diff --git a/app/controllers/locomotive/api/base_controller.rb b/app/controllers/locomotive/api/base_controller.rb
index 72392136..1afc9d41 100644
--- a/app/controllers/locomotive/api/base_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/locomotive/api/base_controller.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ module Locomotive
       include Locomotive::Routing::SiteDispatcher
       include Locomotive::ActionController::LocaleHelpers
 
+      skip_before_filter :verify_authenticity_token
+
+      skip_load_and_authorize_resource
+
       before_filter :require_account
 
       before_filter :require_site
@@ -13,10 +17,6 @@ module Locomotive
 
       # before_filter :validate_site_membership
 
-      skip_before_filter :verify_authenticity_token
-
-      skip_load_and_authorize_resource
-
       self.responder = Locomotive::ActionController::Responder # custom responder
 
       respond_to :json, :xml
diff --git a/app/models/locomotive/content_type.rb b/app/models/locomotive/content_type.rb
index ae2e92e9..457d3e27 100644
--- a/app/models/locomotive/content_type.rb
+++ b/app/models/locomotive/content_type.rb
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@ module Locomotive
       self.class.class_name_to_content_type(class_name, self.site)
     end
 
+    def label_field_name=(value)
+      # mandatory if we allow the API to set the label field name without an id of the field
+      @new_label_field_name = value unless value.blank?
+      super(value)
+    end
+
     # Retrieve from a class name the associated content type within the scope of a site.
     # If no content type is found, the method returns nil
     #
@@ -111,7 +117,15 @@ module Locomotive
 
     def set_default_values
       self.order_by ||= 'created_at'
-      self.label_field_id = self.entries_custom_fields.first._id if self.label_field_id.blank?
+
+      if @new_label_field_name.present?
+        self.label_field_id = self.entries_custom_fields.detect { |f| f.name == @new_label_field_name.underscore }._id
+      end
+
+      if self.label_field_id.blank?
+        self.label_field_id = self.entries_custom_fields.first._id
+      end
+
       field = self.entries_custom_fields.find(self.label_field_id)
 
       # the label field should always be required
diff --git a/lib/locomotive/render.rb b/lib/locomotive/render.rb
index e4935556..68f54658 100644
--- a/lib/locomotive/render.rb
+++ b/lib/locomotive/render.rb
@@ -17,10 +17,6 @@ module Locomotive
 
         output = @page.render(locomotive_context)
 
-        # puts "======================"
-        # puts output.inspect
-        # puts "======================"
-
         self.prepare_and_set_response(output)
       end
     end