diff --git a/pandora/item/views.py b/pandora/item/views.py
index 671fbe5d8..a51443c51 100644
--- a/pandora/item/views.py
+++ b/pandora/item/views.py
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ def get(request):
         info = item.get_json(data['keys'])
         if not data['keys'] or 'stream' in data['keys']:
             info['stream'] = item.get_stream()
-        if not data['keys'] or 'layers' in data['keys']:
+        if data['keys'] and 'layers' in data['keys']:
             info['layers'] = item.get_layers(request.user)
         if data['keys'] and 'files' in data['keys']:
             info['files'] = item.get_files(request.user)
diff --git a/static/js/pandora/ui/item.js b/static/js/pandora/ui/item.js
index ad7feba32..98d969629 100644
--- a/static/js/pandora/ui/item.js
+++ b/static/js/pandora/ui/item.js
@@ -105,166 +105,172 @@ pandora.ui.item = function() {
             // fixme: duplicated
             var layers = [],
                 video = {};
-            pandora.site.layers.forEach(function(layer, i) {
-                layers[i] = Ox.extend({}, layer, {items: result.data.layers[layer.id]});
-            });
-            pandora.site.video.resolutions.forEach(function(resolution) {
-                video[resolution] = Ox.range(result.data.parts).map(function(i) {
-                    return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/'
-                        + resolution + 'p' + (i + 1) + '.' + pandora.user.videoFormat;
+            pandora.api.get({id: pandora.user.ui.item, keys: ['layers']}, function(r) {
+                pandora.site.layers.forEach(function(layer, i) {
+                    layers[i] = Ox.extend({}, layer, {items: r.data.layers[layer.id]});
                 });
+                pandora.site.video.resolutions.forEach(function(resolution) {
+                    video[resolution] = Ox.range(result.data.parts).map(function(i) {
+                        return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/'
+                            + resolution + 'p' + (i + 1) + '.' + pandora.user.videoFormat;
+                    });
+                });
+                //
+                pandora.$ui.contentPanel.replaceElement(1, pandora.$ui.player = Ox.VideoPanelPlayer({
+                    annotationsSize: pandora.user.ui.annotationsSize,
+                    cuts: result.data.cuts || [],
+                    duration: result.data.duration,
+                    getTimelineImageURL: function(i) {
+                        return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/timeline64p' + i + '.png';
+                    },
+                    height: pandora.$ui.contentPanel.size(1),
+                    'in': pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item]['in'],
+                    muted: pandora.user.ui.videoMuted,
+                    out: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].out,
+                    position: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].position,
+                    scaleToFill: pandora.user.ui.videoScale == 'fill',
+                    showAnnotations: pandora.user.ui.showAnnotations,
+                    showControls: pandora.user.ui.showControls,
+                    subtitles: r.data.layers.subtitles ?
+                        r.data.layers.subtitles.map(function(subtitle) {
+                            return {'in': subtitle['in'], out: subtitle.out, text: subtitle.value};
+                        }) : [],
+                    tooltips: true,
+                    timeline: '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/timeline16p.png',
+                    video: video,
+                    volume: pandora.user.ui.videoVolume,
+                    width: pandora.$ui.document.width() - pandora.$ui.mainPanel.size(0) - 1
+                }).bindEvent({
+                    muted: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('muted', data.muted);
+                    },
+                    position: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('videoPoints.' + pandora.user.ui.item + '.position', data.position);
+                    },
+                    resizeannotations: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('annotationsSize', data.annotationsSize);
+                    },
+                    scale: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('videoScale', data.scale);
+                    },
+                    toggleannotations: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('showAnnotations', data.showAnnotations);
+                    },
+                    togglecontrols: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('showControls', data.showControls);
+                    },
+                    volume: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('volume', data.volume);
+                    },
+                    pandora_showannotations: function(data) {
+                        pandora.$ui.player.options({showAnnotations: data.value});
+                    }
+                }));
             });
-            //
-            pandora.$ui.contentPanel.replaceElement(1, pandora.$ui.player = Ox.VideoPanelPlayer({
-                annotationsSize: pandora.user.ui.annotationsSize,
-                cuts: result.data.cuts || [],
-                duration: result.data.duration,
-                getTimelineImageURL: function(i) {
-                    return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/timeline64p' + i + '.png';
-                },
-                height: pandora.$ui.contentPanel.size(1),
-                'in': pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item]['in'],
-                muted: pandora.user.ui.videoMuted,
-                out: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].out,
-                position: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].position,
-                scaleToFill: pandora.user.ui.videoScale == 'fill',
-                showAnnotations: pandora.user.ui.showAnnotations,
-                showControls: pandora.user.ui.showControls,
-                subtitles: result.data.layers.subtitles ? result.data.layers.subtitles.map(function(subtitle) {
-                    return {'in': subtitle['in'], out: subtitle.out, text: subtitle.value};
-                }) : [],
-                tooltips: true,
-                timeline: '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/timeline16p.png',
-                video: video,
-                volume: pandora.user.ui.videoVolume,
-                width: pandora.$ui.document.width() - pandora.$ui.mainPanel.size(0) - 1
-            }).bindEvent({
