diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/components/workspace_layout/workspace_layout.test.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/components/workspace_layout/workspace_layout.test.tsx
index 57b4ff613c88b..cb43b5ec5d688 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/components/workspace_layout/workspace_layout.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/components/workspace_layout/workspace_layout.test.tsx
@@ -11,9 +11,15 @@ import { WorkspaceLayoutComponent } from '.';
 import { coreMock } from '@kbn/core/public/mocks';
 import { spacesPluginMock } from '@kbn/spaces-plugin/public/mocks';
 import { NavigationPublicPluginStart as NavigationStart } from '@kbn/navigation-plugin/public';
-import { GraphSavePolicy, GraphWorkspaceSavedObject, IndexPatternProvider } from '../../types';
+import {
+  GraphSavePolicy,
+  GraphWorkspaceSavedObject,
+  IndexPatternProvider,
+  Workspace,
+} from '../../types';
 import { OverlayStart, Capabilities } from '@kbn/core/public';
 import { SharingSavedObjectProps } from '../../helpers/use_workspace_loader';
+import { GraphVisualization } from '../graph_visualization';
 
 jest.mock('react-router-dom', () => {
   const useLocation = () => ({
@@ -45,6 +51,7 @@ describe('workspace_layout', () => {
       aliasTargetId: '',
     } as SharingSavedObjectProps,
     spaces: spacesPluginMock.createStartContract(),
+    workspace: {} as unknown as Workspace,
   };
   it('should display conflict notification if outcome is conflict', () => {
     shallow(
@@ -60,4 +67,44 @@ describe('workspace_layout', () => {
       otherObjectPath: '#/workspace/conflictId?query={}',
     });
   });
+  it('should not show GraphVisualization when workspaceInitialized is false, savedWorkspace.id is undefined, and savedWorkspace.isSaving is false', () => {
+    const component = shallow(
+      <WorkspaceLayoutComponent
+        {...defaultProps}
+        workspaceInitialized={false}
+        savedWorkspace={{ id: undefined, isSaving: false } as GraphWorkspaceSavedObject}
+      />
+    );
+    expect(component.find(GraphVisualization).exists()).toBe(false);
+  });
+  it('should show GraphVisualization when workspaceInitialized is true', () => {
+    const component = shallow(
+      <WorkspaceLayoutComponent
+        {...defaultProps}
+        workspaceInitialized={true}
+        savedWorkspace={{ id: undefined, isSaving: false } as GraphWorkspaceSavedObject}
+      />
+    );
+    expect(component.find(GraphVisualization).exists()).toBe(true);
+  });
+  it('should show GraphVisualization when savedWorkspace.id is defined', () => {
+    const component = shallow(
+      <WorkspaceLayoutComponent
+        {...defaultProps}
+        workspaceInitialized={false}
+        savedWorkspace={{ id: 'test', isSaving: false } as GraphWorkspaceSavedObject}
+      />
+    );
+    expect(component.find(GraphVisualization).exists()).toBe(true);
+  });
+  it('should show GraphVisualization when savedWorkspace.isSaving is true', () => {
+    const component = shallow(
+      <WorkspaceLayoutComponent
+        {...defaultProps}
+        workspaceInitialized={false}
+        savedWorkspace={{ id: undefined, isSaving: true } as GraphWorkspaceSavedObject}
+      />
+    );
+    expect(component.find(GraphVisualization).exists()).toBe(true);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/components/workspace_layout/workspace_layout.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/components/workspace_layout/workspace_layout.tsx
index 6cfbbcf7d9105..3eede479bd801 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/components/workspace_layout/workspace_layout.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/components/workspace_layout/workspace_layout.tsx
@@ -91,7 +91,11 @@ export const WorkspaceLayoutComponent = ({
   const search = useLocation().search;
   const urlQuery = new URLSearchParams(search).get('query');
 
