diff --git a/include/mapnik/text/placements/simple.hpp b/include/mapnik/text/placements/simple.hpp
index ca2b13c8d..b84b4f8cf 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/text/placements/simple.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/text/placements/simple.hpp
@@ -30,19 +30,6 @@ namespace mapnik {
 
 class text_placement_info_simple;
 
-enum directions_e
-{
-    NORTH,
-    EAST,
-    SOUTH,
-    WEST,
-    NORTHEAST,
-    SOUTHEAST,
-    NORTHWEST,
-    SOUTHWEST,
-    EXACT_POSITION
-};
-
 // Automatically generates placement options from a user selected list of directions and text sizes.
 class text_placements_simple: public text_placements
 {
diff --git a/include/mapnik/text/text_properties.hpp b/include/mapnik/text/text_properties.hpp
index 20a0b23fa..cd5af9726 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/text/text_properties.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/text/text_properties.hpp
@@ -35,10 +35,8 @@
 #include <mapnik/symbolizer_base.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/symbolizer_enumerations.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/noncopyable.hpp>
-
 // stl
 #include <map>
-#include <functional>
 
 // boost
 #include <boost/optional.hpp>
@@ -81,6 +79,19 @@ struct evaluated_format_properties
 
 }
 
+enum directions_e
+{
+    NORTH,
+    EAST,
+    SOUTH,
+    WEST,
+    NORTHEAST,
+    SOUTHEAST,
+    NORTHWEST,
+    SOUTHWEST,
+    EXACT_POSITION
+};
+
 using fontset_map = std::map<std::string, font_set>;
 
 struct MAPNIK_DECL format_properties
@@ -137,9 +148,7 @@ struct MAPNIK_DECL text_layout_properties
     symbolizer_base::value_type halign;
     symbolizer_base::value_type jalign;
     symbolizer_base::value_type valign;
-
-    std::function<pixel_position(double,double)> displacement_evaluator_ =
-        [](double dx, double dy) { return pixel_position(dx,dy);};
+    directions_e dir = EXACT_POSITION;
 };
 
 struct text_properties_expressions
diff --git a/src/text/placements/simple.cpp b/src/text/placements/simple.cpp
index ba1660d6d..2b89d9211 100644
--- a/src/text/placements/simple.cpp
+++ b/src/text/placements/simple.cpp
@@ -64,66 +64,8 @@ bool text_placement_info_simple::next()
 bool text_placement_info_simple::next_position_only()
 {
     if (position_state >= parent_->direction_.size()) return false;
-    directions_e dir = parent_->direction_[position_state];
-    switch (dir)
-    {
-    case EXACT_POSITION:
-        properties.layout_defaults.displacement_evaluator_ = [](double dx, double dy)
-            {
-                return pixel_position(dx,dy);
-            };
-        break;
-    case NORTH:
-        properties.layout_defaults.displacement_evaluator_ = [](double dx, double dy)
-            {
-                return pixel_position(0,-std::abs(dy));
-            };
-        break;
-    case EAST:
-        properties.layout_defaults.displacement_evaluator_ = [](double dx, double dy)
-            {
-                return pixel_position(std::abs(dx),0);
-            };
-        break;
-    case SOUTH:
-        properties.layout_defaults.displacement_evaluator_ = [](double dx, double dy)
-            {
-                return pixel_position(0,std::abs(dy));
-            };
-        break;
-    case WEST:
-        properties.layout_defaults.displacement_evaluator_ = [](double dx, double dy)
-            {
-                return pixel_position(-std::abs(dx),0);
-            };
-        break;
-    case NORTHEAST:
-        properties.layout_defaults.displacement_evaluator_ =  [](double dx, double dy)
-            {
-                return pixel_position(std::abs(dx),-std::abs(dy));
-            };
-        break;
-    case SOUTHEAST:
-        properties.layout_defaults.displacement_evaluator_ = [](double dx, double dy)
-            {
-                return pixel_position(std::abs(dx),std::abs(dy));
-            };
-        break;
-    case NORTHWEST:
-        properties.layout_defaults.displacement_evaluator_ = [](double dx, double dy)
-            {
-                return pixel_position(-std::abs(dx),-std::abs(dy));
-            };
-        break;
-    case SOUTHWEST:
-        properties.layout_defaults.displacement_evaluator_ = [](double dx, double dy)
-            {
-                return pixel_position(-std::abs(dx),std::abs(dy));
-            };
-        break;
-    default:
-        MAPNIK_LOG_WARN(text_placements) << "Unknown placement";
-    }
+    //directions_e dir = parent_->direction_[position_state];
+    properties.layout_defaults.dir = parent_->direction_[position_state];
     ++position_state;
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/text/text_layout.cpp b/src/text/text_layout.cpp
index cf8ebca75..a1d8ff9ba 100644
--- a/src/text/text_layout.cpp
+++ b/src/text/text_layout.cpp
@@ -340,12 +340,46 @@ void text_layout::shape_text(text_line & line)
     harfbuzz_shaper::shape_text(line, itemizer_, width_map_, font_manager_, scale_factor_);
 }
 
+pixel_position evaluate_displacement(double dx, double dy, directions_e dir)
+{
+    switch (dir)
+    {
+    case EXACT_POSITION:
+        return pixel_position(dx,dy);
+        break;
+    case NORTH:
+        return pixel_position(0,-std::abs(dy));
+        break;
+    case EAST:
+        return pixel_position(std::abs(dx),0);
+        break;
+    case SOUTH:
+        return pixel_position(0,std::abs(dy));
+        break;
+    case WEST:
+        return pixel_position(-std::abs(dx),0);
+        break;
+    case NORTHEAST:
+        return pixel_position(std::abs(dx),-std::abs(dy));
+        break;
+    case SOUTHEAST:
+        return pixel_position(std::abs(dx),std::abs(dy));
+        break;
+    case NORTHWEST:
+        return pixel_position(-std::abs(dx),-std::abs(dy));
+        break;
+    case SOUTHWEST:
+        return pixel_position(-std::abs(dx),std::abs(dy));
+        break;
+    }
+}
+
 void text_layout::evaluate_properties(feature_impl const& feature, attributes const& attrs)
 {
     // dx,dy
     double dx = util::apply_visitor(extract_value<value_double>(feature,attrs), properties_.dx);
     double dy = util::apply_visitor(extract_value<value_double>(feature,attrs), properties_.dy);
-    displacement_ = properties_.displacement_evaluator_(dx,dy);
+    displacement_ = evaluate_displacement(dx,dy, properties_.dir);
     std::string wrap_str = util::apply_visitor(extract_value<std::string>(feature,attrs), properties_.wrap_char);
     if (!wrap_str.empty()) wrap_char_ = wrap_str[0];
     wrap_width_ = util::apply_visitor(extract_value<value_double>(feature,attrs), properties_.wrap_width);