diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/buildings/BuildingLayer.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/buildings/BuildingLayer.java
index 01eca4b7..878caf92 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/buildings/BuildingLayer.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/buildings/BuildingLayer.java
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ public class BuildingLayer extends Layer implements TileLoaderThemeHook {
 
     protected final static int BUILDING_LEVEL_HEIGHT = 280; // cm
 
-    protected final static int MIN_ZOOM = 17;
-    protected final static int MAX_ZOOM = 17;
+    public final static int MIN_ZOOM = 17;
+    public final static int MAX_ZOOM = 17;
 
     public static boolean POST_AA = false;
     public static boolean TRANSLUCENT = true;
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/TileSource.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/TileSource.java
index 2471ed02..42cf9e55 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/TileSource.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/TileSource.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 package org.oscim.tiling;
 
 import org.oscim.layers.tile.bitmap.BitmapTileLayer.FadeStep;
+import org.oscim.layers.tile.buildings.BuildingLayer;
 import org.oscim.map.Viewport;
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
@@ -81,8 +82,8 @@ public abstract class TileSource {
         }
     }
 
-    // FIXME Same as BuildingLayer.MAX_ZOOM
-    public static final int MAX_ZOOM = 17;
+    // FIXME Sane default since buildings don't have overzoom
+    public static final int MAX_ZOOM = BuildingLayer.MAX_ZOOM;
 
     protected float mAlpha = 1;
     protected int mZoomMin = Viewport.MIN_ZOOM_LEVEL;
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/mapfile/MapDatabase.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/mapfile/MapDatabase.java
index 78183893..cd0566ed 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/mapfile/MapDatabase.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/mapfile/MapDatabase.java
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * Copyright 2014-2015 Ludwig M Brinckmann
  * Copyright 2016-2018 devemux86
  * Copyright 2016 Andrey Novikov
- * Copyright 2017 Gustl22
+ * Copyright 2017-2018 Gustl22
  *
  * This file is part of the OpenScienceMap project (http://www.opensciencemap.org).
  *
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import org.oscim.core.MercatorProjection;
 import org.oscim.core.Tag;
 import org.oscim.core.Tile;
 import org.oscim.layers.tile.MapTile;
+import org.oscim.layers.tile.buildings.BuildingLayer;
 import org.oscim.tiling.ITileDataSink;
 import org.oscim.tiling.ITileDataSource;
 import org.oscim.tiling.TileSource;
@@ -954,10 +955,11 @@ public class MapDatabase implements ITileDataSource {
                     e.setLabelPosition(e.points[0] + labelPosition[0], e.points[1] + labelPosition[1]);
                 mTileProjection.project(e);
 
-                // At large query zoom levels clip everything
+                // Avoid clipping for buildings, which slows rendering.
+                // But clip everything if buildings are displayed.
                 if ((!e.tags.containsKey(Tag.KEY_BUILDING)
                         && !e.tags.containsKey(Tag.KEY_BUILDING_PART))
-                        || queryParameters.queryZoomLevel > TileSource.MAX_ZOOM) {
+                        || queryParameters.queryZoomLevel >= BuildingLayer.MIN_ZOOM) {
                     if (!mTileClipper.clip(e)) {
                         continue;
                     }