diff --git a/gemma-web/src/main/webapp/scripts/api/entities/experiment/ExpressionExperimentPage.js b/gemma-web/src/main/webapp/scripts/api/entities/experiment/ExpressionExperimentPage.js
index 18431b42bb..83dab82091 100755
--- a/gemma-web/src/main/webapp/scripts/api/entities/experiment/ExpressionExperimentPage.js
+++ b/gemma-web/src/main/webapp/scripts/api/entities/experiment/ExpressionExperimentPage.js
@@ -48,6 +48,25 @@ Gemma.ExpressionExperimentPage = Ext.extend( Ext.TabPanel, {
       }
    },
 
+   checkData: function( eeId, geneList, callback ){
+      // checks to see if a dataset has expression data to prevent the relevant tabs from
+      // being shown
+      var store = new Gemma.VisualizationStore()
+      store.on( 'exception', function( e,type, action, options, response, arg  ){
+         Ext.callback(callback,this,[false])
+      })
+
+      store.load({
+         params: [ [ eeId ], geneList || [] ],
+         callback: function (records, options, success) {
+            var hasData = !!(success && records && records.length > 0);
+            callback(hasData);
+         },
+         scope: this
+      });
+
+   },
+
    /**
     * @memberOf Gemma.ExpressionExperimentPage
     */
@@ -148,12 +167,18 @@ Gemma.ExpressionExperimentPage = Ext.extend( Ext.TabPanel, {
 
       // EXPERIMENT DESIGN TAB
       this.add( this.makeDesignTab( experimentDetails ) );
+      this.checkData(experimentDetails.id,[],function(hasData){
+         if(hasData){
+            // VISUALISATION TAB
+            this.add( this.makeVisualisationTab( experimentDetails, isAdmin ) );
+
+            // DIAGNOSTICS TAB
+            this.add( this.makeDiagnosticsTab( experimentDetails, isAdmin ) );
+         }
+      }.createDelegate(this))
+
 
-      // VISUALISATION TAB
-      this.add( this.makeVisualisationTab( experimentDetails, isAdmin ) );
 
-      // DIAGNOSTICS TAB
-      this.add( this.makeDiagnosticsTab( experimentDetails, isAdmin ) );
 
       this.adjustForIsAdmin( isAdmin, this.editable );
 
@@ -208,6 +233,8 @@ Gemma.ExpressionExperimentPage = Ext.extend( Ext.TabPanel, {
       };
    },
 
+
+
    makeVisualisationTab : function( experimentDetails, isAdmin ) {
       var eeId = this.eeId;
       var title = "Data for a 'random' sampling of probes";
diff --git a/gemma-web/src/main/webapp/scripts/api/visualization/VisualizationWidget.js b/gemma-web/src/main/webapp/scripts/api/visualization/VisualizationWidget.js
index e6b1edde14..6e6262d970 100755
--- a/gemma-web/src/main/webapp/scripts/api/visualization/VisualizationWidget.js
+++ b/gemma-web/src/main/webapp/scripts/api/visualization/VisualizationWidget.js
@@ -1199,7 +1199,7 @@ Gemma.VisualizationStore = function( config ) {
    }, this.record );
 
    Gemma.VisualizationStore.superclass.constructor.call( this, config );
-
+   
    this.relayEvents( this.proxy, [ 'loadexception' ] );
 
 };
@@ -1210,7 +1210,14 @@ Gemma.VisualizationStore = function( config ) {
  * @extends Ext.data.Store
  */
 
-Ext.extend( Gemma.VisualizationStore, Ext.data.Store, {} );
+Ext.extend( Gemma.VisualizationStore, Ext.data.Store, {
+   loadRecords: function(o, options,success){
+      if (!o.records){
+         o.records = []
+      }
+      return Gemma.VisualizationStore.superclass.loadRecords.call(this,o, options, success)
+   }
+} );
 
 // //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////