diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/common/constants.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/common/constants.ts
index 542abfb004d0d..0e93fd6593710 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/common/constants.ts
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/common/constants.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
  */
 import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
-
 export const EMS_CATALOGUE_PATH = 'ems/catalogue';
 
 export const EMS_FILES_CATALOGUE_PATH = 'ems/files';
@@ -54,6 +53,7 @@ export const EMS_FILE = 'EMS_FILE';
 export const ES_GEO_GRID = 'ES_GEO_GRID';
 export const ES_SEARCH = 'ES_SEARCH';
 export const ES_PEW_PEW = 'ES_PEW_PEW';
+export const EMS_XYZ = 'EMS_XYZ'; // identifies a custom TMS source. Name is a little unfortunate.
 
 export const FIELD_ORIGIN = {
   SOURCE: 'source',
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/common/descriptor_types.d.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/common/descriptor_types.d.ts
index 05123c9c86b63..c024721dfb870 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/common/descriptor_types.d.ts
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/common/descriptor_types.d.ts
@@ -4,14 +4,17 @@
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
  */
 
-import { IFieldType } from '../../../../../src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/fields';
-
 export interface ISourceDescriptor {
   id: string;
   type: string;
 }
 
+export interface IXYZTMSSourceDescriptor extends ISourceDescriptor {
+  urlTemplate: string;
+}
+
 export interface ILayerDescriptor {
   sourceDescriptor: ISourceDescriptor;
   id: string;
+  label?: string;
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/layer.d.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/layer.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..ed7dcb062d8c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/layer.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+import { ILayerDescriptor } from '../../common/descriptor_types';
+import { ISource } from './sources/source';
+
+export interface ILayer {
+  getDisplayName(): Promise<string>;
+}
+
+export interface ILayerArguments {
+  layerDescriptor: ILayerDescriptor;
+  source: ISource;
+}
+
+export class AbstractLayer implements ILayer {
+  constructor(layerArguments: ILayerArguments);
+  getDisplayName(): Promise<string>;
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/source.d.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/source.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..372981de42597
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/source.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { ISourceDescriptor } from '../../../common/descriptor_types';
+import { ILayer } from '../layer';
+
+export interface ISource {
+  createDefaultLayer(): ILayer;
+  getDisplayName(): Promise<string>;
+}
+
+export class AbstractSource implements ISource {
+  constructor(sourceDescriptor: ISourceDescriptor, inspectorAdapters: object);
+  createDefaultLayer(): ILayer;
+  getDisplayName(): Promise<string>;
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/tms_source.d.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/tms_source.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..90b6f28e050fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/tms_source.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { AbstractSource, ISource } from './source';
+
+export interface ITMSSource extends ISource {
+  getUrlTemplate(): Promise<string>;
+}
+
+export class AbstractTMSSource extends AbstractSource implements ITMSSource {
+  getUrlTemplate(): Promise<string>;
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.d.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..1150c39b79db5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+import { AbstractTMSSource } from './tms_source';
+import { IXYZTMSSourceDescriptor } from '../../../common/descriptor_types';
+
+export class XYZTMSSource extends AbstractTMSSource {
+  constructor(sourceDescriptor: IXYZTMSSourceDescriptor, inspectorAdapters: unknown);
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.js b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.js
index a4d331f48beae..354883372e244 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.js
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.js
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ import { TileLayer } from '../tile_layer';
 import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
 import { getDataSourceLabel, getUrlLabel } from '../../../common/i18n_getters';
 import _ from 'lodash';
+import { EMS_XYZ } from '../../../common/constants';
 
 export class XYZTMSSource extends AbstractTMSSource {
-  static type = 'EMS_XYZ';
+  static type = EMS_XYZ;
   static title = i18n.translate('xpack.maps.source.ems_xyzTitle', {
     defaultMessage: 'Tile Map Service',
   });
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.test.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5de85adde158f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/xyz_tms_source.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { XYZTMSSource } from './xyz_tms_source';
+import { ILayer } from '../layer';
+import { TileLayer } from '../tile_layer';
+import { EMS_XYZ } from '../../../common/constants';
+import { IXYZTMSSourceDescriptor } from '../../../common/descriptor_types';
+
+const descriptor: IXYZTMSSourceDescriptor = {
+  type: EMS_XYZ,
+  urlTemplate: 'https://example.com/{x}/{y}/{z}.png',
+  id: 'foobar',
+};
+describe('xyz Tilemap Source', () => {
+  it('should create a tile-layer', () => {
+    const source = new XYZTMSSource(descriptor, null);
+    const layer: ILayer = source.createDefaultLayer();
+    expect(layer instanceof TileLayer).toEqual(true);
+  });
+
+  it('should echo url template for url template', async () => {
+    const source = new XYZTMSSource(descriptor, null);
+    const template = await source.getUrlTemplate();
+    expect(template).toEqual(descriptor.urlTemplate);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/tile_layer.d.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/tile_layer.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..fdb37a8af805f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/tile_layer.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { AbstractLayer, ILayerArguments } from './layer';
+import { ITMSSource } from './sources/tms_source';
+import { ILayerDescriptor } from '../../common/descriptor_types';
+
+interface ITileLayerArguments extends ILayerArguments {
+  source: ITMSSource;
+  layerDescriptor: ILayerDescriptor;
+}
+
+export class TileLayer extends AbstractLayer {
+  constructor(args: ITileLayerArguments);
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/tile_layer.test.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/tile_layer.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b2d2b08c637cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/tile_layer.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { TileLayer } from './tile_layer';
+import { EMS_XYZ } from '../../common/constants';
+import { IXYZTMSSourceDescriptor } from '../../common/descriptor_types';
+import { ITMSSource } from './sources/tms_source';
+import { ILayer } from './layer';
+
+const sourceDescriptor: IXYZTMSSourceDescriptor = {
+  type: EMS_XYZ,
+  urlTemplate: 'https://example.com/{x}/{y}/{z}.png',
+  id: 'foobar',
+};
+
+class MockTileSource implements ITMSSource {
+  private _descriptor: IXYZTMSSourceDescriptor;
+  constructor(descriptor: IXYZTMSSourceDescriptor) {
+    this._descriptor = descriptor;
+  }
+  createDefaultLayer(): ILayer {
+    throw new Error('not implemented');
+  }
+
+  async getDisplayName(): Promise<string> {
+    return this._descriptor.urlTemplate;
+  }
+
+  async getUrlTemplate(): Promise<string> {
+    return 'template/{x}/{y}/{z}.png';
+  }
+}
+
+describe('TileLayer', () => {
+  it('should use display-label from source', async () => {
+    const source = new MockTileSource(sourceDescriptor);
+    const layer: ILayer = new TileLayer({
+      source,
+      layerDescriptor: { id: 'layerid', sourceDescriptor },
+    });
+    expect(await source.getDisplayName()).toEqual(await layer.getDisplayName());
+  });
+
+  it('should override with custom display-label if present', async () => {
+    const source = new MockTileSource(sourceDescriptor);
+    const layer: ILayer = new TileLayer({
+      source,
+      layerDescriptor: { id: 'layerid', sourceDescriptor, label: 'custom' },
+    });
+    expect('custom').toEqual(await layer.getDisplayName());
+  });
+});