diff --git a/controller/search.js b/controller/search.js
index 2923f57d..386af22f 100644
--- a/controller/search.js
+++ b/controller/search.js
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ function setup( backend, query ){
       body: query( req.clean )
     };
 
-    if (req.clean.layers) {
-      cmd.type = req.clean.layers;
+    if (req.clean.types && req.clean.types.from_layers) {
+      cmd.type = req.clean.types.from_layers;
     }
 
     // set type if input suggests targeting a layer(s)
diff --git a/sanitiser/_layers.js b/sanitiser/_layers.js
index 2ad5c42f..25e8ba26 100644
--- a/sanitiser/_layers.js
+++ b/sanitiser/_layers.js
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ function sanitize( req ){
   var clean = req.clean || {};
   var params= req.query;
 
+  clean.types = clean.types || {};
+
   // ensure the input params are a valid object
   if( !isObject( params ) ){
     params = {};
@@ -39,7 +41,7 @@ function sanitize( req ){
   }
 
   // pass validated params to next middleware
-  clean.layers = get_layers(layers);
+  clean.types.from_layers = get_layers(layers);
   req.clean = clean;
 
   return { 'error': false };
diff --git a/test/unit/sanitiser/reverse.js b/test/unit/sanitiser/reverse.js
index d2ff8293..d8d666c1 100644
--- a/test/unit/sanitiser/reverse.js
+++ b/test/unit/sanitiser/reverse.js
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ var suggest  = require('../../../sanitiser/reverse'),
     delim = ',',
     defaultError = 'missing param \'lat\'',
     defaultClean =  { lat:0,
-                      layers: [ 'geoname', 'osmnode', 'osmway', 'admin0', 'admin1', 'admin2', 'neighborhood', 
-                                'locality', 'local_admin', 'osmaddress', 'openaddresses' ], 
+                      types: {
+                        from_layers: [ 'geoname', 'osmnode', 'osmway', 'admin0', 'admin1', 'admin2', 'neighborhood',
+                        'locality', 'local_admin', 'osmaddress', 'openaddresses' ],
+                      },
                       lon: 0,
                       size: 10,
                       details: true,
@@ -158,7 +160,7 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_details = function(test, common) {
 module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
   test('unspecified', function(t) {
     sanitize({ layers: undefined, input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, defaultClean.layers, 'default layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, defaultClean.types.from_layers, 'default layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
@@ -173,21 +175,21 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
   test('poi (alias) layer', function(t) {
     var poi_layers = ['geoname','osmnode','osmway'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'poi', input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, poi_layers, 'poi layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, poi_layers, 'poi layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
   test('admin (alias) layer', function(t) {
     var admin_layers = ['admin0','admin1','admin2','neighborhood','locality','local_admin'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'admin', input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, admin_layers, 'admin layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, admin_layers, 'admin layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
   test('address (alias) layer', function(t) {
     var address_layers = ['osmaddress','openaddresses'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'address', input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, address_layers, 'address layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, address_layers, 'address layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
@@ -195,7 +197,7 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
     var poi_layers = ['geoname','osmnode','osmway'];
     var reg_layers = ['admin0', 'admin1'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'poi,admin0,admin1', input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, reg_layers.concat(poi_layers), 'poi + regular layers');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, reg_layers.concat(poi_layers), 'poi + regular layers');
       t.end();
     });
   });
@@ -203,7 +205,7 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
     var admin_layers = ['admin0','admin1','admin2','neighborhood','locality','local_admin'];
     var reg_layers   = ['geoname', 'osmway'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'admin,geoname,osmway', input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, reg_layers.concat(admin_layers), 'admin + regular layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, reg_layers.concat(admin_layers), 'admin + regular layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
@@ -211,21 +213,21 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
     var address_layers = ['osmaddress','openaddresses'];
     var reg_layers   = ['geoname', 'osmway'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'address,geoname,osmway', input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, reg_layers.concat(address_layers), 'address + regular layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, reg_layers.concat(address_layers), 'address + regular layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
   test('alias layer plus regular layers (no duplicates)', function(t) {
     var poi_layers = ['geoname','osmnode','osmway'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'poi,geoname,osmnode', input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, poi_layers, 'poi layers found (no duplicates)');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, poi_layers, 'poi layers found (no duplicates)');
       t.end();
     });
   });
   test('multiple alias layers (no duplicates)', function(t) {
     var alias_layers = ['geoname','osmnode','osmway','admin0','admin1','admin2','neighborhood','locality','local_admin'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'poi,admin', input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, alias_layers, 'all layers found (no duplicates)');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, alias_layers, 'all layers found (no duplicates)');
