diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/common/constants.js b/x-pack/plugins/maps/common/constants.js
index 0af229569e5d1..98de5ad588863 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/common/constants.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/common/constants.js
@@ -21,3 +21,5 @@ export const APP_ID = 'maps';
 export const APP_ICON = 'gisApp';
 
 export const SOURCE_DATA_ID_ORIGIN = 'source';
+
+export const FEATURE_ID_PROPERTY_NAME = '__kbn__feature_id__';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/actions/store_actions.js b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/actions/store_actions.js
index e38c5e25c086a..7f042d409ee27 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/actions/store_actions.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/actions/store_actions.js
@@ -389,18 +389,22 @@ export function updateSourceDataRequest(layerId, newData) {
 }
 
 export function endDataLoad(layerId, dataId, requestToken, data, meta) {
-  return ({
-    type: LAYER_DATA_LOAD_ENDED,
-    layerId,
-    dataId,
-    data,
-    meta,
-    requestToken
-  });
+  return (dispatch) => {
+    dispatch(clearTooltipStateForLayer(layerId));
+    dispatch({
+      type: LAYER_DATA_LOAD_ENDED,
+      layerId,
+      dataId,
+      data,
+      meta,
+      requestToken
+    });
+  };
 }
 
 export function onDataLoadError(layerId, dataId, requestToken, errorMessage) {
   return async (dispatch) => {
+    dispatch(clearTooltipStateForLayer(layerId));
     dispatch({
       type: LAYER_DATA_LOAD_ERROR,
       layerId,
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/components/map/feature_tooltip.js b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/components/map/feature_tooltip.js
index 426d7009a7c59..4c89e15eced25 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/components/map/feature_tooltip.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/components/map/feature_tooltip.js
@@ -4,18 +4,50 @@
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
  */
 
-import React from 'react';
+import React, { Fragment } from 'react';
+import { EuiFlexGroup, EuiFlexItem, EuiButtonIcon } from '@elastic/eui';
+import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
 
-export function FeatureTooltip({ properties }) {
 
-  return Object.keys(properties).map(propertyName => {
+export class FeatureTooltip extends React.Component {
+
+
+  _renderProperties() {
+    return Object.keys(this.props.properties).map(propertyName => {
+      return (
+        <div key={propertyName}>
+          <strong>{propertyName}</strong>
+          {' '}
+          {this.props.properties[propertyName]}
+        </div>
+      );
+    });
+  }
+
+  render() {
     return (
-      <div key={propertyName}>
-        <strong>{propertyName}</strong>
-        {' '}
-        {properties[propertyName]}
-      </div>
+      <Fragment>
+        <EuiFlexGroup direction="column" gutterSize="none">
+          <EuiFlexItem grow={true}>
+            <EuiFlexGroup alignItems="flexEnd" direction="row" justifyContent="spaceBetween">
+              <EuiFlexItem>&nbsp;</EuiFlexItem>
+              <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
+                <EuiButtonIcon
+                  onClick={this.props.onCloseClick}
+                  iconType="cross"
+                  aria-label={i18n.translate('xpack.maps.tooltip.closeAreaLabel', {
+                    defaultMessage: 'Close tooltip'
+                  })}
+                />
+              </EuiFlexItem>
+            </EuiFlexGroup>
+          </EuiFlexItem>
+          <EuiFlexItem>
+            {this._renderProperties()}
+          </EuiFlexItem>
+        </EuiFlexGroup>
+      </Fragment>
     );
-  });
+  }
 }
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/components/map/mb/view.js b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/components/map/mb/view.js
index 6421ca54ee66c..1f11e7d807ab3 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/components/map/mb/view.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/components/map/mb/view.js
@@ -9,10 +9,16 @@ import React from 'react';
 import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
 import { ResizeChecker } from 'ui/resize_checker';
 import { syncLayerOrder, removeOrphanedSourcesAndLayers, createMbMapInstance } from './utils';
-import { DECIMAL_DEGREES_PRECISION, ZOOM_PRECISION } from '../../../../common/constants';
+import { DECIMAL_DEGREES_PRECISION, FEATURE_ID_PROPERTY_NAME, ZOOM_PRECISION } from '../../../../common/constants';
 import mapboxgl from 'mapbox-gl';
 import { FeatureTooltip } from '../feature_tooltip';
 
+
+const TOOLTIP_TYPE = {
+  HOVER: 'HOVER',
+  LOCKED: 'LOCKED'
+};
+
 export class MBMapContainer extends React.Component {
 
   constructor() {
@@ -25,6 +31,10 @@ export class MBMapContainer extends React.Component {
     });
   }
 
