diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Util.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Util.js
index 4b55342a..9dfc8d3b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Util.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Util.js
@@ -237,10 +237,10 @@ const Util = {
       return obj
     }, {})
   },
-  updateQueryParams: function(newValues) {
+  updateQueryParams: function(newValues, pathname = window.location.pathname) {
     const qp = Object.assign({}, Util.queryParams(), newValues)
     const newString = Object.keys(qp).filter(key => !!key).map(key => `${key}=${qp[key]}`).join('&')
-    history.replaceState({}, document.title, `${window.location.pathname}?${newString}`)
+    history.replaceState({}, document.title, `${pathname}?${newString}`)
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Visualize.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Visualize.js
index bacf7f03..ea337ba2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Visualize.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Visualize.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* global $ */
+/* global $, window */
 
 import { find as _find, indexOf as _indexOf, uniq as _uniq, debounce } from 'lodash'
 
@@ -151,8 +151,9 @@ const Visualize = {
 
     // monkey patch scale function
     const oldScale = self.mGraph.canvas.scale
+    const cachedPathname = window.location.pathname
     const updateScaleInUrl = debounce(() => {
-      Util.updateQueryParams({ scale: self.mGraph.canvas.scaleOffsetX.toFixed(2) })
+      Util.updateQueryParams({ scale: self.mGraph.canvas.scaleOffsetX.toFixed(2) }, pathname)
     }, 200)
     self.mGraph.canvas.scale = function(x, y, disablePlot) {
       const returnValue = oldScale.apply(self.mGraph.canvas, arguments)
@@ -165,7 +166,7 @@ const Visualize = {
     const updateTranslateInUrl = debounce(() => {
       const newX = self.mGraph.canvas.translateOffsetX.toFixed(2)
       const newY = self.mGraph.canvas.translateOffsetY.toFixed(2)
-      Util.updateQueryParams({ translate: `${newX},${newY}` })
+      Util.updateQueryParams({ translate: `${newX},${newY}` }, pathname)
     }, 200)
     self.mGraph.canvas.translate = function(x, y, disablePlot) {
       const returnValue = oldTranslate.apply(self.mGraph.canvas, arguments)