diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d63d983bc46..cd36b2d6b85 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ## [`master`](https://github.com/elastic/eui/tree/master)
 
-No public interface changes since `3.5.0`.
+- Fixed a bug around `indeterminate` checkboxes ([#1110](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/1110))
 
 ## [`3.5.0`](https://github.com/elastic/eui/tree/v3.5.0)
 
diff --git a/src/components/form/checkbox/checkbox.js b/src/components/form/checkbox/checkbox.js
index 0f905f31399..2371a201261 100644
--- a/src/components/form/checkbox/checkbox.js
+++ b/src/components/form/checkbox/checkbox.js
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ export class EuiCheckbox extends Component {
       this.props.inputRef(input);
     }
 
-    if (input) {
-      this.invalidateIndeterminate();
-    }
+    this.invalidateIndeterminate();
   }
 
   invalidateIndeterminate() {
-    this.inputRef.indeterminate = this.props.indeterminate;
+    if (this.inputRef) {
+      this.inputRef.indeterminate = this.props.indeterminate;
+    }
   }
 }