diff --git a/source/blender/bmesh/bmesh_walkers.h b/source/blender/bmesh/bmesh_walkers.h
index e7ab636f361..9ed17121920 100644
--- a/source/blender/bmesh/bmesh_walkers.h
+++ b/source/blender/bmesh/bmesh_walkers.h
@@ -19,19 +19,19 @@ typedef struct BMWalker {
 	void *(*yield)(struct BMWalker *walker);
 	int structsize;
 	BMWOrder order;
-	int flag;
+	int layer;
 
 	BMesh *bm;
 	BLI_mempool *worklist;
 	ListBase states;
-	int restrictflag;
+	short restrictflag;
 	GHash *visithash;
 	int depth;
 } BMWalker;
 
 /*initialize a walker.  searchmask restricts some (not all) walkers to
   elements with a specific tool flag set.  flags is specific to each walker.*/
-void BMW_Init(struct BMWalker *walker, BMesh *bm, int type, int searchmask, int flags);
+void BMW_Init(struct BMWalker *walker, BMesh *bm, int type, short searchmask, int layer);
 void *BMW_Begin(BMWalker *walker, void *start);
 void *BMW_Step(struct BMWalker *walker);
 void BMW_End(struct BMWalker *walker);
@@ -91,4 +91,7 @@ enum {
 	BMW_MAXWALKERS
 };
 
+/* use with BMW_Init, so as not to confuse with restrict flags */
+#define BMW_NIL_LAY  0
+
 #endif
diff --git a/source/blender/bmesh/intern/bmesh_walkers.c b/source/blender/bmesh/intern/bmesh_walkers.c
index 1bb71c50dd0..adfe64c6dd9 100644
--- a/source/blender/bmesh/intern/bmesh_walkers.c
+++ b/source/blender/bmesh/intern/bmesh_walkers.c
@@ -83,18 +83,18 @@ void *BMW_Begin(BMWalker *walker, void *start)
  *
 */
 
-void BMW_Init(BMWalker *walker, BMesh *bm, int type, int searchmask, int flag)
+void BMW_Init(BMWalker *walker, BMesh *bm, int type, short searchmask, int layer)
 {
 	memset(walker, 0, sizeof(BMWalker));
 
-	walker->flag = flag;
+	walker->layer = layer;
 	walker->bm = bm;
 	walker->restrictflag = searchmask;
 	walker->visithash = BLI_ghash_new(BLI_ghashutil_ptrhash, BLI_ghashutil_ptrcmp, "bmesh walkers 1");
 	
 	if (type >= BMW_MAXWALKERS || type < 0) {
 		bmesh_error();
-		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid walker type in BMW_Init; type: %d, searchmask: %d, flag: %d\n", type, searchmask, flag);
+		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid walker type in BMW_Init; type: %d, searchmask: %d, flag: %d\n", type, searchmask, layer);
 	}
 	
 	if (type != BMW_CUSTOM) {
diff --git a/source/blender/bmesh/intern/bmesh_walkers_impl.c b/source/blender/bmesh/intern/bmesh_walkers_impl.c
index a85b6e376f0..45b4e8c5ffd 100644
--- a/source/blender/bmesh/intern/bmesh_walkers_impl.c
+++ b/source/blender/bmesh/intern/bmesh_walkers_impl.c
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ static void *uvedgeWalker_step(BMWalker *walker)
 
 	l = lwalk->l;
 	nl = l->next;
-	type = walker->bm->ldata.layers[walker->flag].type;
+	type = walker->bm->ldata.layers[walker->layer].type;
 
 	BMW_removestate(walker);
 	
@@ -773,8 +773,8 @@ static void *uvedgeWalker_step(BMWalker *walker)
 	for (i=0; i<2; i++) {
 		cl = i ? nl : l;
 		BM_ITER(l2, &liter, walker->bm, BM_LOOPS_OF_VERT, cl->v) {
-			d1 = CustomData_bmesh_get_layer_n(&walker->bm->ldata, 
-			             cl->head.data, walker->flag);
+			d1 = CustomData_bmesh_get_layer_n(&walker->bm->ldata,
+			                                  cl->head.data, walker->layer);
 			
 			rlen = BM_Edge_FaceCount(l2->e);
 			for (j=0; j<rlen; j++) {
@@ -788,7 +788,7 @@ static void *uvedgeWalker_step(BMWalker *walker)
 				
 				l3 = l2->v != cl->v ? l2->next : l2;
 				d2 = CustomData_bmesh_get_layer_n(&walker->bm->ldata,
-				                                  l3->head.data, walker->flag);
+				                                  l3->head.data, walker->layer);
 
 				if (!CustomData_data_equals(type, d1, d2))
 					continue;
diff --git a/source/blender/bmesh/operators/dissolveops.c b/source/blender/bmesh/operators/dissolveops.c
index 9e0d9fe17f6..6e61956f6ef 100644
--- a/source/blender/bmesh/operators/dissolveops.c
+++ b/source/blender/bmesh/operators/dissolveops.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ static int UNUSED_FUNCTION(check_hole_in_region)(BMesh *bm, BMFace *f)
 
 	/*checks if there are any unmarked boundary edges in the face region*/
 
-	BMW_Init(&regwalker, bm, BMW_ISLAND, FACE_MARK, 0);
+	BMW_Init(&regwalker, bm, BMW_ISLAND, FACE_MARK, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 	f2 = BMW_Begin(&regwalker, f);
 	for (; f2; f2=BMW_Step(&regwalker)) {
 		l2 = BMIter_New(&liter2, bm, BM_LOOPS_OF_FACE, f2);
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ void dissolvefaces_exec(BMesh *bm, BMOperator *op)
 		faces = NULL; /*forces different allocation*/
 
