diff --git a/src/kibana/components/visualize/visualize.js b/src/kibana/components/visualize/visualize.js
index 74162ee3e92f7..5f2e2993cbd0b 100644
--- a/src/kibana/components/visualize/visualize.js
+++ b/src/kibana/components/visualize/visualize.js
@@ -24,14 +24,24 @@ define(function (require) {
       template: require('text!components/visualize/visualize.html'),
       link: function ($scope, $el, attr) {
         var chart; // set in "vis" watcher
-        var $visEl = $el.find('.visualize-chart');
-        var $spyEl = $el.find('visualize-spy');
         var minVisChartHeight = 180;
 
+        function getter(selector) {
+          return function () {
+            var $sel = $el.find(selector);
+            if ($sel.size()) return $sel;
+          };
+        }
+
+        var getVisEl = getter('.visualize-chart');
+        var getSpyEl = getter('visualize-spy');
+
         $scope.spy = {mode: false};
         $scope.fullScreenSpy = false;
 
         var applyClassNames = function () {
+          var $spyEl = getSpyEl();
+          var $visEl = getVisEl();
           var fullSpy = ($scope.spy.mode && ($scope.spy.mode.fill || $scope.fullScreenSpy));
 
           // external
@@ -68,6 +78,9 @@ define(function (require) {
 
         $scope.$watch('fullScreenSpy', applyClassNames);
         $scope.$watchCollection('spy.mode', function (spyMode, oldSpyMode) {
+          var $visEl = getVisEl();
+          if (!$visEl) return;
+
           // if the spy has been opened, check chart height
           if (spyMode && !oldSpyMode) {
             $scope.fullScreenSpy = $visEl.height() < minVisChartHeight;
@@ -76,6 +89,9 @@ define(function (require) {
         });
 
         $scope.$watch('vis', prereq(function (vis, oldVis) {
+          var $visEl = getVisEl();
+          if (!$visEl) return;
+
           if (!attr.editableVis) {
             $scope.editableVis = vis;
           }
diff --git a/src/kibana/components/visualize/visualize.less b/src/kibana/components/visualize/visualize.less
index d58815c2c2cdd..a02bba329f8b1 100644
--- a/src/kibana/components/visualize/visualize.less
+++ b/src/kibana/components/visualize/visualize.less
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ visualize-spy {
   }
 
   .visualize-spy-container {
-    .flex(1, 0, auto);
+    .flex(1, 1, auto);
 
     .display(flex);
     .flex-direction(column);
@@ -105,6 +105,11 @@ visualize-spy {
       padding: 0 0 15px;
     }
 
+    header + * {
+      .flex(1, 1, auto);
+      overflow: auto;
+    }
+
     > .alert {
       .flex(0, 0, auto);
     }