diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/actions/layer_actions.ts b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/actions/layer_actions.ts
index a0d2152e8866..208f6dc6c6f8 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/actions/layer_actions.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/actions/layer_actions.ts
@@ -35,12 +35,7 @@ import {
   UPDATE_LAYER_STYLE,
   UPDATE_SOURCE_PROP,
 } from './map_action_constants';
-import {
-  clearDataRequests,
-  syncDataForLayerId,
-  syncDataForLayer,
-  updateStyleMeta,
-} from './data_request_actions';
+import { clearDataRequests, syncDataForLayerId, updateStyleMeta } from './data_request_actions';
 import { cleanTooltipStateForLayer } from './tooltip_actions';
 import { JoinDescriptor, LayerDescriptor, StyleDescriptor } from '../../common/descriptor_types';
 import { ILayer } from '../classes/layers/layer';
@@ -175,7 +170,7 @@ export function promotePreviewLayers() {
 }
 
 export function setLayerVisibility(layerId: string, makeVisible: boolean) {
-  return async (dispatch: Dispatch, getState: () => MapStoreState) => {
+  return (dispatch: Dispatch, getState: () => MapStoreState) => {
     // if the current-state is invisible, we also want to sync data
     // e.g. if a layer was invisible at start-up, it won't have any data loaded
     const layer = getLayerById(layerId, getState());
@@ -189,19 +184,19 @@ export function setLayerVisibility(layerId: string, makeVisible: boolean) {
       dispatch<any>(cleanTooltipStateForLayer(layerId));
     }
 
-    await dispatch({
+    dispatch({
       type: SET_LAYER_VISIBILITY,
       layerId,
       visibility: makeVisible,
     });
     if (makeVisible) {
-      dispatch<any>(syncDataForLayer(layer));
+      dispatch<any>(syncDataForLayerId(layerId));
     }
   };
 }
 
 export function toggleLayerVisible(layerId: string) {
-  return async (dispatch: Dispatch, getState: () => MapStoreState) => {
+  return (dispatch: Dispatch, getState: () => MapStoreState) => {
     const layer = getLayerById(layerId, getState());
     if (!layer) {
       return;
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/maps/index.js b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/maps/index.js
index d0735aecda78..4bbe38367d0a 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/maps/index.js
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/maps/index.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ export default function ({ loadTestFile, getService }) {
       loadTestFile(require.resolve('./saved_object_management'));
       loadTestFile(require.resolve('./sample_data'));
       loadTestFile(require.resolve('./auto_fit_to_bounds'));
+      loadTestFile(require.resolve('./layer_visibility'));
       loadTestFile(require.resolve('./feature_controls/maps_security'));
       loadTestFile(require.resolve('./feature_controls/maps_spaces'));
       loadTestFile(require.resolve('./full_screen_mode'));
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/maps/layer_visibility.js b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/maps/layer_visibility.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..22cff6de416c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/maps/layer_visibility.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import expect from '@kbn/expect';
+
+export default function ({ getPageObjects, getService }) {
+  const PageObjects = getPageObjects(['maps']);
+  const inspector = getService('inspector');
+
+  describe('layer visibility', () => {
+    before(async () => {
+      await PageObjects.maps.loadSavedMap('document example hidden');
+    });
+
+    afterEach(async () => {
+      await inspector.close();
+    });
+
+    it('should not make any requests when layer is hidden', async () => {
+      const noRequests = await PageObjects.maps.doesInspectorHaveRequests();
+      expect(noRequests).to.equal(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should fetch layer data when layer is made visible', async () => {
+      await PageObjects.maps.toggleLayerVisibility('logstash');
+      const hits = await PageObjects.maps.getHits();
+      expect(hits).to.equal('6');
+    });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/maps/kibana/data.json b/x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/maps/kibana/data.json
index d2206009d9e6..7690c9258931 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/maps/kibana/data.json
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/maps/kibana/data.json
@@ -446,6 +446,37 @@
   }
 }
 
+{
+  "type": "doc",
+  "value": {
+    "id": "map:2de4de10-cc82-11ea-9b0a-eb2886fc84af",
+    "index": ".kibana",
+    "source": {
+      "map": {
+        "title" : "document example hidden",
+        "description" : "",
+        "mapStateJSON" : "{\"zoom\":4.1,\"center\":{\"lon\":-100.61091,\"lat\":33.23887},\"timeFilters\":{\"from\":\"2015-09-20T00:00:00.000Z\",\"to\":\"2015-09-20T01:00:00.000Z\"},\"refreshConfig\":{\"isPaused\":true,\"interval\":1000},\"query\":{\"query\":\"\",\"language\":\"kuery\"},\"filters\":[],\"settings\":{\"autoFitToDataBounds\":false,\"initialLocation\":\"LAST_SAVED_LOCATION\",\"fixedLocation\":{\"lat\":0,\"lon\":0,\"zoom\":2},\"browserLocation\":{\"zoom\":2},\"maxZoom\":24,\"minZoom\":0,\"showSpatialFilters\":true,\"spatialFiltersAlpa\":0.3,\"spatialFiltersFillColor\":\"#DA8B45\",\"spatialFiltersLineColor\":\"#DA8B45\"}}",
+        "layerListJSON" : "[{\"id\":\"0hmz5\",\"sourceDescriptor\":{\"type\":\"EMS_TMS\",\"id\":\"road_map\"},\"visible\":true,\"temporary\":false,\"style\":{\"type\":\"TILE\",\"properties\":{}},\"type\":\"VECTOR_TILE\",\"minZoom\":0,\"maxZoom\":24},{\"id\":\"z52lq\",\"label\":\"logstash\",\"minZoom\":0,\"maxZoom\":24,\"sourceDescriptor\":{\"id\":\"e1a5e1a6-676c-4a89-8ea9-0d91d64b73c6\",\"type\":\"ES_SEARCH\",\"geoField\":\"geo.coordinates\",\"limit\":2048,\"filterByMapBounds\":true,\"showTooltip\":true,\"tooltipProperties\":[],\"applyGlobalQuery\":true,\"scalingType\":\"LIMIT\",\"indexPatternRefName\":\"layer_1_source_index_pattern\"},\"visible\":false,\"temporary\":false,\"style\":{\"type\":\"VECTOR\",\"properties\":{\"fillColor\":{\"type\":\"STATIC\",\"options\":{\"color\":\"#e6194b\"}},\"lineColor\":{\"type\":\"STATIC\",\"options\":{\"color\":\"#FFFFFF\"}},\"lineWidth\":{\"type\":\"STATIC\",\"options\":{\"size\":1}},\"iconSize\":{\"type\":\"STATIC\",\"options\":{\"size\":10}},\"symbolizeAs\":{\"options\":{\"value\":\"circle\"}},\"icon\":{\"type\":\"STATIC\",\"options\":{\"value\":\"marker\"}}},\"previousStyle\":null},\"type\":\"VECTOR\"}]",
+        "uiStateJSON" : "{\"isLayerTOCOpen\":true,\"openTOCDetails\":[]}"
+      },
+      "type" : "map",
+      "references" : [
+        {
+          "name" : "layer_1_source_index_pattern",
+          "type" : "index-pattern",
+          "id" : "c698b940-e149-11e8-a35a-370a8516603a"
+        }
+      ],
+      "migrationVersion" : {
+        "map" : "7.9.0"
+      },
+      "updated_at" : "2020-07-23T01:16:47.600Z"
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+
+
 {
   "type": "doc",
   "value": {