diff --git a/helper/geojsonify.js b/helper/geojsonify.js
index 5392e957..e8494a9d 100644
--- a/helper/geojsonify.js
+++ b/helper/geojsonify.js
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 
-var GeoJSON = require('geojson'),
-    extent = require('geojson-extent'),
-    outputGenerator = require('./outputGenerator');
+var GeoJSON = require('geojson');
+var extent = require('geojson-extent');
+var outputGenerator = require('./outputGenerator');
+var logger = require('pelias-logger').get('api');
+
 
 // Properties to be copied when details=true
 var DETAILS_PROPS = [
@@ -19,20 +21,62 @@ var DETAILS_PROPS = [
   'neighbourhood'
 ];
 
-var META_MAP = {
-  'geoname': { type: '???', source: 'gn' }, // TODO: not sure how to map. will need to use categories?
-  'osmnode': { type: 'venue', source: 'osm' },
-  'osmway': { type: 'venue', source: 'osm' },
-  'admin0': { type: 'country', source: 'qs' },
-  'admin1': { type: 'region', source: 'qs' },
-  'admin2': { type: 'county', source: 'qs' },
-  'neighborhood': { type: 'neighbourhood', source: 'qs' },
-  'locality': { type: 'locality', source: 'qs' },
-  'local_admin': { type: 'local_admin', source: 'qs' },
-  'osmaddress': { type: 'address', source: 'osm' },
-  'openaddresses': { type: 'address', source: 'oa' }
+
+var SOURCES = {
+  'geoname': 'gn',
+  'osmnode': 'osm',
+  'osmway': 'osm',
+  'admin0': 'qs',
+  'admin1': 'qs',
+  'admin2': 'qs',
+  'neighborhood': 'qs',
+  'locality': 'qs',
+  'local_admin': 'qs',
+  'osmaddress': 'osm',
+  'openaddresses': 'oa'
 };
 
+function lookupSource(src) {
+  return SOURCES.hasOwnProperty(src._type) ? SOURCES[src._type] : src._type;
+}
+
+function lookupLayer(src) {
+  switch(src._type) {
+    case 'osmnode':
+    case 'osmway':
+      return 'venue';
+    case 'admin0':
+      return 'country';
+    case 'admin1':
+      return 'region';
+    case 'admin2':
+      return 'county';
+    case 'neighborhood':
+      return 'neighbourhood';
+    case 'locality':
+      return 'locality';
+    case 'local_admin':
+      return 'local_admin';
+    case 'osmaddress':
+    case 'openaddresses':
+      return 'address';
+    case 'geoname':
+      if (src.category && src.category.indexOf('admin') !== -1) {
+        if (src.category.indexOf('admin:city') !== -1) { return 'locality'; }
+        if (src.category.indexOf('admin:admin1') !== -1) { return 'region'; }
+        if (src.category.indexOf('admin:admin2') !== -1) { return 'county'; }
+        return 'neighbourhood'; // this could also be 'local_admin'
+      }
+
+      if (src.name) { return 'venue'; }
+      if (src.address) { return 'address'; }
+  }
+
+  logger.warn('[geojsonify]: could not map _type ', src._type);
+
+  return src._type;
+}
+
 function geojsonifyPlaces( docs, params ){
 
   var details = params ? params.details : {};
@@ -148,12 +192,9 @@ function copyProperties( source, props, dst ) {
  * @param {object} dst
  */
 function addMetaData(src, dst) {
-  // lookup mapping, or set both values to _type if not found
-  var meta = META_MAP[src._type] || { type: src._type, source: src._type };
-
   dst.id = src._id;
-  dst.layer = meta.type;
-  dst.source = meta.source;
+  dst.layer = lookupLayer(src);
+  dst.source = lookupSource(src);
 }
 
 /**