diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/scatterplot_matrix/scatterplot_matrix.test.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/scatterplot_matrix/scatterplot_matrix.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..10deaa1c2d48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/scatterplot_matrix/scatterplot_matrix.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+import React from 'react';
+import { render, waitFor, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+
+import { IntlProvider } from 'react-intl';
+
+import euiThemeLight from '@elastic/eui/dist/eui_theme_light.json';
+
+import { ScatterplotMatrix } from './scatterplot_matrix';
+
+const mockEsSearch = jest.fn((body) => ({
+  hits: { hits: [{ fields: { x: [1], y: [2] } }, { fields: { x: [2], y: [3] } }] },
+}));
+jest.mock('../../contexts/kibana', () => ({
+  useMlApiContext: () => ({
+    esSearch: mockEsSearch,
+  }),
+}));
+
+const mockEuiTheme = euiThemeLight;
+jest.mock('../color_range_legend', () => ({
+  useCurrentEuiTheme: () => ({
+    euiTheme: mockEuiTheme,
+  }),
+}));
+
+// Mocking VegaChart to avoid a jest/canvas related error
+jest.mock('../vega_chart', () => ({
+  VegaChart: () => <div data-test-subj="mlVegaChart" />,
+}));
+
+describe('Data Frame Analytics: <ScatterplotMatrix />', () => {
+  it('renders the scatterplot matrix wrapper with options but not the chart itself', async () => {
+    // prepare
+    render(
+      <IntlProvider locale="en">
+        <ScatterplotMatrix
+          {...{
+            fields: [],
+            index: 'the-index-name',
+          }}
+        />
+      </IntlProvider>
+    );
+
+    // assert
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(mockEsSearch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+      // should hide the loading indicator and render the wrapping options boilerplate
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('mlScatterplotMatrix loaded')).toBeInTheDocument();
+      // should not render the scatterplot matrix itself because there's no data items.
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('mlVegaChart')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('renders the scatterplot matrix wrapper with options and the chart itself', async () => {
+    // prepare
+    render(
+      <IntlProvider locale="en">
+        <ScatterplotMatrix
+          {...{
+            fields: ['x', 'y'],
+            index: 'the-index-name',
+          }}
+        />
+      </IntlProvider>
+    );
+
+    // assert
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(mockEsSearch).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        body: { _source: false, fields: ['x', 'y'], from: 0, query: undefined, size: 1000 },
+        index: 'the-index-name',
+      });
+      // should hide the loading indicator and render the wrapping options boilerplate
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('mlScatterplotMatrix loaded')).toBeInTheDocument();
+      // should render the scatterplot matrix.
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('mlVegaChart')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/scatterplot_matrix/scatterplot_matrix.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/scatterplot_matrix/scatterplot_matrix.tsx
index 540fa65bf6c1..b83965b52bef 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/scatterplot_matrix/scatterplot_matrix.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/scatterplot_matrix/scatterplot_matrix.tsx
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ export const ScatterplotMatrix: FC<ScatterplotMatrixProps> = ({
   // are sized according to outlier_score
   const [dynamicSize, setDynamicSize] = useState<boolean>(false);
 
-  // used to give the use the option to customize the fields used for the matrix axes
+  // used to give the user the option to customize the fields used for the matrix axes
   const [fields, setFields] = useState<string[]>([]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ export const ScatterplotMatrix: FC<ScatterplotMatrixProps> = ({
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (fields.length === 0) {
-      setSplom(undefined);
+      setSplom({ columns: [], items: [], messages: [] });
       setIsLoading(false);
       return;
     }