
 import javax.swing.JComboBox;
 import javax.swing.JLabel;
 import javax.swing.JPanel;
@@ -20,6 +21,9 @@ public class RapiDPreferences implements SubPreferenceSetting {
 	private final JLabel rapidApiUrl = new JLabel(tr("RapiD API URL"));
 	private final JComboBox<String> possibleRapidApiUrl = new JComboBox<>();
 
+	private final JLabel switchLayer = new JLabel(tr("Automatically switch layers"));
+	private final JCheckBox switchLayerCheckBox = new JCheckBox();
+
 	@Override
 	public void addGui(PreferenceTabbedPane gui) {
 		final JPanel container = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
@@ -34,6 +38,8 @@ public class RapiDPreferences implements SubPreferenceSetting {
 		possibleRapidApiUrl.setPrototypeDisplayValue("https://example.url/some/end/point");
 		possibleRapidApiUrl.setSelectedItem(RapiDDataUtils.getRapiDURL());
 
+		switchLayerCheckBox.setSelected(RapiDDataUtils.getSwitchLayers());
+
 		constraints.gridx = 0;
 		constraints.gridy = 0;
 		constraints.weightx = .1;
@@ -46,7 +52,13 @@ public class RapiDPreferences implements SubPreferenceSetting {
 		constraints.gridx++;
 		constraints.weightx = 1;
 		container.add(possibleRapidApiUrl, constraints);
-		gui.getMaximumSize().getWidth();
+
+		constraints.gridx--;
+		constraints.gridy++;
+		container.add(switchLayer, constraints);
+
+		constraints.gridx++;
+		container.add(switchLayerCheckBox, constraints);
 
 		getTabPreferenceSetting(gui).addSubTab(this, "RapiD", container);
 	}
@@ -54,6 +66,7 @@ public class RapiDPreferences implements SubPreferenceSetting {
 	@Override
 	public boolean ok() {
 		RapiDDataUtils.setRapiDUrl((String) possibleRapidApiUrl.getSelectedItem());
+		RapiDDataUtils.setSwitchLayers(switchLayerCheckBox.isSelected());
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/backend/RapiDAddCommand.java b/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/backend/RapiDAddCommand.java
index 4b539ab..2279281 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/backend/RapiDAddCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/backend/RapiDAddCommand.java
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ public class RapiDAddCommand extends Command {
 			RapiDDataUtils.removePrimitivesFromDataSet(primitives);
 			rapid.lock();
 		}
-		if (editLayer != null) {
+		if (editLayer != null && RapiDDataUtils.getSwitchLayers()) {
 			MainApplication.getLayerManager().setActiveLayer(editLayer);
 			editable.setSelected(
 					editable.getSelected().stream().filter(OsmPrimitive::isTagged).collect(Collectors.toSet()));
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/backend/RapiDDataUtils.java b/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/backend/RapiDDataUtils.java
index 13d306c..d624397 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/backend/RapiDDataUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/rapid/backend/RapiDDataUtils.java
@@ -174,6 +174,9 @@ public final class RapiDDataUtils {
 				new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(DEFAULT_RAPID_API)));
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Add a paintstyle from the jar (TODO)
+	 */
 	public static void addRapiDPaintStyles() {
 		// TODO figure out how to use the one in the jar file
 		ExtendedSourceEntry rapid = new ExtendedSourceEntry(SourceType.MAP_PAINT_STYLE, "rapid.mapcss",
@@ -186,4 +189,20 @@ public final class RapiDDataUtils {
 		paintStyles.add(rapid);
 		MapPaintPrefHelper.INSTANCE.put(paintStyles);
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Set whether or not a we switch from the RapiD layer to an OSM data layer
+	 *
+	 * @param selected true if we are going to switch layers
+	 */
+	public static void setSwitchLayers(boolean selected) {
+		Config.getPref().putBoolean(RapiDPlugin.NAME.concat(".autoswitchlayers"), selected);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @return {@code true} if we want to automatically switch layers
+	 */
+	public static boolean getSwitchLayers() {
+		return Config.getPref().getBoolean(RapiDPlugin.NAME.concat(".autoswitchlayers"), true);
+	}
 }