diff --git a/source/VISUAL/Spectrum1DCanvas.C b/source/VISUAL/Spectrum1DCanvas.C
index 10c8853e740..b7f7b6742d3 100644
--- a/source/VISUAL/Spectrum1DCanvas.C
+++ b/source/VISUAL/Spectrum1DCanvas.C
@@ -640,6 +640,9 @@ namespace OpenMS
 
 	void Spectrum1DCanvas::setDrawMode(DrawModes mode)
 	{
+		//no layers
+		if (layers_.size()==0) return;
+			
 		if (draw_modes_[current_layer_]!=mode)
 		{
 			draw_modes_[current_layer_] = mode;
@@ -650,6 +653,9 @@ namespace OpenMS
 
 	Spectrum1DCanvas::DrawModes Spectrum1DCanvas::getDrawMode() const
 	{ 
+		//no layers
+		if (layers_.size()==0) return DM_PEAKS;
+			
 		return draw_modes_[current_layer_]; 
 	}
 	
@@ -1087,11 +1093,12 @@ namespace OpenMS
   {
   	if (intensity_mode_ == IM_SNAP) 
 		{
-			double local_max  = -numeric_limits<double>::max();
+			DoubleReal local_max  = -numeric_limits<double>::max();
 			for (Size i=0; i<getLayerCount();++i)
 			{
-				SpectrumIteratorType tmp  = max_element(getLayer_(i).getCurrentSpectrum().MZBegin(visible_area_.minX()), getLayer_(i).getCurrentSpectrum().MZEnd(visible_area_.maxX()), PeakType::IntensityLess());
-				if (tmp->getIntensity() > local_max) 
+				SpectrumType& spectrum = getLayer_(i).getCurrentSpectrum();
+				SpectrumIteratorType tmp  = max_element(spectrum.MZBegin(visible_area_.minX()), spectrum.MZEnd(visible_area_.maxX()), PeakType::IntensityLess());
+				if (tmp != spectrum.end() && tmp->getIntensity() > local_max) 
 				{
 					local_max = tmp->getIntensity();
 				}
diff --git a/source/VISUAL/Spectrum2DWidget.C b/source/VISUAL/Spectrum2DWidget.C
index c285cb2a5d5..40f10e33a96 100644
--- a/source/VISUAL/Spectrum2DWidget.C
+++ b/source/VISUAL/Spectrum2DWidget.C
@@ -283,10 +283,21 @@ namespace OpenMS
 	{
 		projection_horz_->showLegend(false);
 		projection_horz_->canvas()->setIntensityMode(SpectrumCanvas::IM_PERCENTAGE);
-		projection_horz_->canvas()->removeLayer(0);
-		ExperimentType tmp = exp;
-		projection_horz_->canvas()->addLayer(tmp);
-		projection_horz_->canvas()->setDrawMode(mode);
+		if (!projectionsVisible() || projection_horz_->canvas()->getLayerCount()==0) //set draw mode
+		{
+			projection_horz_->canvas()->removeLayer(0);
+			ExperimentType tmp(exp); //we need a copy to swap the content into the canvas
+			projection_horz_->canvas()->addLayer(tmp);
+			projection_horz_->canvas()->setDrawMode(mode);
+		}
+		else //keep draw mode
+		{
+			Spectrum1DCanvas::DrawModes previous_mode = projection_horz_->canvas()->getDrawMode();
+			projection_horz_->canvas()->removeLayer(0);
+			ExperimentType tmp(exp); //we need a copy to swap the content into the canvas
+			projection_horz_->canvas()->addLayer(tmp);
+			projection_horz_->canvas()->setDrawMode(previous_mode);
+		}
 		grid_->setColumnStretch(3,2);
 		projection_horz_->show();
 		projection_box_->show();
@@ -297,10 +308,21 @@ namespace OpenMS
 		projection_vert_->canvas()->mzToXAxis(false);
 		projection_vert_->showLegend(false);
 		projection_vert_->canvas()->setIntensityMode(SpectrumCanvas::IM_PERCENTAGE);
-		projection_vert_->canvas()->removeLayer(0);
-		ExperimentType tmp = exp;
-		projection_vert_->canvas()->addLayer(tmp);
-		projection_vert_->canvas()->setDrawMode(mode);
+		if (!projectionsVisible() || projection_vert_->canvas()->getLayerCount()==0) //set draw mode
+		{
+			projection_vert_->canvas()->removeLayer(0);
+			ExperimentType tmp(exp); //we need a copy to swap the content into the canvas
+			projection_vert_->canvas()->addLayer(tmp);
+			projection_vert_->canvas()->setDrawMode(mode);
+		}
+		else //keep draw mode
+		{
+			Spectrum1DCanvas::DrawModes previous_mode = projection_vert_->canvas()->getDrawMode();
+			projection_vert_->canvas()->removeLayer(0);
+			ExperimentType tmp(exp); //we need a copy to swap the content into the canvas
+			projection_vert_->canvas()->addLayer(tmp);
+			projection_vert_->canvas()->setDrawMode(previous_mode);
+		}
 		grid_->setRowStretch(0,2);
 		projection_vert_->show();
 		projection_box_->show();