+  _onTooltipClose = () => {
+    this.props.setTooltipState(null);
+  };
+
   _debouncedSync = _.debounce(() => {
     if (this._isMounted) {
       this._syncMbMapWithLayerList();
@@ -32,55 +42,78 @@ export class MBMapContainer extends React.Component {
     }
   }, 256);
 
-  _updateTooltipState = _.debounce(async (e) => {
 
-    const mbLayerIds = this._getMbLayerIdsForTooltips();
-    const features = this._mbMap.queryRenderedFeatures(e.point, { layers: mbLayerIds });
+  _lockTooltip =  (e) => {
+
+    this._updateHoverTooltipState.cancel();//ignore any possible moves
 
+    const features = this._getFeaturesUnderPointer(e.point);
     if (!features.length) {
       this.props.setTooltipState(null);
       return;
     }
 
     const targetFeature = features[0];
+    const layer = this._getLayer(targetFeature.layer.id);
+    const popupAnchorLocation = this._justifyAnchorLocation(e.lngLat, targetFeature);
+    this.props.setTooltipState({
+      type: TOOLTIP_TYPE.LOCKED,
+      layerId: layer.getId(),
+      featureId: targetFeature.properties[FEATURE_ID_PROPERTY_NAME],
+      location: popupAnchorLocation
+    });
+
+  };
+
+  _updateHoverTooltipState = _.debounce((e) => {
+
+    if (this.props.tooltipState && this.props.tooltipState.type === TOOLTIP_TYPE.LOCKED) {
+      //ignore hover events when tooltip is locked
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const features = this._getFeaturesUnderPointer(e.point);
+    if (!features.length) {
+      this.props.setTooltipState(null);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const targetFeature = features[0];
+
     if (this.props.tooltipState) {
-      const propertiesUnchanged = _.isEqual(this.props.tooltipState.activeFeature.properties, targetFeature.properties);
-      const geometryUnchanged = _.isEqual(this.props.tooltipState.activeFeature.geometry, targetFeature.geometry);
-      if(propertiesUnchanged && geometryUnchanged) {
+      if (targetFeature.properties[FEATURE_ID_PROPERTY_NAME] === this.props.tooltipState.featureId) {
         return;
       }
     }
 
     const layer = this._getLayer(targetFeature.layer.id);
-    const formattedProperties = await layer.getPropertiesForTooltip(targetFeature.properties);
+    const popupAnchorLocation = this._justifyAnchorLocation(e.lngLat, targetFeature);
+
+    this.props.setTooltipState({
+      type: TOOLTIP_TYPE.HOVER,
+      featureId: targetFeature.properties[FEATURE_ID_PROPERTY_NAME],
+      layerId: layer.getId(),
+      location: popupAnchorLocation
+    });
 
-    let popupAnchorLocation = [e.lngLat.lng, e.lngLat.lat]; // default popup location to mouse location
+  }, 100);
+
+  _justifyAnchorLocation(mbLngLat, targetFeature) {
+    let popupAnchorLocation = [mbLngLat.lng, mbLngLat.lat]; // default popup location to mouse location
     if (targetFeature.geometry.type === 'Point') {
       const coordinates = targetFeature.geometry.coordinates.slice();
 
       // Ensure that if the map is zoomed out such that multiple
       // copies of the feature are visible, the popup appears
       // over the copy being pointed to.
-      while (Math.abs(e.lngLat.lng - coordinates[0]) > 180) {
-        coordinates[0] += e.lngLat.lng > coordinates[0] ? 360 : -360;
+      while (Math.abs(mbLngLat.lng - coordinates[0]) > 180) {
+        coordinates[0] += mbLngLat.lng > coordinates[0] ? 360 : -360;
       }
 
       popupAnchorLocation = coordinates;
     }
-
-    this.props.setTooltipState({
-      activeFeature: {
-        properties: targetFeature.properties,
-        geometry: targetFeature.geometry
-      },
-      formattedProperties: formattedProperties,
-      layerId: layer.getId(),
-      location: popupAnchorLocation
-    });
-
-  }, 100);
-
-
+    return popupAnchorLocation;
+  }
   _getMbLayerIdsForTooltips() {
     return this.props.layerList.reduce((mbLayerIds, layer) => {
       return layer.canShowTooltip() ? mbLayerIds.concat(layer.getMbLayerIds()) : mbLayerIds;
@@ -106,6 +139,11 @@ export class MBMapContainer extends React.Component {
     };
   }
 
+  _getFeaturesUnderPointer(mbLngLatPoint) {
+    const mbLayerIds = this._getMbLayerIdsForTooltips();
+    return this._mbMap.queryRenderedFeatures(mbLngLatPoint, { layers: mbLayerIds });
+  }
+
   componentDidUpdate() {
     // do not debounce syncing of map-state and tooltip
     this._syncMbMapWithMapState();
@@ -162,7 +200,8 @@ export class MBMapContainer extends React.Component {
     });
 
