diff --git a/src/view.map.js b/src/view.map.js
index 8199dae2..d6de52fc 100644
--- a/src/view.map.js
+++ b/src/view.map.js
@@ -131,6 +131,39 @@ my.Map = Backbone.View.extend({
     return html;
   },
 
+  // Options to use for the [Leaflet GeoJSON layer](http://leaflet.cloudmade.com/reference.html#geojson)
+  // See also <http://leaflet.cloudmade.com/examples/geojson.html>
+  //
+  // e.g.
+  //
+  //     pointToLayer: function(feature, latLng)
+  //     onEachFeature: function(feature, layer)
+  //
+  // See defaults for examples
+  geoJsonLayerOptions: {
+    // pointToLayer function to use when creating points
+    //
+    // Default behaviour shown here is to create a marker using the
+    // popupContent set on the feature properties (created via infobox function
+    // during feature generation)
+    //
+    // NB: inside pointToLayer `this` will be set to point to this map view
+    // instance (which allows e.g. this.markers to work in this default case)
+    pointToLayer: function (feature, latlng) {
+      var marker = new L.Marker(latlng);
+      marker.bindPopup(feature.properties.popupContent);
+      // this is for cluster case
+      this.markers.addLayer(marker);
+      return marker;
+    },
+    // onEachFeature default which adds popup in
+    onEachFeature: function(feature, layer) {
+      if (feature.properties && feature.properties.popupContent) {
+        layer.bindPopup(feature.properties.popupContent);
+      }
+    }
+  },
+
   // END: Customization section
   // ----
 
@@ -195,6 +228,15 @@ my.Map = Backbone.View.extend({
         return;
       }
 
+      // this must come before zooming!
+      // if not: errors when using e.g. circle markers like
+      // "Cannot call method 'project' of undefined"
+      if (this.state.get('cluster')) {
+        this.map.addLayer(this.markers);
+      } else {
+        this.map.addLayer(this.features);
+      }
+
       if (this.state.get('autoZoom')){
         if (this.visible){
           this._zoomToFeatures();
@@ -202,11 +244,6 @@ my.Map = Backbone.View.extend({
           this._zoomPending = true;
         }
       }
-      if (this.state.get('cluster')) {
-        this.map.addLayer(this.markers);
-      } else {
-        this.map.addLayer(this.features);
-      }
     }
   },
 
@@ -323,7 +360,7 @@ my.Map = Backbone.View.extend({
         } else {
           return null;
         }
-      } else if (value && value.slice) {
+      } else if (value && _.isArray(value)) {
         // [ lon, lat ]
         return {
           "type": "Point",
@@ -412,14 +449,11 @@ my.Map = Backbone.View.extend({
 
     this.markers = new L.MarkerClusterGroup(this._clusterOptions);
 
-    this.features = new L.GeoJSON(null,{
-        pointToLayer: function (feature, latlng) {
-          var marker = new L.marker(latlng);
-          marker.bindPopup(feature.properties.popupContent);
-          self.markers.addLayer(marker);
-          return marker;
-        }
-    });
+    // rebind this (as needed in e.g. default case above)
+    this.geoJsonLayerOptions.pointToLayer =  _.bind(
+        this.geoJsonLayerOptions.pointToLayer,
+        this);
+    this.features = new L.GeoJSON(null, this.geoJsonLayerOptions);
 
     this.map.setView([0, 0], 2);
 
diff --git a/test/view.map.test.js b/test/view.map.test.js
index 3d8f038f..e429f646 100644
--- a/test/view.map.test.js
+++ b/test/view.map.test.js
@@ -207,6 +207,26 @@ test('Popup - Custom', function () {
   view.remove();
 });
 
+test('geoJsonLayerOptions', function () {
+  var dataset = GeoJSONFixture.getDataset();
+  var view = new recline.View.Map({
+    model: dataset
+  });
+  $('.fixtures').append(view.el);
+  view.geoJsonLayerOptions.point 
+  view.geoJsonLayerOptions.pointToLayer = function(feature, latlng) {
+    var marker = new L.CircleMarker(latlng, { radius: 8 } );
+    marker.bindPopup(feature.properties.popupContent);
+    return marker;
+  }
+  view.render();
+
+  // TODO: test it somehow?
+  expect(0);
+
+  view.remove();
+});
+
 test('MapMenu', function () {
   var dataset = Fixture.getDataset();
   var controls = new recline.View.MapMenu({