diff --git a/d2graph/d2graph.go b/d2graph/d2graph.go
index 1452cf4bc..a3e0bf760 100644
--- a/d2graph/d2graph.go
+++ b/d2graph/d2graph.go
@@ -1090,6 +1090,21 @@ func (obj *Object) OuterNearContainer() *Object {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (obj *Object) IsConstantNear() bool {
+	if obj.NearKey == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	keyPath := Key(obj.NearKey)
+
+	// interesting if there is a shape with id=top-left, then top-left isn't treated a constant near
+	_, isKey := obj.Graph.Root.HasChild(keyPath)
+	if isKey {
+		return false
+	}
+	_, isConst := NearConstants[keyPath[0]]
+	return isConst
+}
+
 type Edge struct {
 	Index int `json:"index"`
 
diff --git a/d2layouts/d2layouts.go b/d2layouts/d2layouts.go
index 60da6c0c7..a92b9542b 100644
--- a/d2layouts/d2layouts.go
+++ b/d2layouts/d2layouts.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package d2layouts
 
 import (
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2graph"
-	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2layouts/d2near"
 )
 
 type GraphType string
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@ const (
 	SequenceDiagram   GraphType = "sequence-diagram"
 )
 
-func LayoutNested(g *d2graph.Graph, graphType GraphType, coreLayout d2graph.LayoutGraph, isRoot bool) {
+func LayoutNested(g *d2graph.Graph, graphType GraphType, coreLayout d2graph.LayoutGraph) {
 	// Before we can layout these nodes, we need to handle all nested diagrams first.
 	extracted := make(map[*d2graph.Object]*d2graph.Graph)
 
@@ -23,12 +22,12 @@ func LayoutNested(g *d2graph.Graph, graphType GraphType, coreLayout d2graph.Layo
 	queue = append(queue, g.Root.ChildrenArray...)
 
 	for _, child := range queue {
-		if graphType := NestedGraphType(child, isRoot); graphType != DefaultGraphType {
+		if graphType := NestedGraphType(child); graphType != DefaultGraphType {
 			// There is a nested diagram here, so extract its contents and process in the same way
 			nestedGraph := ExtractNested(child)
 
 			// Layout of nestedGraph is completed
-			LayoutNested(nestedGraph, graphType, coreLayout, false)
+			LayoutNested(nestedGraph, graphType, coreLayout)
 
 			// Fit child to size of nested layout
 			FitToGraph(child, nestedGraph)
@@ -50,14 +49,14 @@ func LayoutNested(g *d2graph.Graph, graphType GraphType, coreLayout d2graph.Layo
 	}
 }
 
-func NestedGraphType(container *d2graph.Object, isRoot bool) GraphType {
-	if isRoot && d2near.IsConstantNear(container) {
+func NestedGraphType(obj *d2graph.Object) GraphType {
+	if obj.Graph.RootLevel == 0 && obj.IsConstantNear() {
 		return ConstantNearGraph
 	}
-	if container.IsGridDiagram() {
+	if obj.IsGridDiagram() {
 		return GridDiagram
 	}
-	if container.IsSequenceDiagram() {
+	if obj.IsSequenceDiagram() {
 		return SequenceDiagram
 	}
 	return DefaultGraphType
diff --git a/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go b/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go
index 2f1444f46..190317542 100644
--- a/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go
+++ b/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go
@@ -223,18 +223,3 @@ func boundingBox(g *d2graph.Graph) (tl, br *geo.Point) {
 
 	return geo.NewPoint(x1, y1), geo.NewPoint(x2, y2)
 }
-
-func IsConstantNear(obj *d2graph.Object) bool {
-	if obj.NearKey == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	keyPath := d2graph.Key(obj.NearKey)
-
-	// interesting if there is a shape with id=top-left, then top-left isn't treated a constant near
-	_, isKey := obj.Graph.Root.HasChild(keyPath)
-	if isKey {
-		return false
-	}
-	_, isConst := d2graph.NearConstants[keyPath[0]]
-	return isConst
-}