 
-    this._mbMap.on('mousemove', this._updateTooltipState);
+    this._mbMap.on('mousemove', this._updateHoverTooltipState);
+    this._mbMap.on('click', this._lockTooltip);
 
     this.props.onMapReady(this._getMapState());
   }
@@ -181,22 +220,27 @@ export class MBMapContainer extends React.Component {
     }
   }
 
-  _showTooltip()  {
-    //todo: can still be optimized. No need to rerender if content remains identical
-    ReactDOM.render(
-      React.createElement(
-        FeatureTooltip, {
-          properties: this.props.tooltipState.formattedProperties,
-        }
-      ),
-      this._tooltipContainer
-    );
-
-    this._mbPopup.setLngLat(this.props.tooltipState.location)
+  _renderContentToTooltip(content, location) {
+    if (!this._isMounted) {
+      return;
+    }
+    ReactDOM.render((<FeatureTooltip properties={content} onCloseClick={this._onTooltipClose}/>), this._tooltipContainer);
+
+    this._mbPopup.setLngLat(location)
       .setDOMContent(this._tooltipContainer)
       .addTo(this._mbMap);
   }
 
+
+  async _showTooltip()  {
+    const tooltipLayer = this.props.layerList.find(layer => {
+      return layer.getId() === this.props.tooltipState.layerId;
+    });
+    const targetFeature = tooltipLayer.getFeatureByFeatureById(this.props.tooltipState.featureId);
+    const formattedProperties = await tooltipLayer.getPropertiesForTooltip(targetFeature.properties);
+    this._renderContentToTooltip(formattedProperties, this.props.tooltipState.location);
+  }
+
   _syncTooltipState() {
     if (this.props.tooltipState) {
       this._showTooltip();
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/shared/layers/vector_layer.js b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/shared/layers/vector_layer.js
index d3076de4852f3..49e4180974c0c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/shared/layers/vector_layer.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/shared/layers/vector_layer.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import turf from 'turf';
 import { AbstractLayer } from './layer';
 import { VectorStyle } from './styles/vector_style';
 import { LeftInnerJoin } from './joins/left_inner_join';
-import { SOURCE_DATA_ID_ORIGIN } from '../../../common/constants';
+import { FEATURE_ID_PROPERTY_NAME, SOURCE_DATA_ID_ORIGIN } from '../../../common/constants';
 import _ from 'lodash';
 
 const EMPTY_FEATURE_COLLECTION = {
@@ -285,11 +285,12 @@ export class VectorLayer extends AbstractLayer {
     try {
       startLoading(SOURCE_DATA_ID_ORIGIN, requestToken, searchFilters);
       const layerName = await this.getDisplayName();
-      const { data, meta } = await this._source.getGeoJsonWithMeta(layerName, searchFilters);
-      stopLoading(SOURCE_DATA_ID_ORIGIN, requestToken, data, meta);
+      const { data: featureCollection, meta } = await this._source.getGeoJsonWithMeta(layerName, searchFilters);
+      this._assignIdsToFeatures(featureCollection);
+      stopLoading(SOURCE_DATA_ID_ORIGIN, requestToken, featureCollection, meta);
       return {
         refreshed: true,
-        featureCollection: data
+        featureCollection: featureCollection
       };
     } catch (error) {
       onLoadError(SOURCE_DATA_ID_ORIGIN, requestToken, error.message);
@@ -299,6 +300,14 @@ export class VectorLayer extends AbstractLayer {
     }
   }
 
+
+  _assignIdsToFeatures(featureCollection) {
+    for (let i = 0; i < featureCollection.features.length; i++) {
+      const feature = featureCollection.features[i];
+      feature.properties[FEATURE_ID_PROPERTY_NAME] = (typeof feature.id === 'string' || typeof feature.id === 'number')  ? feature.id : i;
+    }
+  }
+
   _joinToFeatureCollection(sourceResult, joinState, updateSourceData) {
     if (!sourceResult.refreshed && !joinState.shouldJoin) {
       return false;
@@ -509,4 +518,15 @@ export class VectorLayer extends AbstractLayer {
     return this._source.canFormatFeatureProperties();
   }
 
+  getFeatureByFeatureById(id) {
+    const featureCollection = this._getSourceFeatureCollection(id);
+    if (!featureCollection) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    return featureCollection.features.find((feature) => {
+      return feature.properties[FEATURE_ID_PROPERTY_NAME] === id;
+    });
+  }
+
 }