diff --git a/src/view-map.js b/src/view-map.js
index 9ceb07b1..a6361d75 100644
--- a/src/view-map.js
+++ b/src/view-map.js
@@ -335,12 +335,16 @@ my.Map = Backbone.View.extend({
   // If not found, the user can define them via the UI form.
   _setupGeometryField: function(){
     var geomField, latField, lonField;
-    this.state.set({
-      geomField: this._checkField(this.geometryFieldNames),
-      latField: this._checkField(this.latitudeFieldNames),
-      lonField: this._checkField(this.longitudeFieldNames)
-    });
     this.geomReady = (this.state.get('geomField') || (this.state.get('latField') && this.state.get('lonField')));
+    // should not overwrite if we have already set this (e.g. explicitly via state)
+    if (!this.geomReady) {
+      this.state.set({
+        geomField: this._checkField(this.geometryFieldNames),
+        latField: this._checkField(this.latitudeFieldNames),
+        lonField: this._checkField(this.longitudeFieldNames)
+      });
+      this.geomReady = (this.state.get('geomField') || (this.state.get('latField') && this.state.get('lonField')));
+    }
   },
 
   // Private: Check if a field in the current model exists in the provided
diff --git a/src/view.js b/src/view.js
index 358b2aa3..44881967 100644
--- a/src/view.js
+++ b/src/view.js
@@ -184,8 +184,8 @@ my.DataExplorer = Backbone.View.extend({
   initialize: function(options) {
     var self = this;
     this.el = $(this.el);
-    // Hash of 'page' views (i.e. those for whole page) keyed by page name
     this._setupState(options.state);
+    // Hash of 'page' views (i.e. those for whole page) keyed by page name
     if (options.views) {
       this.pageViews = options.views;
     } else {
diff --git a/test/view.test.js b/test/view.test.js
index 19fcc177..4dec5d89 100644
--- a/test/view.test.js
+++ b/test/view.test.js
@@ -47,17 +47,26 @@ test('initialize state', function () {
       currentView: 'graph',
       'view-grid': {
         hiddenFields: ['x']
+      },
+      'view-map': {
+        latField: 'lat1',
+        lonField: 'lon1'
       }
     }
   });
   ok(explorer.state.get('readOnly'));
   ok(explorer.state.get('currentView'), 'graph');
+
   // check the correct view is visible
   var css = explorer.el.find('.navigation a[data-view="graph"]').attr('class').split(' ');
   ok(_.contains(css, 'disabled'), css);
-
   var css = explorer.el.find('.navigation a[data-view="grid"]').attr('class').split(' ');
   ok(!(_.contains(css, 'disabled')), css);
+
+  // check pass through of view config
+  deepEqual(explorer.state.get('view-grid')['hiddenFields'], ['x']);
+  equal(explorer.state.get('view-map')['lonField'], 'lon1');
+
   $el.remove();
 });