diff --git a/dist/vis.js b/dist/vis.js
index d66f360a..137991dc 100644
--- a/dist/vis.js
+++ b/dist/vis.js
@@ -14018,8 +14018,7 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
         this.redraw();
       }
       else {
-        console.log('WARNING: infinite loop in redraw?')
-        throw new Error("bla")
+        console.log('WARNING: infinite loop in redraw?');
       }
       this.redrawCount = 0;
     }
@@ -22874,7 +22873,7 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
         levelSeparation: 150,
         nodeSpacing: 100,
         direction: "UD",   // UD, DU, LR, RL
-        layout: "hubsize" // hubsize, directed
+        layout: "hubsize" // hubsize, directed, uniqueDirected
       },
       freezeForStabilization: false,
       smoothCurves: {
@@ -34070,36 +34069,24 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
     }
   };
 
+
+
   /**
-   * this function allocates nodes in levels based on the recursive branching from the largest hubs.
+   * this function allocates nodes in levels based on the direction of the edges
    *
    * @param hubsize
    * @private
    */
   exports._determineLevelsDirected = function() {
-    var nodeId, node;
+    var nodeId, node, firstNode;
+    var minLevel = 10000;
 
     // set first node to source
-    for (nodeId in this.nodes) {
-      if (this.nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
-        this.nodes[nodeId].level = 10000;
-        break;
-      }
-    }
+    firstNode = this.nodes[this.nodeIndices[0]];
+    firstNode.level = minLevel;
+    this._setLevelDirected(minLevel,firstNode.edges,firstNode.id);
 
-    // branch from hubs
-    for (nodeId in this.nodes) {
-      if (this.nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
-        node = this.nodes[nodeId];
-        if (node.level == 10000) {
-          this._setLevelDirected(10000,node.edges,node.id);
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-
-    // branch from hubs
-    var minLevel = 10000;
+    // get the minimum level
     for (nodeId in this.nodes) {
       if (this.nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
         node = this.nodes[nodeId];
@@ -34107,7 +34094,7 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
       }
     }
 
-    // branch from hubs
+    // subtract the minimum from the set so we have a range starting from 0
     for (nodeId in this.nodes) {
       if (this.nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
         node = this.nodes[nodeId];
@@ -34213,7 +34200,7 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
 
 
   /**
-   * this function is called recursively to enumerate the barnches of the largest hubs and give each node a level.
+   * this function is called recursively to enumerate the branched of the first node and give each node a level based on edge direction
    *
    * @param level
    * @param edges
diff --git a/examples/network/32_hierarchicaLayoutMethods.html b/examples/network/32_hierarchicaLayoutMethods.html
index 3b9901a0..7cdf485c 100644
--- a/examples/network/32_hierarchicaLayoutMethods.html
+++ b/examples/network/32_hierarchicaLayoutMethods.html
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
     <script type="text/javascript">
         var network = null;
-        var layoutMethod = "hubsize";
+        var layoutMethod = "direction";
 
         function destroy() {
             if (network !== null) {
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@
                 from: 2,
                 to: 8
             });
+            edges.push({
+                from: 10,
+                to: 2
+            });
             edges.push({
                 from: 2,
                 to: 9
@@ -130,8 +134,9 @@
 </div>
 Layout method:
 <select id="layout">
-    <option value="hubsize">hubsize</option>
     <option value="direction">direction</option>
+    <option value="hubsize">hubsize</option>
+
 </select><br/>
 <br />
 
diff --git a/lib/network/Network.js b/lib/network/Network.js
index fcf39920..5b8129c0 100644
--- a/lib/network/Network.js
+++ b/lib/network/Network.js
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ function Network (container, data, options) {
       levelSeparation: 150,
       nodeSpacing: 100,
       direction: "UD",   // UD, DU, LR, RL
-      layout: "hubsize" // hubsize, directed
+      layout: "hubsize" // hubsize, directed, uniqueDirected
     },
     freezeForStabilization: false,
     smoothCurves: {
diff --git a/lib/network/mixins/HierarchicalLayoutMixin.js b/lib/network/mixins/HierarchicalLayoutMixin.js
index 6471588a..3cd6e726 100644
--- a/lib/network/mixins/HierarchicalLayoutMixin.js
+++ b/lib/network/mixins/HierarchicalLayoutMixin.js
@@ -218,36 +218,24 @@ exports._determineLevels = function(hubsize) {
   }
 };
 
+
+
 /**
- * this function allocates nodes in levels based on the recursive branching from the largest hubs.
+ * this function allocates nodes in levels based on the direction of the edges
  *
  * @param hubsize
  * @private
  */
 exports._determineLevelsDirected = function() {
-  var nodeId, node;
+  var nodeId, node, firstNode;
+  var minLevel = 10000;
 
   // set first node to source
-  for (nodeId in this.nodes) {
-    if (this.nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
-      this.nodes[nodeId].level = 10000;
-      break;
-    }
-  }
-
-  // branch from hubs
-  for (nodeId in this.nodes) {
-    if (this.nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
-      node = this.nodes[nodeId];
-      if (node.level == 10000) {
-        this._setLevelDirected(10000,node.edges,node.id);
-      }
-    }
-  }
+  firstNode = this.nodes[this.nodeIndices[0]];
+  firstNode.level = minLevel;
+  this._setLevelDirected(minLevel,firstNode.edges,firstNode.id);
 
-
-  // branch from hubs
-  var minLevel = 10000;
+  // get the minimum level
   for (nodeId in this.nodes) {
     if (this.nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
       node = this.nodes[nodeId];
@@ -255,7 +243,7 @@ exports._determineLevelsDirected = function() {
     }
   }
 
-  // branch from hubs
+  // subtract the minimum from the set so we have a range starting from 0
   for (nodeId in this.nodes) {
     if (this.nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
       node = this.nodes[nodeId];
@@ -361,7 +349,7 @@ exports._setLevel = function(level, edges, parentId) {
 
 
 /**
- * this function is called recursively to enumerate the barnches of the largest hubs and give each node a level.
+ * this function is called recursively to enumerate the branched of the first node and give each node a level based on edge direction
  *
  * @param level
  * @param edges