diff --git a/lib/glug/stylesheet.rb b/lib/glug/stylesheet.rb
index 0b5a334..73dad4a 100644
--- a/lib/glug/stylesheet.rb
+++ b/lib/glug/stylesheet.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ def initialize(base_dir: nil, params: nil, &block)
       @sources = {}
       @kv = {}
       @layers = []
+      @layer_order = nil
       @base_dir = base_dir || ''
       @params = params || {}
       @dsl = StylesheetDSL.new(self)
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@ def source(source_name, opts = {})
       @sources[source_name] = opts
     end
 
+    def layer_order(order)
+      @layer_order = order
+    end
+
     # Add a layer
     # creates a new Layer object using the block supplied
     def layer(id, opts = {}, &block)
@@ -41,7 +46,7 @@ def to_hash
         v.delete(:default)
         out['sources'][k] = v
       end
-      out['layers'] = @layers.select(&:write?).collect(&:to_hash).compact
+      out['layers'] = ordered_layers.collect(&:to_hash).compact
       out
     end
 
@@ -58,5 +63,44 @@ def _add_layer(layer)
     def include_file(filename)
       @dsl.instance_eval(File.read(File.join(@base_dir, filename)))
     end
+
+    private
+
+    def ordered_layers
+      writable = @layers.select(&:write?)
+      return writable unless @layer_order
+
+      order_strings = @layer_order.map(&:to_s)
+
+      # Include sublayers automatically if parent layer is included
+      groups = Hash.new { |h, k| h[k] = [] }
+      writable.each do |layer|
+        lid = layer.kv[:id].to_s
+        group = find_order_group(lid, order_strings)
+        groups[group] << layer if group
+      end
+
+      order_strings.flat_map { |entry| groups[entry] || [] }
+    end
+
+    def find_order_group(layer_id, order_strings)
+      return layer_id if order_strings.include?(layer_id)
+
+      # Find the longest order entry that is a prefix of this layer's ID
+      best = nil
+      order_strings.each do |entry|
+        best = entry if layer_id.start_with?("#{entry}__") && (best.nil? || entry.length > best.length)
+      end
+
+      # If a parent matched, only auto-include when no sibling sublayer
+      # is explicitly in the order (explicit reference opts into manual control)
+      if best
+        order_strings.each do |entry|
+          return nil if entry.start_with?("#{best}__")
+        end
+      end
+
+      best
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/glug/stylesheet_dsl.rb b/lib/glug/stylesheet_dsl.rb
index 9590090..5ee1218 100644
--- a/lib/glug/stylesheet_dsl.rb
+++ b/lib/glug/stylesheet_dsl.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ def include_file(filename)
       @__impl.include_file(filename)
     end
 
