diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/__tests__/node-layout-test.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/__tests__/node-layout-test.js
index 7baa0d33e..8f8c7b969 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/__tests__/node-layout-test.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/__tests__/node-layout-test.js
@@ -35,6 +35,21 @@ describe('NodesLayout', () => {
         'n2-n4': {id: 'n2-n4', source: 'n2', target: 'n4'}
       })
     },
+    addNode15: {
+      nodes: fromJS({
+        n1: {id: 'n1'},
+        n2: {id: 'n2'},
+        n3: {id: 'n3'},
+        n4: {id: 'n4'},
+        n5: {id: 'n5'}
+      }),
+      edges: fromJS({
+        'n1-n3': {id: 'n1-n3', source: 'n1', target: 'n3'},
+        'n1-n4': {id: 'n1-n4', source: 'n1', target: 'n4'},
+        'n1-n5': {id: 'n1-n5', source: 'n1', target: 'n5'},
+        'n2-n4': {id: 'n2-n4', source: 'n2', target: 'n4'}
+      })
+    },
     removeEdge24: {
       nodes: fromJS({
         n1: {id: 'n1'},
@@ -86,6 +101,19 @@ describe('NodesLayout', () => {
       edges: fromJS({
         'n1-n4': {id: 'n1-n4', source: 'n1', target: 'n4'}
       })
+    },
+    singlePortrait6: {
+      nodes: fromJS({
+        n1: {id: 'n1'},
+        n2: {id: 'n2'},
+        n3: {id: 'n3'},
+        n4: {id: 'n4'},
+        n5: {id: 'n5'},
+        n6: {id: 'n6'}
+      }),
+      edges: fromJS({
+        'n1-n4': {id: 'n1-n4', source: 'n1', target: 'n4'}
+      })
     }
   };
 
@@ -282,4 +310,65 @@ describe('NodesLayout', () => {
     expect(nodes.n1.x).toBeLessThan(nodes.n5.x);
     expect(nodes.n2.x).toEqual(nodes.n5.x);
   });
+
+  it('renders an additional single node in single nodes group', () => {
+    let result = NodesLayout.doLayout(
+      nodeSets.singlePortrait.nodes,
+      nodeSets.singlePortrait.edges);
+
+    nodes = result.nodes.toJS();
+
+    // first square row on same level as top-most other node
+    expect(nodes.n1.y).toEqual(nodes.n2.y);
+    expect(nodes.n1.y).toEqual(nodes.n3.y);
+    expect(nodes.n4.y).toEqual(nodes.n5.y);
+
+    // all singles right to other nodes
+    expect(nodes.n1.x).toEqual(nodes.n4.x);
+    expect(nodes.n1.x).toBeLessThan(nodes.n2.x);
+    expect(nodes.n1.x).toBeLessThan(nodes.n3.x);
+    expect(nodes.n1.x).toBeLessThan(nodes.n5.x);
+    expect(nodes.n2.x).toEqual(nodes.n5.x);
+
+    options.cachedLayout = result;
+    options.nodeCache = options.nodeCache.merge(result.nodes);
+    options.edgeCache = options.edgeCache.merge(result.edge);
+
+    result = NodesLayout.doLayout(
+      nodeSets.singlePortrait6.nodes,
+      nodeSets.singlePortrait6.edges,
+      options
+    );
+
+    nodes = result.nodes.toJS();
+
+    expect(nodes.n1.x).toBeLessThan(nodes.n2.x);
+    expect(nodes.n1.x).toBeLessThan(nodes.n3.x);
+    expect(nodes.n1.x).toBeLessThan(nodes.n5.x);
+    expect(nodes.n1.x).toBeLessThan(nodes.n6.x);
+  });
+
+  it('adds a new node to existing layout in a line', () => {
+    let result = NodesLayout.doLayout(
+      nodeSets.initial4.nodes,
+      nodeSets.initial4.edges);
+
+    nodes = result.nodes.toJS();
+
+    coords = getNodeCoordinates(result.nodes);
+    options.cachedLayout = result;
+    options.nodeCache = options.nodeCache.merge(result.nodes);
+    options.edgeCache = options.edgeCache.merge(result.edge);
+
+    result = NodesLayout.doLayout(
+      nodeSets.addNode15.nodes,
+      nodeSets.addNode15.edges,
+      options
+    );
+
+    nodes = result.nodes.toJS();
+
+    expect(nodes.n1.x).toBeGreaterThan(nodes.n5.x);
+    expect(nodes.n1.y).toEqual(nodes.n5.y);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js
index 116e35f4d..e41b5a9b8 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js
@@ -274,6 +274,13 @@ export function hasUnseenNodes(nodes, cache) {
   return hasUnseen;
 }
 
