diff --git a/js/id/renderer/background.js b/js/id/renderer/background.js
index badafa18d..2e6d65fd7 100644
--- a/js/id/renderer/background.js
+++ b/js/id/renderer/background.js
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ iD.Background = function() {
         var sel = this,
             tiles = tile
             .scale(projection.scale())
-            .scaleExtent(source.data.scaleExtent || [1, 17])
+            .scaleExtent((source.data && source.data.scaleExtent) || [1, 17])
             .translate(projection.translate())(),
             requests = [],
             scaleExtent = tile.scaleExtent(),