-                muted: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('muted', data.muted);
-                },
-                position: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('videoPoints.' + pandora.user.ui.item + '.position', data.position);
-                },
-                resizeannotations: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('annotationsSize', data.annotationsSize);
-                },
-                scale: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('videoScale', data.scale);
-                },
-                toggleannotations: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('showAnnotations', data.showAnnotations);
-                },
-                togglecontrols: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('showControls', data.showControls);
-                },
-                volume: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('volume', data.volume);
-                },
-                pandora_showannotations: function(data) {
-                    pandora.$ui.player.options({showAnnotations: data.value});
-                }
-            }));
 
         } else if (pandora.user.ui.itemView == 'timeline') {
             var layers = [],
                 video = {};
-            pandora.site.layers.forEach(function(layer) {
-                layers.push(Ox.extend({items: result.data.layers[layer.id]}, layer));
-            });
-            pandora.site.video.resolutions.forEach(function(resolution) {
-                video[resolution] = Ox.range(result.data.parts).map(function(i) {
-                    return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/'
-                        + resolution + 'p' + (i + 1) + '.' + pandora.user.videoFormat;
+            pandora.api.get({id: pandora.user.ui.item, keys: ['layers']}, function(r) {
+                pandora.site.layers.forEach(function(layer) {
+                    layers.push(Ox.extend({items: r.data.layers[layer.id]}, layer));
                 });
-            });
-            pandora.$ui.contentPanel.replaceElement(1, pandora.$ui.editor = Ox.VideoEditor({
-                annotationsSize: pandora.user.ui.annotationsSize,
-                cuts: result.data.cuts || [],
-                duration: result.data.duration,
-                find: '',
-                getFrameURL: function(position) {
-                    return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/' + Ox.last(pandora.site.video.resolutions) + 'p' + position + '.jpg';
-                },
-                getLargeTimelineImageURL: function(i) {
-                    return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/timeline64p' + i + '.png';
-                },
-                getSmallTimelineImageURL: function(i) {
-                    return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/timeline16p' + i + '.png';
-                },
-                height: pandora.$ui.contentPanel.size(1),
-                id: 'editor',
-                'in': pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item]['in'],
-                layers: layers,
-                muted: pandora.user.ui.videoMuted,
-                out: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].out,
-                position: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].position,
-                posterFrame: parseInt(video.duration / 2),
-                showAnnotations: pandora.user.ui.showAnnotations,
-                showLargeTimeline: true,
-                // fixme: layers have value, subtitles has text?
-                subtitles: result.data.layers.subtitles ? result.data.layers.subtitles.map(function(subtitle) {
-                    return {'in': subtitle['in'], out: subtitle.out, text: subtitle.value};
-                }) : [],
-                tooltips: true,
-                video: video,
-                videoRatio: result.data.videoRatio,
-                videoSize: pandora.user.ui.videoSize,
-                width: pandora.$ui.document.width() - pandora.$ui.mainPanel.size(0) - 1
-            }).bindEvent({
-                points: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('videoPoints.' + pandora.user.ui.item, {
-                        'in': data['in'],
-                        out: data.out,
-                        position: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].position
+                pandora.site.video.resolutions.forEach(function(resolution) {
+                    video[resolution] = Ox.range(result.data.parts).map(function(i) {
+                        return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/'
+                            + resolution + 'p' + (i + 1) + '.' + pandora.user.videoFormat;
                     });
-                },
-                position: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('videoPoints.' + pandora.user.ui.item + '.position', data.position);
-                },
-                resize: function(data) {
-                    Ox.print('RESIZE!!', data.size)
+                });
+                pandora.$ui.contentPanel.replaceElement(1, pandora.$ui.editor = Ox.VideoEditor({
+                    annotationsSize: pandora.user.ui.annotationsSize,
+                    cuts: result.data.cuts || [],
+                    duration: result.data.duration,
+                    find: '',
+                    getFrameURL: function(position) {
+                        return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/' + Ox.last(pandora.site.video.resolutions) + 'p' + position + '.jpg';
+                    },
+                    getLargeTimelineImageURL: function(i) {
+                        return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/timeline64p' + i + '.png';
+                    },
+                    getSmallTimelineImageURL: function(i) {
+                        return '/' + pandora.user.ui.item + '/timeline16p' + i + '.png';
+                    },
+                    height: pandora.$ui.contentPanel.size(1),
+                    id: 'editor',
+                    'in': pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item]['in'],
+                    layers: layers,
+                    muted: pandora.user.ui.videoMuted,
+                    out: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].out,
+                    position: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].position,
+                    posterFrame: parseInt(video.duration / 2),
+                    showAnnotations: pandora.user.ui.showAnnotations,
+                    showLargeTimeline: true,
+                    // fixme: layers have value, subtitles has text?
