diff --git a/modules/behavior/breathe.js b/modules/behavior/breathe.js
index 85a494ea7..f95caa871 100644
--- a/modules/behavior/breathe.js
+++ b/modules/behavior/breathe.js
@@ -152,7 +152,9 @@ export function behaviorBreathe() {
 
     breathe.off = function() {
         done = true;
-        timer.stop();
+        if (timer) {
+            timer.stop();
+        }
         selected
             .interrupt()
             .call(reset);
diff --git a/modules/modes/select.js b/modules/modes/select.js
index fdfa54399..c7e9619f9 100644
--- a/modules/modes/select.js
+++ b/modules/modes/select.js
@@ -71,6 +71,23 @@ export function modeSelect(context, selectedIDs) {
     }
 
 
+    function checkSelectedIDs() {
+        var ids = [];
+        if (Array.isArray(selectedIDs)) {
+            ids = selectedIDs.filter(function(id) {
+                return context.hasEntity(id);
+            });
+        }
+
+        if (ids.length) {
+            selectedIDs = ids;
+        } else {
+            context.enter(modeBrowse(context));
+        }
+        return !!ids.length;
+    }
+
+
     // find the common parent ways for nextVertex, previousVertex
     function commonParents() {
         var graph = context.graph(),
@@ -171,6 +188,8 @@ export function modeSelect(context, selectedIDs) {
 
 
     mode.reselect = function() {
+        if (!checkSelectedIDs()) return;
+
         var surfaceNode = context.surface().node();
         if (surfaceNode.focus) {   // FF doesn't support it
             surfaceNode.focus();
@@ -206,10 +225,7 @@ export function modeSelect(context, selectedIDs) {
 
         function update() {
             closeMenu();
-            if (_.some(selectedIDs, function(id) { return !context.hasEntity(id); })) {
-                // Exit mode if selected entity gets undone
-                context.enter(modeBrowse(context));
-            }
+            checkSelectedIDs();
         }
 
 
@@ -236,6 +252,8 @@ export function modeSelect(context, selectedIDs) {
 
 
         function selectElements(drawn) {
+            if (!checkSelectedIDs()) return;
+
             var surface = context.surface(),
                 entity = singular();
 
@@ -372,6 +390,8 @@ export function modeSelect(context, selectedIDs) {
         }
 
 
+        if (!checkSelectedIDs()) return;
+
         behaviors.forEach(function(behavior) {
             context.install(behavior);
         });
diff --git a/test/spec/behavior/select.js b/test/spec/behavior/select.js
index 3887c2773..5deddc548 100644
--- a/test/spec/behavior/select.js
+++ b/test/spec/behavior/select.js
@@ -31,6 +31,18 @@ describe('iD.behaviorSelect', function() {
         container.remove();
     });
 
+    specify('refuse to enter select mode with no ids', function() {
+        context.enter(iD.modeSelect(context, []));
+        expect(context.mode().id, 'empty array').to.eql('browse');
+        context.enter(iD.modeSelect(context, undefined));
+        expect(context.mode().id, 'undefined').to.eql('browse');
+    });
+
+    specify('refuse to enter select mode with nonexistent ids', function() {
+        context.enter(iD.modeSelect(context, ['w-1']));
+        expect(context.mode().id).to.eql('browse');
+    });
+
     specify('click on entity selects the entity', function() {
         happen.click(context.surface().selectAll('.' + a.id).node());
         expect(context.selectedIDs()).to.eql([a.id]);