 		/*yay, walk!*/
-		BMW_Init(&regwalker, bm, BMW_ISLAND, FACE_MARK, 0);
+		BMW_Init(&regwalker, bm, BMW_ISLAND, FACE_MARK, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 		f2 = BMW_Begin(&regwalker, f);
 		for (; f2; f2=BMW_Step(&regwalker)) {
 			BLI_array_append(faces, f2);
diff --git a/source/blender/bmesh/operators/removedoubles.c b/source/blender/bmesh/operators/removedoubles.c
index c4352d6bf56..c7a38c94c45 100644
--- a/source/blender/bmesh/operators/removedoubles.c
+++ b/source/blender/bmesh/operators/removedoubles.c
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ void bmesh_collapse_exec(BMesh *bm, BMOperator *op)
 	BMO_Init_Op(bm, &weldop, "weldverts");
 
 	BMO_Flag_Buffer(bm, op, "edges", EDGE_MARK, BM_EDGE);	
-	BMW_Init(&walker, bm, BMW_SHELL, EDGE_MARK, 0);
+	BMW_Init(&walker, bm, BMW_SHELL, EDGE_MARK, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 
 	BM_ITER(e, &iter, bm, BM_EDGES_OF_MESH, NULL) {
 		if (!BMO_TestFlag(bm, e, EDGE_MARK))
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_select.c b/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_select.c
index 584b6dd5f82..d583f505a46 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_select.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_select.c
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@ static void walker_select(BMEditMesh *em, int walkercode, void *start, int selec
 	BMHeader *h;
 	BMWalker walker;
 
-	BMW_Init(&walker, bm, walkercode, 0, 0);
+	BMW_Init(&walker, bm, walkercode, 0, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 	h = BMW_Begin(&walker, start);
 	for (; h; h=BMW_Step(&walker)) {
 		if (!select)
@@ -1770,7 +1770,7 @@ static int select_linked_pick_invoke(bContext *C, wmOperator *op, wmEvent *event
 		eed = eve->e;
 	}
 
-	BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_SHELL, 0, 0);
+	BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_SHELL, 0, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 	e = BMW_Begin(&walker, eed->v1);
 	for (; e; e=BMW_Step(&walker)) {
 			BM_Select(em->bm, e->v1, sel);
@@ -1822,7 +1822,7 @@ static int select_linked_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *UNUSED(op))
 		}
 	}
 
-	BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_SHELL, 0, 0);
+	BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_SHELL, 0, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 	for (i=0; i<tot; i++) {
 		e = BMW_Begin(&walker, verts[i]);
 		for (; e; e=BMW_Step(&walker)) {
@@ -1978,7 +1978,7 @@ static void walker_deselect_nth(BMEditMesh *em, int nth, int offset, BMHeader *h
 	}
 
 	/* Walk over selected elements starting at active */
-	BMW_Init(&walker, bm, walktype, BM_SELECT, 0);
+	BMW_Init(&walker, bm, walktype, BM_SELECT, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 	BLI_assert(walker.order == BMW_BREADTH_FIRST);
 	for (h = BMW_Begin(&walker, h_act); h != NULL; h = BMW_Step(&walker)) {
 		/* Deselect elements that aren't at "nth" depth from active */
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_tools.c b/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_tools.c
index 8dbcc959489..5cda6893131 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_tools.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_tools.c
@@ -1725,7 +1725,7 @@ static int bm_test_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *UNUSED(op))
 		}
 	}
 
-	BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_UVISLAND, 0);
+	BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_UVISLAND, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 
 	BM_ITER(f, &iter, em->bm, BM_FACES_OF_MESH, NULL) {
 		BM_ITER(l, &liter, em->bm, BM_LOOPS_OF_FACE, f) {
@@ -3330,7 +3330,7 @@ static int mesh_separate_loose(Main *bmain, Scene *scene, Base *editbase, wmOper
 
 		/*Walk from the single vertex, selecting everything connected
 		  to it*/
-		BMW_Init(&walker, bm, BMW_SHELL, 0, 0);
+		BMW_Init(&walker, bm, BMW_SHELL, 0, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 		e = BMW_Begin(&walker, v_seed);
 		for (; e; e=BMW_Step(&walker)) {
 			BM_Select(bm, e->v1, 1);
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/mesh/loopcut.c b/source/blender/editors/mesh/loopcut.c
index a6f71d9ec9f..c3797962f0b 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/mesh/loopcut.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/mesh/loopcut.c
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ static void edgering_sel(tringselOpData *lcd, int previewlines, int select)
 	}
 
 	if (select) {
-		BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_EDGERING, 0, 0);
+		BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_EDGERING, 0, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 		eed = BMW_Begin(&walker, startedge);
 		for (; eed; eed=BMW_Step(&walker)) {
 			BM_Select(em->bm, eed, 1);
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ static void edgering_sel(tringselOpData *lcd, int previewlines, int select)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_EDGERING, 0, 0);
+	BMW_Init(&walker, em->bm, BMW_EDGERING, 0, BMW_NIL_LAY);
 	eed = startedge = BMW_Begin(&walker, startedge);
 	lastv1 = NULL;
 	for (lasteed=NULL; eed; eed=BMW_Step(&walker)) {