+                    subtitles: r.data.layers.subtitles ?
+                        r.data.layers.subtitles.map(function(subtitle) {
+                            return {'in': subtitle['in'], out: subtitle.out, text: subtitle.value};
+                        }) : [],
+                    tooltips: true,
+                    video: video,
+                    videoRatio: result.data.videoRatio,
+                    videoSize: pandora.user.ui.videoSize,
+                    width: pandora.$ui.document.width() - pandora.$ui.mainPanel.size(0) - 1
+                }).bindEvent({
+                    points: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('videoPoints.' + pandora.user.ui.item, {
+                            'in': data['in'],
+                            out: data.out,
+                            position: pandora.user.ui.videoPoints[pandora.user.ui.item].position
+                        });
+                    },
+                    position: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('videoPoints.' + pandora.user.ui.item + '.position', data.position);
+                    },
+                    resize: function(data) {
+                        Ox.print('RESIZE!!', data.size)
+                        pandora.$ui.editor.options({
+                            height: data.size
+                        });
+                    },
+                    resizeend: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set({annotationsSize: data.size});
+                    },
+                    togglesize: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set({videoSize: data.size});
+                    },
+                    addannotation: function(data) {
+                        Ox.print('addAnnotation', data);
+                        data.item = pandora.user.ui.item;
+                        data.value = 'Click to edit';
+                        pandora.api.addAnnotation(data, function(result) {
+                            pandora.$ui.editor.addAnnotation(data.layer, result.data);
+                        });
+                    },
+                    removeannotations: function(data) {
+                        pandora.api.removeAnnotations(data, function(result) {
+                            //fixme: check for errors
+                            pandora.$ui.editor.removeAnnotations(data.layer, data.ids);
+                        });
+                    },
+                    toggleannotations: function(data) {
+                        pandora.UI.set('showAnnotations', data.showAnnotations);
+                    },
+                    updateannotation: function(data) {
+                        //fixme: check that edit was successfull
+                        pandora.api.editAnnotation(data, function(result) {
+                            Ox.print('done updateAnnotation', result);
+                            
+                        });
+                    },
+                    pandora_showannotations: function(data) {
+                        pandora.$ui.editor.options({showAnnotations: data.value});
+                    }
+                }));
+                that.bindEvent('resize', function(data) {
+                    //Ox.print('resize item', data)
                     pandora.$ui.editor.options({
                         height: data.size
                     });
-                },
-                resizeend: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set({annotationsSize: data.size});
-                },
-                togglesize: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set({videoSize: data.size});
-                },
-                addannotation: function(data) {
-                    Ox.print('addAnnotation', data);
-                    data.item = pandora.user.ui.item;
-                    data.value = 'Click to edit';
-                    pandora.api.addAnnotation(data, function(result) {
-                        pandora.$ui.editor.addAnnotation(data.layer, result.data);
-                    });
-                },
-                removeannotations: function(data) {
-                    pandora.api.removeAnnotations(data, function(result) {
-                        //fixme: check for errors
-                        pandora.$ui.editor.removeAnnotations(data.layer, data.ids);
-                    });
-                },
-                toggleannotations: function(data) {
-                    pandora.UI.set('showAnnotations', data.showAnnotations);
-                },
-                updateannotation: function(data) {
-                    //fixme: check that edit was successfull
-                    pandora.api.editAnnotation(data, function(result) {
-                        Ox.print('done updateAnnotation', result);
-                        
-                    });
-                },
-                pandora_showannotations: function(data) {
-                    pandora.$ui.editor.options({showAnnotations: data.value});
-                }
-            }));
-            that.bindEvent('resize', function(data) {
-                //Ox.print('resize item', data)
-                pandora.$ui.editor.options({
-                    height: data.size
                 });
             });
             /*