-  const isInitialized = Boolean(workspaceInitialized || savedWorkspace.id);
+  // savedWorkspace.id gets set to null while saving a copy of an existing
+  // workspace, so we need to check for savedWorkspace.isSaving as well
+  const isInitialized = Boolean(
+    workspaceInitialized || savedWorkspace.id || savedWorkspace.isSaving
+  );
 
   const selectSelected = useCallback((node: WorkspaceNode) => {
     selectedNode.current = node;
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/helpers/saved_workspace_utils.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/helpers/saved_workspace_utils.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..7d4027c91858f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/helpers/saved_workspace_utils.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+import { coreMock } from '@kbn/core/public/mocks';
+import { GraphWorkspaceSavedObject } from '../types';
+import { saveSavedWorkspace } from './saved_workspace_utils';
+
+const core = coreMock.createStart();
+
+describe('saved_workspace_utils', () => {
+  describe('saveSavedWorkspace', () => {
+    it('should delete the savedWorkspace id and set isSaving to true immediately when copyOnSave is true', async () => {
+      const savedWorkspace = {
+        id: '123',
+        title: 'my workspace',
+        lastSavedTitle: 'my workspace',
+        migrationVersion: {},
+        wsState: '{ "indexPattern": "my-index-pattern" }',
+        getEsType: () => 'graph-workspace',
+        copyOnSave: true,
+        isSaving: false,
+      } as GraphWorkspaceSavedObject;
+      const promise = saveSavedWorkspace(
+        savedWorkspace,
+        {},
+        {
+          savedObjectsClient: {
+            ...core.savedObjects.client,
+            find: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({ savedObjects: [] }),
+            create: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: '456' }),
+          },
+          overlays: core.overlays,
+        }
+      );
+      expect(savedWorkspace.id).toBe(undefined);
+      expect(savedWorkspace.isSaving).toBe(true);
+      const id = await promise;
+      expect(id).toBe('456');
+      expect(savedWorkspace.id).toBe('456');
+      expect(savedWorkspace.isSaving).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/helpers/saved_workspace_utils.ts b/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/helpers/saved_workspace_utils.ts
index 202d13f9cd539..03e377792f1ac 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/helpers/saved_workspace_utils.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/graph/public/helpers/saved_workspace_utils.ts
@@ -162,18 +162,6 @@ export async function saveSavedWorkspace(
     overlays: OverlayStart;
   }
 ) {
-  // Save the original id in case the save fails.
-  const originalId = savedObject.id;
-  // Read https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/9056 and
-  // https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/9012 for some background into why this copyOnSave variable
-  // exists.
-  // The goal is to move towards a better rename flow, but since our users have been conditioned
-  // to expect a 'save as' flow during a rename, we are keeping the logic the same until a better
-  // UI/UX can be worked out.
-  if (savedObject.copyOnSave) {
-    delete savedObject.id;
-  }
-
   let attributes: SavedObjectAttributes = {};
 
   forOwn(mapping, (fieldType, fieldName) => {
@@ -191,14 +179,28 @@ export async function saveSavedWorkspace(
     throw new Error('References not returned from extractReferences');
   }
 
+  // Save the original id in case the save fails.
+  const originalId = savedObject.id;
+
   try {
+    // Read https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/9056 and
+    // https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/9012 for some background into why this copyOnSave variable
+    // exists.
+    // The goal is to move towards a better rename flow, but since our users have been conditioned
+    // to expect a 'save as' flow during a rename, we are keeping the logic the same until a better
+    // UI/UX can be worked out.
+    if (savedObject.copyOnSave) {
+      delete savedObject.id;
+    }
+
+    savedObject.isSaving = true;
+
     await checkForDuplicateTitle(
       savedObject as any,
       isTitleDuplicateConfirmed,
       onTitleDuplicate,
       services
     );
-    savedObject.isSaving = true;
 
     const createOpt = {
       id: savedObject.id,