diff --git a/examples/overlaysExample.js b/examples/overlaysExample.js
index c1835f8957..778de0421e 100644
--- a/examples/overlaysExample.js
+++ b/examples/overlaysExample.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ for (s = 0; s < numberOfSwatches; s++) {
         imageFromY = 55;
     }
 
-    swatches[s] = Overlays.addOverlay({
+    swatches[s] = Overlays.addOverlay("image", {
                     x: 100 + (30 * s),
                     y: 200,
                     width: 31,
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ for (s = 0; s < numberOfSwatches; s++) {
                 });
 }
 
-var toolA = Overlays.addOverlay({
+var toolA = Overlays.addOverlay("image", {
                     x: 100,
                     y: 100,
                     width: 62,
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ var toolA = Overlays.addOverlay({
                     visible: false
                 });
 
-var slider = Overlays.addOverlay({
+var slider = Overlays.addOverlay("image", {
                     // alternate form of expressing bounds
                     bounds: { x: 100, y: 300, width: 158, height: 35},
                     imageURL: "https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highfidelity-public/images/slider.png",
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ var slider = Overlays.addOverlay({
 var minThumbX = 130;
 var maxThumbX = minThumbX + 65;
 var thumbX = (minThumbX + maxThumbX) / 2;
-var thumb = Overlays.addOverlay({
+var thumb = Overlays.addOverlay("image", {
                     x: thumbX,
                     y: 309,
                     width: 18,
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.cpp
index 5849fdae7d..5d7d7efcc0 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,6 @@ void ImageOverlay::setProperties(const QScriptValue& properties) {
 
     if (properties.property("visible").isValid()) {
         setVisible(properties.property("visible").toVariant().toBool());
-        qDebug() << "setting visible to " << getVisible();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/Overlays.cpp b/interface/src/ui/Overlays.cpp
index fef2e94a85..5c19dc5529 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/Overlays.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/Overlays.cpp
@@ -27,13 +27,17 @@ void Overlays::render() {
 }
 
 // TODO: make multi-threaded safe
-unsigned int Overlays::addOverlay(const QScriptValue& properties) {
-    unsigned int thisID = _nextOverlayID;
-    _nextOverlayID++;
-    ImageOverlay* thisOverlay = new ImageOverlay();
-    thisOverlay->init(_parent);
-    thisOverlay->setProperties(properties);
-    _imageOverlays[thisID] = thisOverlay;
+unsigned int Overlays::addOverlay(const QString& type, const QScriptValue& properties) {
+    unsigned int thisID = 0;
+    
+    if (type == "image") {
+        thisID = _nextOverlayID;
+        _nextOverlayID++;
+        ImageOverlay* thisOverlay = new ImageOverlay();
+        thisOverlay->init(_parent);
+        thisOverlay->setProperties(properties);
+        _imageOverlays[thisID] = thisOverlay;
+    }
     return thisID; 
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/Overlays.h b/interface/src/ui/Overlays.h
index a1ced3979d..ed686dc024 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/Overlays.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/Overlays.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public:
 
 public slots:
     /// adds an overlay with the specific properties
-    unsigned int addOverlay(const QScriptValue& properties);
+    unsigned int addOverlay(const QString& type, const QScriptValue& properties);
 
     /// edits an overlay updating only the included properties, will return the identified OverlayID in case of
     /// successful edit, if the input id is for an unknown overlay this function will have no effect