       t.end();
     });
   });
diff --git a/test/unit/sanitiser/search.js b/test/unit/sanitiser/search.js
index 702bbcb5..1f37fa13 100644
--- a/test/unit/sanitiser/search.js
+++ b/test/unit/sanitiser/search.js
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@ var search  = require('../../../sanitiser/search'),
     delim = ',',
     defaultError = 'invalid param \'input\': text length, must be >0',
     defaultClean =  { input: 'test', 
-                      layers: [ 'geoname', 'osmnode', 'osmway', 'admin0', 'admin1', 'admin2', 'neighborhood', 
-                                'locality', 'local_admin', 'osmaddress', 'openaddresses' ], 
+                      types: {
+                        from_layers: [ 'geoname', 'osmnode', 'osmway', 'admin0', 'admin1', 'admin2', 'neighborhood',
+                        'locality', 'local_admin', 'osmaddress', 'openaddresses' ],
+                      },
                       size: 10,
                       details: true,
                       parsed_input: defaultParsed,
@@ -320,7 +322,7 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_details = function(test, common) {
 module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
   test('unspecified', function(t) {
     sanitize({ layers: undefined, input: 'test' }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, defaultClean.layers, 'default layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, defaultClean.types.from_layers, 'default layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
@@ -335,21 +337,21 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
   test('poi (alias) layer', function(t) {
     var poi_layers = ['geoname','osmnode','osmway'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'poi', input: 'test' }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, poi_layers, 'poi layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, poi_layers, 'poi layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
   test('admin (alias) layer', function(t) {
     var admin_layers = ['admin0','admin1','admin2','neighborhood','locality','local_admin'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'admin', input: 'test' }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, admin_layers, 'admin layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, admin_layers, 'admin layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
   test('address (alias) layer', function(t) {
     var address_layers = ['osmaddress','openaddresses'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'address', input: 'test' }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, address_layers, 'address layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, address_layers, 'address layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
@@ -357,7 +359,7 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
     var poi_layers = ['geoname','osmnode','osmway'];
     var reg_layers = ['admin0', 'admin1'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'poi,admin0,admin1', input: 'test' }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, reg_layers.concat(poi_layers), 'poi + regular layers');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, reg_layers.concat(poi_layers), 'poi + regular layers');
       t.end();
     });
   });
@@ -365,7 +367,7 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
     var admin_layers = ['admin0','admin1','admin2','neighborhood','locality','local_admin'];
     var reg_layers   = ['geoname', 'osmway'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'admin,geoname,osmway', input: 'test' }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, reg_layers.concat(admin_layers), 'admin + regular layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, reg_layers.concat(admin_layers), 'admin + regular layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
@@ -373,21 +375,21 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
     var address_layers = ['osmaddress','openaddresses'];
     var reg_layers   = ['geoname', 'osmway'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'address,geoname,osmway', input: 'test' }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, reg_layers.concat(address_layers), 'address + regular layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, reg_layers.concat(address_layers), 'address + regular layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });
   test('alias layer plus regular layers (no duplicates)', function(t) {
     var poi_layers = ['geoname','osmnode','osmway'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'poi,geoname,osmnode', input: 'test' }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, poi_layers, 'poi layers found (no duplicates)');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, poi_layers, 'poi layers found (no duplicates)');
       t.end();
     });
   });
   test('multiple alias layers (no duplicates)', function(t) {
     var alias_layers = ['geoname','osmnode','osmway','admin0','admin1','admin2','neighborhood','locality','local_admin'];
     sanitize({ layers: 'poi,admin', input: 'test' }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, alias_layers, 'all layers found (no duplicates)');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, alias_layers, 'all layers found (no duplicates)');
       t.end();
     });
   });
diff --git a/test/unit/sanitiser/suggest.js b/test/unit/sanitiser/suggest.js
index b1ad1be6..003b44ae 100644
--- a/test/unit/sanitiser/suggest.js
+++ b/test/unit/sanitiser/suggest.js
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ module.exports.tests.sanitize_details = function(test, common) {
 module.exports.tests.sanitize_layers = function(test, common) {
   test('unspecified', function(t) {
     sanitize({ layers: undefined, input: 'test', lat: 0, lon: 0 }, function( err, clean ){
-      t.deepEqual(clean.layers, defaultClean.layers, 'default layers set');
+      t.deepEqual(clean.types.from_layers, defaultClean.types.from_layers, 'default layers set');
       t.end();
     });
   });