+    def layer_order(order)
+      @__impl.layer_order(order)
+    end
+
     # Arbitrary properties can be defined, e.g. "foo :bar" results in a top-level "foo":"bar" in the style
     def respond_to_missing?(*)
       true
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering.glug b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering.glug
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc148e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering.glug
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+version 8
+name 'My first stylesheet'
+source :shortbread, type: 'vector', url: 'https://vector.openstreetmap.org/shortbread_v1/tilejson.json'
+
+layer_order([
+  :first,
+  :second,
+  "third",
+  :nonexistant
+])
+
+# layer with symbol name
+layer(:first, source: :shortbread) do
+  line_color 0x998877
+end
+
+# layer with symbol name, but string in ordering
+layer(:third, source: :shortbread) do
+  line_color 0x998877
+end
+
+# layer with string name, but symbol in ordering
+layer("second", source: :shortbread) do
+  line_color 0x998877
+end
+
+# layer that doesn't appear in ordering, and so not in output
+layer(:unused, source: :shortbread) do
+  line_color 0x998877
+end
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering.json b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e9feb6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering.json
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+{
+  "version":8,
+  "name":"My first stylesheet",
+  "sources":{
+    "shortbread":{
+      "type":"vector",
+      "url":"https://vector.openstreetmap.org/shortbread_v1/tilejson.json"
+    }
+  },
+  "layers":[
+    {
+      "paint":{"line-color":"#998877"},
+      "source":"shortbread",
+      "id":"first",
+      "source-layer":"first",
+      "type":"line"
+    },
+    {
+      "paint":{"line-color":"#998877"},
+      "source":"shortbread",
+      "id":"second",
+      "source-layer":"second",
+      "type":"line"
+    },
+    {
+      "paint":{"line-color":"#998877"},
+      "source":"shortbread",
+      "id":"third",
+      "source-layer":"third",
+      "type":"line"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers.glug b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers.glug
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d70d3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers.glug
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+version 8
+source :shortbread, type: 'vector', url: 'https://example.com/tiles.json'
+
+layer_order([:roads])
+
+# If the sublayers aren't explicitly referred to in the layer_order
+# then they are included automatically
+layer(:roads, source: :shortbread) do
+  line_color 0x998877
+  on(5..10) do
+    line_width 2
+  end
+  on(10..15) do
+    line_width 4
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers.json b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..02c7f7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers.json
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+{
+  "version":8,
+  "sources":{"shortbread":{"type":"vector","url":"https://example.com/tiles.json"}},
+  "layers":[
+    {
+      "paint":{"line-color":"#998877"},
+      "source":"shortbread",
+      "id":"roads",
+      "source-layer":"roads",
+      "type":"line"
+    },
+    {
+      "paint":{"line-color":"#998877","line-width":2},
+      "source":"shortbread",
+      "id":"roads__1",
+      "source-layer":"roads",
+      "type":"line",
+      "minzoom":5,
+      "maxzoom":10
+    },
+    {
+      "paint":{"line-color":"#998877","line-width":4},
+      "source":"shortbread",
+      "id":"roads__2",
+      "source-layer":"roads",
+      "type":"line",
+      "minzoom":10,
+      "maxzoom":15
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_explicit.glug b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_explicit.glug
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c6507f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_explicit.glug
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+version 8
+source :shortbread, type: 'vector', url: 'https://example.com/tiles.json'
+
+layer_order([:roads__2])
+
+# If you refer to a sublayer explicitly in the layer_order
+# then unreferenced sublayers are ignored
+layer(:roads, source: :shortbread) do
+  line_color 0x998877
+  on(5..10) do
+    line_width 2
+  end
+  on(10..15) do
+    line_width 4
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_explicit.json b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_explicit.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d56a48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_explicit.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "version":8,
+  "sources":{"shortbread":{"type":"vector","url":"https://example.com/tiles.json"}},
+  "layers":[
+    {
+      "paint":{"line-color":"#998877","line-width":4},
+      "source":"shortbread",
+      "id":"roads__2",
+      "source-layer":"roads",
+      "type":"line",
+      "minzoom":10,
+      "maxzoom":15
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_with_parent.glug b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_with_parent.glug
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..20caca9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_with_parent.glug
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+version 8
+source :shortbread, type: 'vector', url: 'https://example.com/tiles.json'
+
+layer_order([:roads, :roads__2])
+
+# If you refer to a sublayer explicitly in the layer_order
+# then unreferenced sublayers are ignored
+layer(:roads, source: :shortbread) do
+  line_color 0x998877
+  on(5..10) do
+    line_width 2
+  end
+  on(10..15) do
+    line_width 4
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_with_parent.json b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_with_parent.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8f7719
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/layer_ordering_sublayers_with_parent.json
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{
+  "version":8,
+  "sources":{"shortbread":{"type":"vector","url":"https://example.com/tiles.json"}},
+  "layers":[
+    {
+      "paint":{"line-color":"#998877"},
+      "source":"shortbread",
+      "id":"roads",
+      "source-layer":"roads",
+      "type":"line"
+    },
+    {
+      "paint":{"line-color":"#998877","line-width":4},
+      "source":"shortbread",
+      "id":"roads__2",
+      "source-layer":"roads",
+      "type":"line",
+      "minzoom":10,
+      "maxzoom":15
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/spec/lib/glug/stylesheet_spec.rb b/spec/lib/glug/stylesheet_spec.rb
index f25811e..137ac7b 100644
--- a/spec/lib/glug/stylesheet_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/glug/stylesheet_spec.rb
@@ -113,5 +113,41 @@
       output = File.read(File.join(fixture_dir, 'expression_ivars.json'))
       expect(stylesheet.to_json).to eql(output.strip)
     end
+
+    it 'handles explicit layer ordering' do
+      glug = File.read(File.join(fixture_dir, 'layer_ordering.glug'))
+      stylesheet = described_class.new(base_dir: fixture_dir) do
+        instance_eval(glug)
+      end
+      output = File.read(File.join(fixture_dir, 'layer_ordering.json'))
+      expect(stylesheet.to_json).to eql(output.strip)
+    end
+
+    it 'includes sublayers automatically when parent is in layer_order' do
+      glug = File.read(File.join(fixture_dir, 'layer_ordering_sublayers.glug'))
+      stylesheet = described_class.new(base_dir: fixture_dir) do
+        instance_eval(glug)
+      end
+      output = File.read(File.join(fixture_dir, 'layer_ordering_sublayers.json'))
+      expect(stylesheet.to_json).to eql(output.strip)
+    end
+
+    it 'excludes other sublayers when one is explicitly in layer_order' do
+      glug = File.read(File.join(fixture_dir, 'layer_ordering_sublayers_explicit.glug'))
+      stylesheet = described_class.new(base_dir: fixture_dir) do
+        instance_eval(glug)
+      end
+      output = File.read(File.join(fixture_dir, 'layer_ordering_sublayers_explicit.json'))
+      expect(stylesheet.to_json).to eql(output.strip)
+    end
+
+    it 'excludes other sublayers when one other is mentioned and parent included' do
+      glug = File.read(File.join(fixture_dir, 'layer_ordering_sublayers_with_parent.glug'))
+      stylesheet = described_class.new(base_dir: fixture_dir) do
+        instance_eval(glug)
+      end
+      output = File.read(File.join(fixture_dir, 'layer_ordering_sublayers_with_parent.json'))
+      expect(stylesheet.to_json).to eql(output.strip)
+    end
   end
 end