diff --git a/src/plots/geo/zoom.js b/src/plots/geo/zoom.js
index ac5d234e9b1..f55e123f202 100644
--- a/src/plots/geo/zoom.js
+++ b/src/plots/geo/zoom.js
@@ -109,14 +109,19 @@ function zoomNonClipped(geo, projection) {
     var INSIDETOLORANCEPXS = 2;
 
     var mouse0, rotate0, translate0, lastRotate, zoomPoint,
-        mouse1, rotate1, point1;
+        mouse1, rotate1, point1, didZoom;
 
     function position(x) { return projection.invert(x); }
 
     function outside(x) {
-        var pt = projection(position(x));
-        return (Math.abs(pt[0] - x[0]) > INSIDETOLORANCEPXS ||
-                Math.abs(pt[1] - x[1]) > INSIDETOLORANCEPXS);
+        var pos = position(x);
+        if(!pos) return true;
+
+        var pt = projection(pos);
+        return (
+            Math.abs(pt[0] - x[0]) > INSIDETOLORANCEPXS ||
+            Math.abs(pt[1] - x[1]) > INSIDETOLORANCEPXS
+        );
     }
 
     function handleZoomstart() {
@@ -152,12 +157,13 @@ function zoomNonClipped(geo, projection) {
             lastRotate = rotate1;
         }
 
+        didZoom = true;
         geo.render();
     }
 
     function handleZoomend() {
         d3.select(this).style(zoomendStyle);
-        sync(geo, projection, syncCb);
+        if(didZoom) sync(geo, projection, syncCb);
     }
 
     function syncCb(set) {
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/geo_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/geo_test.js
index 6adcea5c2df..2f7adc53849 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/geo_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/geo_test.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ var topojsonUtils = require('@src/lib/topojson_utils');
 var d3 = require('d3');
 var createGraphDiv = require('../assets/create_graph_div');
 var destroyGraphDiv = require('../assets/destroy_graph_div');
-var fail = require('../assets/fail_test');
+var failTest = require('../assets/fail_test');
 var getClientPosition = require('../assets/get_client_position');
 var mouseEvent = require('../assets/mouse_event');
 var click = require('../assets/click');
@@ -1068,7 +1068,7 @@ describe('Test geo interactions', function() {
             mouseEvent('mousemove', 350, 250);
             expect(d3.selectAll('g.hovertext').size()).toEqual(1);
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 
@@ -1109,7 +1109,7 @@ describe('Test geo interactions', function() {
                 }, 100);
             });
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 
@@ -1138,7 +1138,7 @@ describe('Test geo interactions', function() {
             check([px, 163], 0);
             check([px, 360], 1);
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 
@@ -1198,7 +1198,7 @@ describe('Test geo interactions', function() {
                 'Invalid geo settings, relayout\'ing to default view.'
             );
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 
@@ -1249,7 +1249,7 @@ describe('Test geo interactions', function() {
         .then(function() {
             check([-150, -89], 1, 'spot in Antarctica that requires *stitching*');
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 });
@@ -1518,7 +1518,7 @@ describe('Test geo base layers', function() {
                 ['bg', 'coastlines', 'frame', 'backplot', 'frontplot']
             );
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 });
@@ -1686,7 +1686,7 @@ describe('Test geo zoom/pan/drag interactions:', function() {
                 [90, 0], [350, 260], [0, 0], 101.9
             ], 'dblclick');
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 
@@ -1775,7 +1775,7 @@ describe('Test geo zoom/pan/drag interactions:', function() {
                 [75, -45], 160
             ], 'dblclick');
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 
@@ -1858,7 +1858,7 @@ describe('Test geo zoom/pan/drag interactions:', function() {
                 [247, 260], [0, 57.5], 292.2
             ], 'dblclick');
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 
@@ -1938,7 +1938,27 @@ describe('Test geo zoom/pan/drag interactions:', function() {
                 [416, 309], 738.5
             ], 'dblclick');
         })
-        .catch(fail)
+        .catch(failTest)
+        .then(done);
+    });
+
+    it('should guard againt undefined projection.invert result in some projections', function(done) {
+        // e.g. aitoff
+        var fig = Lib.extendDeep({}, require('@mocks/geo_aitoff-sinusoidal.json'));
+        fig.layout.dragmode = 'pan';
+        delete fig.layout.geo2;
+        fig.data = [fig.data[0]];
+        fig.layout.width = 700;
+        fig.layout.height = 500;
+
+        plot(fig)
+        .then(function() { return scroll([131, 159], [-200, 200]); })
+        .then(function() {
+            // scrolling outside subplot frame should log errors,
+            // nor emit events
+            expect(eventData).toBeUndefined();
+        })
+        .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
 });