+function hasNewSingleNode(nodes, cache) {
+  return (ImmSet
+    .fromKeys(nodes)
+    .subtract(ImmSet.fromKeys(cache))
+    .every(key => nodes.getIn([key, 'degree']) === 0));
+}
+
 /**
  * Determine if edge has same endpoints in new nodes as well as in the nodeCache
  * @param  {Map}  edge      Edge with source and target
@@ -364,9 +371,14 @@ export function doLayout(immNodes, immEdges, opts) {
   } else {
     const graph = cache.graph;
     const nodesWithDegrees = updateNodeDegrees(immNodes, immEdges);
-    layout = runLayoutEngine(graph, nodesWithDegrees, immEdges, opts);
-    if (!layout) {
-      return layout;
+    if (hasNewSingleNode(nodesWithDegrees, nodeCache)) {
+      layout = cloneLayout(cachedLayout, immNodes, immEdges);
+      layout = copyLayoutProperties(layout, nodeCache, edgeCache);
+    } else {
+      layout = runLayoutEngine(graph, nodesWithDegrees, immEdges, opts);
+      if (!layout) {
+        return layout;
+      }
     }
     layout = layoutSingleNodes(layout, opts);
     layout = shiftLayoutToCenter(layout, opts);
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/debug-toolbar.js b/client/app/scripts/components/debug-toolbar.js
index 1888d9fda..34e771cca 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/components/debug-toolbar.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/components/debug-toolbar.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import d3 from 'd3';
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import Perf from 'react-addons-perf';
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
-import { fromJS } from 'immutable';
+import { fromJS, Set as makeSet } from 'immutable';
 
 import debug from 'debug';
 const log = debug('scope:debug-panel');
@@ -160,6 +160,10 @@ class DebugToolbar extends React.Component {
     this.onChange = this.onChange.bind(this);
     this.toggleColors = this.toggleColors.bind(this);
     this.addNodes = this.addNodes.bind(this);
+    this.intermittendTimer = null;
+    this.intermittendNodes = makeSet();
+    this.shortLivedTimer = null;
+    this.shortLivedNodes = makeSet();
     this.state = {
       nodesToAdd: 30,
       showColors: false
@@ -197,6 +201,66 @@ class DebugToolbar extends React.Component {
     }));
   }
 
+  setIntermittend() {
+    // simulate epheremal nodes
+    if (this.intermittendTimer) {
+      clearInterval(this.intermittendTimer);
+      this.intermittendTimer = null;
+    } else {
+      this.intermittendTimer = setInterval(() => {
+        // add new node
+        this.addNodes(1);
+
+        // remove random node
+        const ns = this.props.nodes;
+        const nodeNames = ns.keySeq().toJS();
+        const randomNode = _.sample(nodeNames);
+        this.asyncDispatch(receiveNodesDelta({
+          remove: [randomNode]
+        }));
+      }, 1000);
+    }
+  }
+
+  setShortLived() {
+    // simulate nodes with same ID popping in and out
+    if (this.shortLivedTimer) {
+      clearInterval(this.shortLivedTimer);
+      this.shortLivedTimer = null;
+    } else {
+      this.shortLivedTimer = setInterval(() => {
+        // filter random node
+        const ns = this.props.nodes;
+        const nodeNames = ns.keySeq().toJS();
+        const randomNode = _.sample(nodeNames);
+        if (randomNode) {
+          let nextNodes = ns.setIn([randomNode, 'filtered'], true);
+          this.shortLivedNodes = this.shortLivedNodes.add(randomNode);
+          // bring nodes back after a bit
+          if (this.shortLivedNodes.size > 5) {
+            const returningNode = this.shortLivedNodes.first();
+            this.shortLivedNodes = this.shortLivedNodes.rest();
+            nextNodes = nextNodes.setIn([returningNode, 'filtered'], false);
+          }
+          this.asyncDispatch(setAppState(state => state.set('nodes', nextNodes)));
+        }
+      }, 1000);
+    }
+  }
+
+  updateAdjacencies() {
+    const ns = this.props.nodes;
+    const nodeNames = ns.keySeq().toJS();
+    this.asyncDispatch(receiveNodesDelta({
+      add: this._addNodes(7),
+      update: sample(nodeNames).map(n => ({
+        id: n,
+        adjacency: sample(nodeNames),
+      }), nodeNames.length),
+      remove: this._removeNode(),
+    }));
+  }
+
   _addNodes(n, prefix = 'zing') {
     const ns = this.props.nodes;
     const nodeNames = ns.keySeq().toJS();
@@ -303,6 +367,12 @@ class DebugToolbar extends React.Component {
           <button onClick={() => this.setLoading(false)}>Stop</button>
         </div>
 
+        <div>
+          <label>Short-lived nodes</label>
+          <button onClick={() => this.setShortLived()}>Toggle short-lived nodes</button>
+          <button onClick={() => this.setIntermittend()}>Toggle intermittend nodes</button>
+        </div>
+
         <div>
           <label>Measure React perf for </label>
           <button onClick={() => startPerf(2)}>2s</button>