diff --git a/simplify/douglas_peucker.go b/simplify/douglas_peucker.go
index 0cc8380..171f308 100644
--- a/simplify/douglas_peucker.go
+++ b/simplify/douglas_peucker.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func DouglasPeucker(threshold float64) *DouglasPeuckerSimplifier {
 	}
 }
 
-func (s *DouglasPeuckerSimplifier) simplify(ls orb.LineString, wim bool) (orb.LineString, []int) {
+func (s *DouglasPeuckerSimplifier) simplify(ls orb.LineString, area, wim bool) (orb.LineString, []int) {
 	mask := make([]byte, len(ls))
 	mask[0] = 1
 	mask[len(mask)-1] = 1
diff --git a/simplify/douglas_peucker_test.go b/simplify/douglas_peucker_test.go
index bed7b76..75c31e1 100644
--- a/simplify/douglas_peucker_test.go
+++ b/simplify/douglas_peucker_test.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func TestDouglasPeucker(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			v, im := DouglasPeucker(tc.threshold).simplify(tc.ls, true)
+			v, im := DouglasPeucker(tc.threshold).simplify(tc.ls, false, true)
 			if !v.Equal(tc.expected) {
 				t.Log(v)
 				t.Log(tc.expected)
diff --git a/simplify/helpers.go b/simplify/helpers.go
index c44bb79..d48b6bd 100644
--- a/simplify/helpers.go
+++ b/simplify/helpers.go
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ package simplify
 import "github.com/paulmach/orb"
 
 type simplifier interface {
-	simplify(orb.LineString, bool) (orb.LineString, []int)
+	simplify(l orb.LineString, area bool, withIndexMap bool) (orb.LineString, []int)
 }
 
 func simplify(s simplifier, geom orb.Geometry) orb.Geometry {
@@ -64,24 +64,24 @@ func simplify(s simplifier, geom orb.Geometry) orb.Geometry {
 }
 
 func lineString(s simplifier, ls orb.LineString) orb.LineString {
-	return runSimplify(s, ls)
+	return runSimplify(s, ls, false)
 }
 
 func multiLineString(s simplifier, mls orb.MultiLineString) orb.MultiLineString {
 	for i := range mls {
-		mls[i] = runSimplify(s, mls[i])
+		mls[i] = runSimplify(s, mls[i], false)
 	}
 	return mls
 }
 
 func ring(s simplifier, r orb.Ring) orb.Ring {
-	return orb.Ring(runSimplify(s, orb.LineString(r)))
+	return orb.Ring(runSimplify(s, orb.LineString(r), true))
 }
 
 func polygon(s simplifier, p orb.Polygon) orb.Polygon {
 	count := 0
 	for i := range p {
-		r := orb.Ring(runSimplify(s, orb.LineString(p[i])))
+		r := orb.Ring(runSimplify(s, orb.LineString(p[i]), true))
 		if i != 0 && len(r) <= 2 {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -113,10 +113,10 @@ func collection(s simplifier, c orb.Collection) orb.Collection {
 	return c
 }
 
-func runSimplify(s simplifier, ls orb.LineString) orb.LineString {
+func runSimplify(s simplifier, ls orb.LineString, area bool) orb.LineString {
 	if len(ls) <= 2 {
 		return ls
 	}
-	ls, _ = s.simplify(ls, false)
+	ls, _ = s.simplify(ls, area, false)
 	return ls
 }
diff --git a/simplify/radial.go b/simplify/radial.go
index 71ecf1a..531e8a4 100644
--- a/simplify/radial.go
+++ b/simplify/radial.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func Radial(df orb.DistanceFunc, threshold float64) *RadialSimplifier {
 	}
 }
 
-func (s *RadialSimplifier) simplify(ls orb.LineString, wim bool) (orb.LineString, []int) {
+func (s *RadialSimplifier) simplify(ls orb.LineString, area, wim bool) (orb.LineString, []int) {
 	var indexMap []int
 	if wim {
 		indexMap = append(indexMap, 0)
diff --git a/simplify/radial_test.go b/simplify/radial_test.go
index d3d7116..bf20637 100644
--- a/simplify/radial_test.go
+++ b/simplify/radial_test.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func TestRadial(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			v, im := Radial(planar.Distance, tc.threshold).simplify(tc.ls, true)
+			v, im := Radial(planar.Distance, tc.threshold).simplify(tc.ls, false, true)
 			if !v.Equal(tc.expected) {
 				t.Log(v)
 				t.Log(tc.expected)
diff --git a/simplify/visvalingam.go b/simplify/visvalingam.go
index f11f608..f8d9975 100644
--- a/simplify/visvalingam.go
+++ b/simplify/visvalingam.go
@@ -12,10 +12,17 @@ var _ orb.Simplifier = &VisvalingamSimplifier{}
 // performs the vivalingham algorithm.
 type VisvalingamSimplifier struct {
 	Threshold float64
-	ToKeep    int
+
+	// If 0 defaults to 2 for line, 3 for non-closed rings and 4 for closed rings.
+	// The intent is to maintain valid geometry after simplification, however it
+	// is still possible for the simplification to create self-intersections.
+	ToKeep int
 }
 
 // Visvalingam creates a new VisvalingamSimplifier.
+// If minPointsToKeep is 0 the algorithm will keep at least 2 points for lines,
+// 3 for non-closed rings and 4 for closed rings. However it is still possible
+// for the simplification to create self-intersections.
 func Visvalingam(threshold float64, minPointsToKeep int) *VisvalingamSimplifier {
 	return &VisvalingamSimplifier{
 		Threshold: threshold,
@@ -25,19 +32,42 @@ func Visvalingam(threshold float64, minPointsToKeep int) *VisvalingamSimplifier
 
