diff --git a/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js b/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js
index 7fba88d65..713ff60a6 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js
@@ -57,6 +57,12 @@ export function clickCloseTerminal(pipeId, closePipe) {
   updateRoute();
 }
 
+export function clickForceRelayout() {
+  AppDispatcher.dispatch({
+    type: ActionTypes.CLICK_FORCE_RELAYOUT
+  });
+}
+
 export function clickNode(nodeId, label, origin) {
   AppDispatcher.dispatch({
     type: ActionTypes.CLICK_NODE,
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js
index 91030f316..4f16b1879 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export default class NodesChart extends React.Component {
       });
     }
     // FIXME add PureRenderMixin, Immutables, and move the following functions to render()
-    if (nextProps.nodes !== this.props.nodes) {
+    if (nextProps.forceRelayout || nextProps.nodes !== this.props.nodes) {
       _.assign(state, this.updateGraphState(nextProps, state));
     }
     if (this.props.selectedNodeId !== nextProps.selectedNodeId) {
@@ -411,6 +411,7 @@ export default class NodesChart extends React.Component {
       height: props.height,
       scale: nodeScale,
       margins: MARGINS,
+      forceRelayout: props.forceRelayout,
       topologyId: this.props.topologyId
     };
 
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js
index ccad2042a..05daf643c 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ export function doLayout(immNodes, immEdges, opts) {
   let layout;
 
   ++layoutRuns;
-  if (cachedLayout && nodeCache && edgeCache && !hasUnseenNodes(immNodes, nodeCache)) {
+  if (!options.forceRelayout && cachedLayout && nodeCache && edgeCache && !hasUnseenNodes(immNodes, nodeCache)) {
     log('skip layout, trivial adjustment', ++layoutRunsTrivial, layoutRuns);
     layout = cloneLayout(cachedLayout, immNodes, immEdges);
     // copy old properties, works also if nodes get re-added
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/app.js b/client/app/scripts/components/app.js
index 7b57180e6..9a796b5a1 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/components/app.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/components/app.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import Status from './status.js';
 import Topologies from './topologies.js';
 import TopologyOptions from './topology-options.js';
 import { getApiDetails, getTopologies, basePathSlash } from '../utils/web-api-utils';
-import { hitEsc } from '../actions/app-actions';
+import { clickForceRelayout, hitEsc } from '../actions/app-actions';
 import Details from './details';
 import Nodes from './nodes';
 import EmbeddedTerminal from './embedded-terminal';
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ function getStateFromStores() {
     currentTopologyId: AppStore.getCurrentTopologyId(),
     currentTopologyOptions: AppStore.getCurrentTopologyOptions(),
     errorUrl: AppStore.getErrorUrl(),
+    forceRelayout: AppStore.isForceRelayout(),
     highlightedEdgeIds: AppStore.getHighlightedEdgeIds(),
     highlightedNodeIds: AppStore.getHighlightedNodeIds(),
     hostname: AppStore.getHostname(),
@@ -79,6 +80,8 @@ export default class App extends React.Component {
     // link url to switch contrast with current UI state
     const otherContrastModeUrl = contrastMode ? basePathSlash(window.location.pathname) : 'contrast.html';
     const otherContrastModeTitle = contrastMode ? 'Switch to normal contrast' : 'Switch to high contrast';
+    const forceRelayoutClassName = 'footer-label footer-label-icon';
+    const forceRelayoutTitle = 'Force re-layout (might reduce edge crossings, but may shift nodes around)';
 
     return (
       <div className="app">
@@ -100,6 +103,7 @@ export default class App extends React.Component {
         <Nodes nodes={this.state.nodes} highlightedNodeIds={this.state.highlightedNodeIds}
           highlightedEdgeIds={this.state.highlightedEdgeIds} detailsWidth={detailsWidth}
           selectedNodeId={this.state.selectedNodeId} topMargin={topMargin}
+          forceRelayout={this.state.forceRelayout}
           topologyId={this.state.currentTopologyId} />
 
         <Sidebar>
@@ -117,6 +121,9 @@ export default class App extends React.Component {
           <span className="footer-label">on</span>
           {this.state.hostname}
           &nbsp;
+          <a className={forceRelayoutClassName} onClick={clickForceRelayout} title={forceRelayoutTitle}>
+            <span className="fa fa-refresh" />
+          </a>
           <a className="footer-label footer-label-icon" href={otherContrastModeUrl} title={otherContrastModeTitle}>
             <span className="fa fa-adjust" />
           </a>
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/nodes.js b/client/app/scripts/components/nodes.js
index 291d27732..42e9aaf16 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/components/nodes.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/components/nodes.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export default class Nodes extends React.Component {
         nodes={this.props.nodes}
         width={this.state.width}
         height={this.state.height}
+        forceRelayout={this.props.forceRelayout}
         topologyId={this.props.topologyId}
         detailsWidth={this.props.detailsWidth}
         topMargin={this.props.topMargin}
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/constants/action-types.js b/client/app/scripts/constants/action-types.js
index 0cdf0b39a..3e62b7bc2 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/constants/action-types.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/constants/action-types.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const ACTION_TYPES = [
   'CLICK_BACKGROUND',
   'CLICK_CLOSE_DETAILS',
   'CLICK_CLOSE_TERMINAL',
+  'CLICK_FORCE_RELAYOUT',
   'CLICK_NODE',
   'CLICK_RELATIVE',
   'CLICK_SHOW_TOPOLOGY_FOR_NODE',
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/stores/app-store.js b/client/app/scripts/stores/app-store.js
index fa6b4036d..1b6d8056e 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/stores/app-store.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/stores/app-store.js
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ let controlStatus = makeMap();
 let currentTopology = null;
 let currentTopologyId = 'containers';
 let errorUrl = null;
+let forceRelayout = false;
 let hostname = '...';
 let version = '...';
 let mouseOverEdgeId = null;
@@ -266,6 +267,10 @@ export class AppStore extends Store {
     return version;
   }
 
+  isForceRelayout() {
+    return forceRelayout;
+  }
+
   isRouteSet() {
     return routeSet;
   }
@@ -320,6 +325,15 @@ export class AppStore extends Store {
       this.__emitChange();
       break;
 
+    case ActionTypes.CLICK_FORCE_RELAYOUT:
+      forceRelayout = true;
+      // fire only once, reset after emitChange
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        forceRelayout = false;
+      }, 0);
+      this.__emitChange();
+      break;
+
     case ActionTypes.CLICK_NODE:
       const prevSelectedNodeId = selectedNodeId;
       const prevDetailsStackSize = nodeDetails.size;
@@ -482,6 +496,8 @@ export class AppStore extends Store {
     case ActionTypes.RECEIVE_NODES_DELTA:
       const emptyMessage = !payload.delta.add && !payload.delta.remove
         && !payload.delta.update;
+      // this action is called frequently, good to check if something changed
+      const emitChange = !emptyMessage || errorUrl !== null;
 
       if (!emptyMessage) {
         log('RECEIVE_NODES_DELTA',
@@ -516,7 +532,9 @@ export class AppStore extends Store {
         nodes = nodes.set(node.id, Immutable.fromJS(makeNode(node)));
       });
 
-      this.__emitChange();
+      if (emitChange) {
+        this.__emitChange();
+      }
       break;
 
     case ActionTypes.RECEIVE_NOT_FOUND: