diff --git a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/change.ts b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/change.ts
index 912c43f99..299361d02 100644
--- a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/change.ts
+++ b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/change.ts
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ const genericSelectAndModify = (
   let selection: SelectionOrTransition = svg.selectAll<SVGGElement, PhyloNode>(treeElem)
     .filter((d: PhyloNode) => d.update);
   if (transitionTime) {
-    selection.transition().duration(transitionTime);
+    selection = selection.transition().duration(transitionTime);
   }
   selection.call(updateCall);
 };