diff --git a/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/scatterCharts/ScatterPlotChart.tsx b/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/scatterCharts/ScatterPlotChart.tsx
index 5906adeb482..108272297f4 100644
--- a/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/scatterCharts/ScatterPlotChart.tsx
+++ b/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/scatterCharts/ScatterPlotChart.tsx
@@ -1144,10 +1144,16 @@ export class ScatterPlotChart
     // domains across the entire timeline
     private domainDefault(property: "x" | "y"): [number, number] {
         const scaleType = property === "x" ? this.xScaleType : this.yScaleType
-        return domainExtent(
-            this.pointsForAxisDomains.map((point) => point[property]),
-            scaleType,
-            this.manager.zoomToSelection && this.selectedPoints.length ? 1.1 : 1
+        const defaultDomain: [number, number] =
+            scaleType === ScaleType.log ? [1, 100] : [-1, 1]
+        return (
+            domainExtent(
+                this.pointsForAxisDomains.map((point) => point[property]),
+                scaleType,
+                this.manager.zoomToSelection && this.selectedPoints.length
+                    ? 1.1
+                    : 1
+            ) ?? defaultDomain
         )
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/slopeCharts/SlopeChart.tsx b/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/slopeCharts/SlopeChart.tsx
index 4a10f1424a8..0044ce18374 100644
--- a/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/slopeCharts/SlopeChart.tsx
+++ b/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/slopeCharts/SlopeChart.tsx
@@ -484,7 +484,8 @@ export class SlopeChart
     }
 
     @computed private get yDomainDefault(): [number, number] {
-        return domainExtent(this.allYValues, this.yScaleType)
+        const defaultDomain: [number, number] = [Infinity, -Infinity]
+        return domainExtent(this.allYValues, this.yScaleType) ?? defaultDomain
     }
 
     @computed private get yDomain(): [number, number] {
diff --git a/packages/@ourworldindata/utils/src/Util.ts b/packages/@ourworldindata/utils/src/Util.ts
index d5476d8c9dc..1811792dbb7 100644
--- a/packages/@ourworldindata/utils/src/Util.ts
+++ b/packages/@ourworldindata/utils/src/Util.ts
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ export const domainExtent = (
     numValues: number[],
     scaleType: ScaleType,
     maxValueMultiplierForPadding = 1
-): [number, number] => {
+): [number, number] | undefined => {
     const filterValues =
         scaleType === ScaleType.log ? numValues.filter((v) => v > 0) : numValues
     const [minValue, maxValue] = extent(filterValues)
@@ -439,9 +439,9 @@ export const domainExtent = (
                 ? [minValue / 10, minValue * 10]
                 : [minValue - 1, maxValue + 1]
         }
-    } else {
-        return scaleType === ScaleType.log ? [1, 100] : [-1, 1]
     }
+
+    return undefined
 }
 
 // Compound annual growth rate