diff --git a/chaco/tests/test_plot.py b/chaco/tests/test_plot.py
index 431859d3c..fc7b74ccc 100644
--- a/chaco/tests/test_plot.py
+++ b/chaco/tests/test_plot.py
@@ -2,9 +2,16 @@
 
 from numpy import alltrue, arange, array
 
+from enable.api import ComponentEditor
+from enable.testing import EnableTestAssistant
+from traits.api import HasTraits, Instance
+from traits.etsconfig.api import ETSConfig
+from traitsui.api import Item, View
+
 # Chaco imports
 from chaco.api import ArrayPlotData, Plot, DataRange1D, PlotGraphicsContext
 from chaco.default_colormaps import viridis
+from chaco.tools.api import PanTool, ZoomTool
 
 
 class PlotTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -91,3 +98,38 @@ def test_text_plot(self):
         gc.render_component(plot)
         actual = gc.bmp_array[:, :, :]
         self.assertFalse(alltrue(actual == 255))
+
+
+class EmptyLinePlot(HasTraits):
+    plot = Instance(Plot)
+    x = []
+    y = []
+    traits_view = View(
+        Item('plot', editor=ComponentEditor(), show_label=False),
+        width=500,
+        height=500,
+        resizable=True
+    )
+
+    def _plot_default(self):
+        plot = Plot(ArrayPlotData(x=self.x, y=self.y))
+        plot.plot(("x", "y"), type="line", color="blue")
+        plot.tools.append(PanTool(plot))
+        plot.overlays.append(ZoomTool(plot, zoom_factor=1.1))
+        return plot
+
+
+# regression test for enthought/chaco#529
+@unittest.skipIf(ETSConfig.toolkit == "null", "Skip on 'null' toolkit")
+class TestEmptyPlot(unittest.TestCase, EnableTestAssistant):
+
+    def test_dont_crash_on_click(self):
+        from traitsui.testing.api import UITester
+        tester = UITester()
+        empty_plot = EmptyLinePlot()
+
+        with tester.create_ui(empty_plot):
+            self.press_move_release(
+                empty_plot.plot,
+                [(1, 1), (25, 25), (50, 50), (100, 100)],
+            )
diff --git a/chaco/ticks.py b/chaco/ticks.py
index 7c1405263..99320a7b7 100644
--- a/chaco/ticks.py
+++ b/chaco/ticks.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
     finfo,
     float64,
     floor,
+    isnan,
     linspace,
     log10,
     minimum,
@@ -242,6 +243,10 @@ def auto_ticks(
     An array of tick mark locations. The first and last tick entries are the
     axis end points.
     """
+    # if a NaN makes it here, we cant determine tick mark locations. Return
+    # empty list to prevent crash. Motivated by enthought/chaco#529
+    if isnan([data_low, data_high, bound_low, bound_high]).any():
+        return []
 
     is_auto_low = bound_low == "auto"
     is_auto_high = bound_high == "auto"