diff --git a/src/plots/mapbox/mapbox.js b/src/plots/mapbox/mapbox.js
index bc798ca3ae2..c8ab4b1e650 100644
--- a/src/plots/mapbox/mapbox.js
+++ b/src/plots/mapbox/mapbox.js
@@ -315,9 +315,16 @@ proto.updateData = function(calcData) {
         trace = calcTrace[0].trace;
         traceObj = traceHash[trace.uid];
 
+        var didUpdate = false;
         if(traceObj) {
-            traceObj.update(calcTrace);
-        } else if(trace._module) {
+            if(traceObj.type === trace.type) {
+                traceObj.update(calcTrace);
+                didUpdate = true;
+            } else {
+                traceObj.dispose();
+            }
+        }
+        if(!didUpdate && trace._module) {
             traceHash[trace.uid] = trace._module.plot(this, calcTrace);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/traces/choroplethmapbox/plot.js b/src/traces/choroplethmapbox/plot.js
index f6e236e2027..3fbb9026cce 100644
--- a/src/traces/choroplethmapbox/plot.js
+++ b/src/traces/choroplethmapbox/plot.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ var convertOnSelect = require('./convert').convertOnSelect;
 var LAYER_PREFIX = require('../../plots/mapbox/constants').traceLayerPrefix;
 
 function ChoroplethMapbox(subplot, uid) {
+    this.type = 'choroplethmapbox';
     this.subplot = subplot;
     this.uid = uid;
 
diff --git a/src/traces/densitymapbox/plot.js b/src/traces/densitymapbox/plot.js
index 9a6a5a55403..c4b26c8af7b 100644
--- a/src/traces/densitymapbox/plot.js
+++ b/src/traces/densitymapbox/plot.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ var convert = require('./convert');
 var LAYER_PREFIX = require('../../plots/mapbox/constants').traceLayerPrefix;
 
 function DensityMapbox(subplot, uid) {
+    this.type = 'densitymapbox';
     this.subplot = subplot;
     this.uid = uid;
 
diff --git a/src/traces/scattermapbox/plot.js b/src/traces/scattermapbox/plot.js
index 55c2e910dcb..2fa66fc0ca7 100644
--- a/src/traces/scattermapbox/plot.js
+++ b/src/traces/scattermapbox/plot.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ var LAYER_PREFIX = require('../../plots/mapbox/constants').traceLayerPrefix;
 var ORDER = ['fill', 'line', 'circle', 'symbol'];
 
 function ScatterMapbox(subplot, uid) {
+    this.type = 'scattermapbox';
     this.subplot = subplot;
     this.uid = uid;
 
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/densitymapbox_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/densitymapbox_test.js
index 9503d3ab506..3fb5f67e61f 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/densitymapbox_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/densitymapbox_test.js
@@ -497,4 +497,30 @@ describe('@noCI Test densitymapbox interactions:', function() {
         .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     }, 5 * jasmine.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_INTERVAL);
+
+    it('@gl should be able to restyle from and to *scattermapbox*', function(done) {
+        function _assert(msg, exp) {
+            var traceHash = gd._fullLayout.mapbox._subplot.traceHash;
+            expect(Object.keys(traceHash).length).toBe(1, 'one visible trace| ' + msg);
+            for(var k in traceHash) {
+                expect(traceHash[k].type).toBe(exp, 'trace type| ' + msg);
+            }
+        }
+
+        Plotly.plot(gd, [{
+            type: 'densitymapbox',
+            lon: [10, 20, 30],
+            lat: [15, 25, 35],
+            z: [1, 20, 5]
+        }], {}, {
+            mapboxAccessToken: MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN
+        })
+        .then(function() { _assert('after first', 'densitymapbox'); })
+        .then(function() { return Plotly.restyle(gd, 'type', 'scattermapbox'); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('after restyle to scattermapbox', 'scattermapbox'); })
+        .then(function() { return Plotly.restyle(gd, 'type', 'densitymapbox'); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('back to densitymapbox', 'densitymapbox'); })
+        .catch(failTest)
+        .then(done);
+    }, 5 * jasmine.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_INTERVAL);
 });