 // VisvalingamThreshold runs the Visvalingam-Whyatt algorithm removing
 // triangles whose area is below the threshold.
+// Will keep at least 2 points for lines, 3 for non-closed rings and 4 for closed rings.
+// The intent is to maintain valid geometry after simplification, however it
+// is still possible for the simplification to create self-intersections.
 func VisvalingamThreshold(threshold float64) *VisvalingamSimplifier {
 	return Visvalingam(threshold, 0)
 }
 
 // VisvalingamKeep runs the Visvalingam-Whyatt algorithm removing
-// triangles of minimum area until we're down to `toKeep` number of points.
-func VisvalingamKeep(toKeep int) *VisvalingamSimplifier {
-	return Visvalingam(math.MaxFloat64, toKeep)
+// triangles of minimum area until we're down to `minPointsToKeep` number of points.
+// If minPointsToKeep is 0 the algorithm will keep at least 2 points for lines,
+// 3 for non-closed rings and 4 for closed rings. However it is still possible
+// for the simplification to create self-intersections.
+func VisvalingamKeep(minPointsToKeep int) *VisvalingamSimplifier {
+	return Visvalingam(math.MaxFloat64, minPointsToKeep)
 }
 
-func (s *VisvalingamSimplifier) simplify(ls orb.LineString, wim bool) (orb.LineString, []int) {
+func (s *VisvalingamSimplifier) simplify(ls orb.LineString, area, wim bool) (orb.LineString, []int) {
+	if len(ls) <= 1 {
+		return ls, nil
+	}
+
+	toKeep := s.ToKeep
+	if toKeep == 0 {
+		if area {
+			if ls[0] == ls[len(ls)-1] {
+				toKeep = 4
+			} else {
+				toKeep = 3
+			}
+		} else {
+			toKeep = 2
+		}
+	}
+
 	var indexMap []int
-	if len(ls) <= s.ToKeep {
+	if len(ls) <= toKeep {
 		if wim {
 			// create identify map
 			indexMap = make([]int, len(ls))
@@ -89,7 +119,7 @@ func (s *VisvalingamSimplifier) simplify(ls orb.LineString, wim bool) (orb.LineS
 	// run through the reduction process
 	for len(heap) > 0 {
 		current := heap.Pop()
-		if current.area > threshold || len(ls)-removed <= s.ToKeep {
+		if current.area > threshold || len(ls)-removed <= toKeep {
 			break
 		}
 
@@ -153,7 +183,7 @@ type visItem struct {
 	next     *visItem
 	previous *visItem
 
-	index int // interal index in heap, for removal and update
+	index int // internal index in heap, for removal and update
 }
 
 func (h *minHeap) Push(item *visItem) {
diff --git a/simplify/visvalingam_test.go b/simplify/visvalingam_test.go
index bd604ba..4de77af 100644
--- a/simplify/visvalingam_test.go
+++ b/simplify/visvalingam_test.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func TestVisvalingamThreshold(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			v, im := VisvalingamThreshold(tc.threshold).simplify(tc.ls, true)
+			v, im := VisvalingamThreshold(tc.threshold).simplify(tc.ls, false, true)
 			if !v.Equal(tc.expected) {
 				t.Log(v)
 				t.Log(tc.expected)
@@ -49,6 +49,45 @@ func TestVisvalingamThreshold(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestVisvalingamThreshold_area(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name     string
+		r        orb.Ring
+		expected orb.Ring
+		indexMap []int
+	}{
+		{
+			name:     "reduction",
+			r:        orb.Ring{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {1, 0.5}, {1, 1}, {0.5, 1}, {0, 1}},
+			expected: orb.Ring{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {0, 1}},
+			indexMap: []int{0, 1, 5},
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "reduction closed",
+			r:        orb.Ring{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {1, 0.5}, {1, 1}, {0.5, 1}, {0, 1}, {0, 0}},
+			expected: orb.Ring{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {1, 1}, {0, 0}},
+			indexMap: []int{0, 1, 3, 6},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			v, im := VisvalingamThreshold(10).simplify(orb.LineString(tc.r), true, true)
+			if !v.Equal(orb.LineString(tc.expected)) {
+				t.Log(v)
+				t.Log(tc.expected)
+				t.Errorf("incorrect ring")
+			}
+
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(im, tc.indexMap) {
+				t.Log(im)
+				t.Log(tc.indexMap)
+				t.Errorf("incorrect index map")
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestVisvalingamKeep(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := []struct {
 		name     string
@@ -96,7 +135,7 @@ func TestVisvalingamKeep(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			v, im := VisvalingamKeep(tc.keep).simplify(tc.ls, true)
+			v, im := VisvalingamKeep(tc.keep).simplify(tc.ls, false, true)
 			if !v.Equal(tc.expected) {
 				t.Log(v)
 				t.Log(tc.expected)
@@ -181,7 +220,7 @@ func TestVisvalingam(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			v, im := Visvalingam(tc.threshold, tc.keep).simplify(tc.ls, true)
+			v, im := Visvalingam(tc.threshold, tc.keep).simplify(tc.ls, false, true)
 			if !v.Equal(tc.expected) {
 				t.Log(v)
 				t.Log(tc.expected)