diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.GlobalUI.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.GlobalUI.js.erb
index 27812c57..00460ad4 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.GlobalUI.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.GlobalUI.js.erb
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
 
         // this runs the init function within each sub-object on the Metamaps one
         if (Metamaps.hasOwnProperty(prop) &&
+            Metamaps[prop] != null &&
             Metamaps[prop].hasOwnProperty('init') &&
             typeof (Metamaps[prop].init) == 'function'
         ) {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js.erb
index 5a6c5955..ff6d57e6 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js.erb
@@ -17,12 +17,10 @@ var labelType, useGradients, nativeTextSupport, animate;
 })();
 
 // TODO eliminate these 4 top-level variables
-Metamaps = {
-  panningInt: null,
-  tempNode: null,
-  tempInit: false,
-  tempNode2: null
-}
+Metamaps.panningInt = null;
+Metamaps.tempNode = null;
+Metamaps.tempInit = false;
+Metamaps.tempNode2 = null;
 
 Metamaps.Settings = {
     embed: false, // indicates that the app is on a page that is optimized for embedding in iFrames on other web pages