diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/explorer/__tests__/explorer_controller.js b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/explorer/__tests__/explorer_controller.js
index 40109b4c329ff..671cf0fea1b7b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/explorer/__tests__/explorer_controller.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/explorer/__tests__/explorer_controller.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ describe('ML - Explorer Controller', () => {
       const scope = $rootScope.$new();
       $controller('MlExplorerController', { $scope: scope });
 
+      expect(Array.isArray(scope.anomalyChartRecords)).to.be(true);
       expect(scope.loading).to.be(true);
     });
   });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/explorer/explorer_controller.js b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/explorer/explorer_controller.js
index a2bd37981bc82..e142ce0f8e3ab 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/explorer/explorer_controller.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/explorer/explorer_controller.js
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ module.controller('MlExplorerController', function (
   mlSelectIntervalService,
   mlSelectSeverityService) {
 
+  $scope.anomalyChartRecords = [];
   $scope.timeFieldName = 'timestamp';
   $scope.loading = true;
   timefilter.enableTimeRangeSelector();