diff --git a/code/boot.js b/code/boot.js
index 3bcbc9e7..72270340 100644
--- a/code/boot.js
+++ b/code/boot.js
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ window.setupMap = function() {
   var portalsLayers = [];
   for(var i = 0; i <= 8; i++) {
     portalsFactionLayers[i] = [L.layerGroup(), L.layerGroup(), L.layerGroup()];
-    portalsLayers[i] = L.layerGroup();
+    portalsLayers[i] = L.layerGroup(portalsFactionLayers[i]);
     map.addLayer(portalsLayers[i]);
     var t = (i === 0 ? 'Unclaimed' : 'Level ' + i) + ' Portals';
     addLayers[t] = portalsLayers[i];
@@ -149,14 +149,14 @@ window.setupMap = function() {
   }
 
   fieldsFactionLayers = [L.layerGroup(), L.layerGroup(), L.layerGroup()];
-  var fieldsLayer = L.layerGroup();
+  var fieldsLayer = L.layerGroup(fieldsFactionLayers);
   map.addLayer(fieldsLayer, true);
   addLayers['Fields'] = fieldsLayer;
   // Store it in hiddenLayer to remove later
   if(!isLayerGroupDisplayed('Fields', true)) hiddenLayer.push(fieldsLayer);
 
   linksFactionLayers = [L.layerGroup(), L.layerGroup(), L.layerGroup()];
-  var linksLayer = L.layerGroup();
+  var linksLayer = L.layerGroup(linksFactionLayers);
   map.addLayer(linksLayer, true);
   addLayers['Links'] = linksLayer;
   // Store it in hiddenLayer to remove later
@@ -164,32 +164,29 @@ window.setupMap = function() {
 
   // faction-specific layers
   // these layers don't actually contain any data. instead, everytime they're added/removed from the map,
-  // the matching sub-layers within the above portals/fields/links are added/removed from their parent
+  // the matching sub-layers within the above portals/fields/links are added/removed from their parent with
+  // the below 'onoverlayadd/onoverlayremovve' events
   var factionLayers = [L.layerGroup(), L.layerGroup(), L.layerGroup()];
-
-  window.map.on('layeradd layerremove', function(e) {
-    for (var fac in factionLayers) {
-      if (e.layer === factionLayers[fac]) {
-        if (e.type == 'layeradd') {
-          if (!fieldsLayer.hasLayer(fieldsFactionLayers[fac])) fieldsLayer.addLayer (fieldsFactionLayers[fac]);
-          if (!linksLayer.hasLayer(linksFactionLayers[fac])) linksLayer.addLayer (linksFactionLayers[fac]);
-          for (var lvl in portalsLayers) {
-            if (!portalsLayers[lvl].hasLayer(portalsFactionLayers[lvl][fac])) portalsLayers[lvl].addLayer (portalsFactionLayers[lvl][fac]);
-          }
-        } else {
-          if (fieldsLayer.hasLayer(fieldsFactionLayers[fac])) fieldsLayer.removeLayer (fieldsFactionLayers[fac]);
-          if (linksLayer.hasLayer(linksFactionLayers[fac])) linksLayer.removeLayer (linksFactionLayers[fac]);
-          for (var lvl in portalsLayers) {
-            if (portalsLayers[lvl].hasLayer(portalsFactionLayers[lvl][fac])) portalsLayers[lvl].removeLayer (portalsFactionLayers[lvl][fac]);
-          }
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  });
   for (var fac in factionLayers) {
     map.addLayer (factionLayers[fac]);
   }
 
+  var setFactionLayersState = function(fac,enabled) {
+    if (enabled) {
+      if (!fieldsLayer.hasLayer(fieldsFactionLayers[fac])) fieldsLayer.addLayer (fieldsFactionLayers[fac]);
+      if (!linksLayer.hasLayer(linksFactionLayers[fac])) linksLayer.addLayer (linksFactionLayers[fac]);
+      for (var lvl in portalsLayers) {
+        if (!portalsLayers[lvl].hasLayer(portalsFactionLayers[lvl][fac])) portalsLayers[lvl].addLayer (portalsFactionLayers[lvl][fac]);
+      }
+    } else {
+      if (fieldsLayer.hasLayer(fieldsFactionLayers[fac])) fieldsLayer.removeLayer (fieldsFactionLayers[fac]);
+      if (linksLayer.hasLayer(linksFactionLayers[fac])) linksLayer.removeLayer (linksFactionLayers[fac]);
+      for (var lvl in portalsLayers) {
+        if (portalsLayers[lvl].hasLayer(portalsFactionLayers[lvl][fac])) portalsLayers[lvl].removeLayer (portalsFactionLayers[lvl][fac]);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   // to avoid any favouritism, we'll put the player's own faction layer first
   if (PLAYER.team == 'RESISTANCE') {
     addLayers['Resistance'] = factionLayers[TEAM_RES];
@@ -201,6 +198,23 @@ window.setupMap = function() {
   if (!isLayerGroupDisplayed('Resistance', true)) hiddenLayer.push (factionLayers[TEAM_RES]);
   if (!isLayerGroupDisplayed('Enlightened', true)) hiddenLayer.push (factionLayers[TEAM_ENL]);
 
+  setFactionLayersState (TEAM_NONE, true);
+  setFactionLayersState (TEAM_RES, isLayerGroupDisplayed('Resistance', true));
+  setFactionLayersState (TEAM_ENL, isLayerGroupDisplayed('Enlightened', true));
+
+  // NOTE: these events are fired by the layer chooser, so won't happen until that's created and added to the map
+  window.map.on('overlayadd overlayremove', function(e) {
+    var displayed = (e.type == 'overlayadd');
+    switch (e.name) {
+      case 'Resistance':
+        setFactionLayersState (TEAM_RES, displayed);
+        break;
+      case 'Enlightened':
+        setFactionLayersState (TEAM_ENL, displayed);
+        break;
+    }
+  });
+
 
   window.layerChooser = new L.Control.Layers({
     'MapQuest OSM': views[0],