diff --git a/docs/Changelog.md b/docs/Changelog.md
index 3af5209c..1b8c3c2e 100644
--- a/docs/Changelog.md
+++ b/docs/Changelog.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 - Core utilities [#396](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/396)
 - Map scaling improvements [#401](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/401)
 - Mapsforge fix artifacts zoom > 17 [#231](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/231)
+- PolyLabel default disabled [#402](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/402)
 - vtm-theme-comparator module [#387](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/387)
 - Internal render themes various improvements [#41](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/41)
 - Many other minor improvements and bug fixes
diff --git a/vtm-android-example/src/org/oscim/android/test/MapsforgeMapActivity.java b/vtm-android-example/src/org/oscim/android/test/MapsforgeMapActivity.java
index c83d5697..45bda20a 100644
--- a/vtm-android-example/src/org/oscim/android/test/MapsforgeMapActivity.java
+++ b/vtm-android-example/src/org/oscim/android/test/MapsforgeMapActivity.java
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ public class MapsforgeMapActivity extends MapActivity {
     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
 
+        //LabelLayer.POLY_LABEL = true;
+
         startActivityForResult(new Intent(this, MapFilePicker.class),
                 SELECT_MAP_FILE);
     }
diff --git a/vtm-playground/src/org/oscim/test/MapsforgeTest.java b/vtm-playground/src/org/oscim/test/MapsforgeTest.java
index 9582f39b..b34d1edd 100644
--- a/vtm-playground/src/org/oscim/test/MapsforgeTest.java
+++ b/vtm-playground/src/org/oscim/test/MapsforgeTest.java
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ public class MapsforgeTest extends GdxMap {
 
     private static File mapFile;
 
+    private MapsforgeTest() {
+        //LabelLayer.POLY_LABEL = true;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void createLayers() {
         MapFileTileSource tileSource = new MapFileTileSource();
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelLayer.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelLayer.java
index 918b9ddd..f44e55b2 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelLayer.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelLayer.java
@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@ public class LabelLayer extends Layer implements Map.UpdateListener, TileManager
 
     static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(LabelLayer.class);
 
-    public final static String LABEL_DATA = LabelLayer.class.getName();
+    static final String LABEL_DATA = LabelLayer.class.getName();
 
-    private final static long MAX_RELABEL_DELAY = 100;
+    private static final long MAX_RELABEL_DELAY = 100;
+
+    public static boolean POLY_LABEL;
 
     private final LabelPlacement mLabelPlacer;
     private final Worker mWorker;
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelTileLoaderHook.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelTileLoaderHook.java
index b32879f2..15bd28c3 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelTileLoaderHook.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelTileLoaderHook.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2013 Hannes Janetzek
- * Copyright 2016 devemux86
+ * Copyright 2016-2017 devemux86
  * Copyright 2016 Andrey Novikov
  *
  * This file is part of the OpenScienceMap project (http://www.opensciencemap.org).
@@ -90,10 +90,28 @@ public class LabelTileLoaderHook implements TileLoaderThemeHook {
                         return false;
                 }
 
-                if (label == null)
-                    label = PolyLabel.get(element);
+                float x = 0;
+                float y = 0;
+                if (label == null) {
+                    if (LabelLayer.POLY_LABEL) {
+                        label = PolyLabel.get(element);
+                        x = label.x;
+                        y = label.y;
+                    } else {
+                        int n = element.index[0];
+                        for (int i = 0; i < n; ) {
+                            x += element.points[i++];
+                            y += element.points[i++];
+                        }
+                        x /= (n / 2);
+                        y /= (n / 2);
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    x = label.x;
+                    y = label.y;
+                }
 
-                ld.labels.push(TextItem.pool.get().set(label.x, label.y, value, text));
+                ld.labels.push(TextItem.pool.get().set(x, y, value, text));
             } else if (element.type == POINT) {
                 String value = element.tags.getValue(text.textKey);
                 if (value == null || value.length() == 0)