diff --git a/lib/carto/tree/layer.js b/lib/carto/tree/layer.js
index b18ac80..1a9e676 100644
--- a/lib/carto/tree/layer.js
+++ b/lib/carto/tree/layer.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 tree.Layer = function Layer(obj) {
     this.name = obj.name;
-    if (typeof obj.status === 'undefined') obj.status = true;
     this.status = obj.status;
     this.styles = obj.styles;
     this.properties = obj.properties  || {};
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ tree.Layer.prototype.toXML = function() {
     return '<Layer' +
         ' name="' + this.name + '"\n' +
         prop_string +
-        '  status="' + this.status + '"\n' +
+        ((typeof this.status === 'undefined') ? '' : '  status="' + this.status + '"\n') +
         '  srs="' + this.srs + '">\n    ' +
         this.styles.reverse().map(function(s) {
             return '<StyleName>' + s + '</StyleName>';