diff --git a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyActivity.java
index 43966f7a4..e0a65e1a5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyActivity.java
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 package fr.free.nrw.commons.nearby;
 
+import android.content.DialogInterface;
+import android.content.Intent;
+import android.location.LocationManager;
 import android.net.Uri;
 import android.os.AsyncTask;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.support.v4.app.Fragment;
 import android.support.v4.app.FragmentTransaction;
+import android.support.v7.app.AlertDialog;
 import android.view.Menu;
 import android.view.MenuInflater;
 import android.view.MenuItem;
@@ -23,6 +27,7 @@ import fr.free.nrw.commons.theme.BaseActivity;
 import fr.free.nrw.commons.utils.UriSerializer;
 
 import fr.free.nrw.commons.R;
+import timber.log.Timber;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -47,6 +52,7 @@ public class NearbyActivity extends BaseActivity {
         if (getSupportActionBar() != null) {
             getSupportActionBar().setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);
         }
+        checkGps();
         bundle = new Bundle();
         locationManager = new LocationServiceManager(this);
         locationManager.registerLocationManager();
@@ -83,6 +89,44 @@ public class NearbyActivity extends BaseActivity {
         }
     }
 
+    protected void checkGps() {
+        LocationManager manager = (LocationManager) getSystemService(LOCATION_SERVICE);
+        if (!manager.isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER)) {
+            Timber.d("GPS is not enabled");
+            AlertDialog.Builder alertDialogBuilder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
+            alertDialogBuilder.setMessage(R.string.gps_disabled)
+                    .setCancelable(false)
+                    .setPositiveButton(R.string.enable_gps,
+                            new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
+                                public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
+                                    Intent callGPSSettingIntent = new Intent(
+                                            android.provider.Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);
+                                    Timber.d("Loaded settings page");
+                                    startActivityForResult(callGPSSettingIntent, 1);
+                                }
+                            });
+            alertDialogBuilder.setNegativeButton("Cancel",
+                    new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
+                        public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
+                            dialog.cancel();
+                        }
+                    });
+            AlertDialog alert = alertDialogBuilder.create();
+            alert.show();
+        } else {
+            Timber.d("GPS is enabled");
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
+        super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
+        if (requestCode == 1) {
+            Timber.d("User is back from Settings page");
+            refreshView();
+        }
+    }
+
     private void showMapView() {
         if (!isMapViewActive) {
             isMapViewActive = true;
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java
index ba2aec1d9..e5fc3182c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@ package fr.free.nrw.commons.nearby;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.SharedPreferences;
-import android.graphics.drawable.Icon;
 import android.preference.PreferenceManager;
 
+import com.mapbox.mapboxsdk.annotations.Icon;
+import com.mapbox.mapboxsdk.annotations.IconFactory;
+
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Comparator;
@@ -13,6 +15,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import fr.free.nrw.commons.R;
 import fr.free.nrw.commons.location.LatLng;
 import timber.log.Timber;
 
@@ -86,13 +89,17 @@ public class NearbyController {
      */
     public static List<NearbyBaseMarker> loadAttractionsFromLocationToBaseMarkerOptions(
             LatLng curLatLng,
-            List<Place> placeList) {
+            List<Place> placeList,
+            Context context) {
         List<NearbyBaseMarker> baseMarkerOptionses = new ArrayList<>();
         placeList = placeList.subList(0, Math.min(placeList.size(), MAX_RESULTS));
         for (Place place: placeList) {
             String distance = formatDistanceBetween(curLatLng, place.location);
             place.setDistance(distance);
 
+            Icon icon = IconFactory.getInstance(context)
+                    .fromResource(R.drawable.custom_map_marker);
+
             NearbyBaseMarker nearbyBaseMarker = new NearbyBaseMarker();
             nearbyBaseMarker.title(place.name);
             nearbyBaseMarker.position(
@@ -100,6 +107,7 @@ public class NearbyController {
                             place.location.latitude,
                             place.location.longitude));
             nearbyBaseMarker.place(place);
+            nearbyBaseMarker.icon(icon);
 
             baseMarkerOptionses.add(nearbyBaseMarker);
         }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyMapFragment.java b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyMapFragment.java
index 77512139e..b58fa8d5b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyMapFragment.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyMapFragment.java
@@ -55,8 +55,9 @@ public class NearbyMapFragment extends android.support.v4.app.Fragment {
             Type curLatLngType = new TypeToken<fr.free.nrw.commons.location.LatLng>() {}.getType();
             curLatLng = gson.fromJson(gsonLatLng, curLatLngType);
             baseMarkerOptionses = NearbyController
-                    .loadAttractionsFromLocationToBaseMarkerOptions(curLatLng, placeList);
-
+                    .loadAttractionsFromLocationToBaseMarkerOptions(curLatLng,
+                            placeList,
+                            getActivity());
         }
         Mapbox.getInstance(getActivity(),
                 getString(R.string.mapbox_commons_app_token));
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/drawable-mdpi/custom_map_marker.png b/app/src/main/res/drawable-mdpi/custom_map_marker.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0634167c5
Binary files /dev/null and b/app/src/main/res/drawable-mdpi/custom_map_marker.png differ
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 10616fed5..679797a6e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
   <string name="categories_search_text_hint">Search categories</string>
   <string name="menu_save_categories">Save</string>
   <string name="refresh_button">Refresh</string>
+  <string name="gps_disabled">GPS is disabled in your device. Would you like to enable it?</string>
+  <string name="enable_gps">Enable GPS</string>
   <string name="contributions_subtitle_zero">No uploads yet</string>
   <plurals name="contributions_subtitle">
     <!--zero is not used in english. Category mentioned here for easy reference in future-->