diff --git a/code/map_data.js b/code/map_data.js
index dff86653..95ee3b08 100644
--- a/code/map_data.js
+++ b/code/map_data.js
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ window.requestData = function() {
 
   //we query the server as if the zoom level was this. it may not match the actual map zoom level
   var z = getPortalDataZoom();
+  console.log('requesting tiles at zoom '+z+' (L'+getMinPortalLevelForZoom(z)+'+ portals), map zoom is '+map.getZoom());
 
   var x1 = lngToTile(bounds.getWest(), z);
   var x2 = lngToTile(bounds.getEast(), z);
diff --git a/code/utils_misc.js b/code/utils_misc.js
index 6338cf1d..781fd378 100644
--- a/code/utils_misc.js
+++ b/code/utils_misc.js
@@ -245,11 +245,7 @@ window.renderLimitReached = function(ratio) {
 }
 
 window.getPortalDataZoom = function() {
-  var mapZoom = map.getZoom();
-
-  // modify here if we want to force portal detail level zoom above the map zoom. this can increase the
-  // requests to the niantic servers so isn't done by default
-  var z = mapZoom;
+  var z = map.getZoom();
 
   // limiting the mazimum zoom level for data retrieval reduces the number of requests at high zoom levels
   // (as all portal data is retrieved at z=17, why retrieve multiple z=18 tiles when fewer z=17 would do?)
@@ -260,13 +256,6 @@ window.getPortalDataZoom = function() {
   // request zoom 15 tiles. however, there are quirks in the current data stream, where small fields aren't
   // returned by the server. using larger tiles always would amplify this issue.
 
-  // (this is not triggered by default, as both z and mapZoom are the same)
-  // if the data zoom is above the map zoom we can step back if the detail level is the same
-  // with the new cache code this works rather well
-  while (z > mapZoom && getMinPortalLevelForZoom(z) == getMinPortalLevelForZoom(z-1)) {
-    z = z-1;
-  }
-
   //sanity check - should never happen
   if (z < 0) z=0;