Index: /trunk/nodist/data/9304-examples.osm
===================================================================
--- /trunk/nodist/data/9304-examples.osm	(revision 19033)
+++ /trunk/nodist/data/9304-examples.osm	(revision 19034)
@@ -72,4 +72,17 @@
   <node id='-81913' action='modify' lat='52.85184234363' lon='8.33096821625' />
   <node id='-81914' action='modify' lat='52.85308443243' lon='8.32968378727' />
+  <node id='-81916' action='modify' lat='52.85151466516' lon='8.33385008876' />
+  <node id='-81917' action='modify' lat='52.85192920272' lon='8.3345583381' />
+  <node id='-81918' action='modify' lat='52.85139622512' lon='8.33508135299' />
+  <node id='-81919' action='modify' lat='52.85229767723' lon='8.33551719874' />
+  <node id='-81941' action='modify' lat='52.85132713167' lon='8.33529383324' />
+  <node id='-81942' action='modify' lat='52.85174167102' lon='8.33600208258' />
+  <node id='-81943' action='modify' lat='52.85120869112' lon='8.33652509747' />
+  <node id='-81957' action='modify' lat='52.85216278631' lon='8.33610559595' />
+  <node id='-81983' action='modify' lat='52.85567653366' lon='8.33139515768' />
+  <node id='-81984' action='modify' lat='52.85540596408' lon='8.33237349066' />
+  <node id='-81985' action='modify' lat='52.85546909714' lon='8.32826598577' />
+  <node id='-81986' action='modify' lat='52.8556900621' lon='8.32931900066' />
+  <node id='-81995' action='modify' lat='52.85568346895' lon='8.33033082658' />
   <way id='-579' action='modify'>
     <nd ref='-25357' />
@@ -280,3 +293,57 @@
     <tag k='tunnel' v='yes' />
   </way>
+  <way id='-36866' action='modify'>
+    <nd ref='-81916' />
+    <nd ref='-81917' />
+    <nd ref='-81918' />
+    <nd ref='-81916' />
+    <tag k='area' v='yes' />
+    <tag k='highway' v='pedestrian' />
+    <tag k='layer' v='-1' />
+    <tag k='name' v='below' />
+  </way>
+  <way id='-36869' action='modify'>
+    <nd ref='-81917' />
+    <nd ref='-81919' />
+    <tag k='highway' v='path' />
+  </way>
+  <way id='-36917' action='modify'>
+    <nd ref='-81941' />
+    <nd ref='-81942' />
+    <nd ref='-81943' />
+    <nd ref='-81941' />
+    <tag k='area' v='yes' />
+    <tag k='highway' v='pedestrian' />
+    <tag k='name' v='normal' />
+  </way>
+  <way id='-36934' action='modify'>
+    <nd ref='-81957' />
+    <nd ref='-81942' />
+    <tag k='highway' v='footway' />
+    <tag k='layer' v='1' />
+  </way>
+  <way id='-37072' action='modify'>
+    <nd ref='-81983' />
+    <nd ref='-81984' />
+    <tag k='highway' v='unclassified' />
+  </way>
+  <way id='-37073' action='modify'>
+    <nd ref='-81985' />
+    <nd ref='-81986' />
+    <tag k='highway' v='unclassified' />
+  </way>
+  <way id='-37074' action='modify'>
+    <nd ref='-81986' />
+    <nd ref='-81995' />
+    <tag k='bridge' v='yes' />
+    <tag k='highway' v='unclassified' />
+    <tag k='layer' v='1' />
+  </way>
+  <way id='-37086' action='modify'>
+    <nd ref='-81995' />
+    <nd ref='-81983' />
+    <tag k='bridge' v='yes' />
+    <tag k='highway' v='unclassified' />
+    <tag k='layer' v='1' />
+  </way>
 </osm>
Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/validation/tests/Highways.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/validation/tests/Highways.java	(revision 19033)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/validation/tests/Highways.java	(revision 19034)
@@ -311,5 +311,5 @@
     private void testDifferentLayers(Node connection) {
         List<Way> ways = connection.getParentWays();
-        ways.removeIf(w -> !w.hasTag("highway") || w.hasTag("highway", "steps"));
+        ways.removeIf(w -> !w.hasTag("highway") || w.hasTag("highway", "steps") || isSpecialArea(w));
         if (ways.size() < 2 || ways.stream().noneMatch(w -> w.hasKey("layer")))
             return;
@@ -339,4 +339,13 @@
 
     /**
+     * Check if way is an area on a layer above or below 0.
+     * @param w the way
+     * @return true if way is an area on a layer above or below 0
+     */
+    private static boolean isSpecialArea(Way w) {
+        return w.hasAreaTags() && OsmUtils.getLayer(w) != null;
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Check if there are at least two neighbouring nodes on the given ways.
      * If so, the connection node can be considered to be at a specific layer, else it marks the end of such a layer