diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/operations/definitions/helpers.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/operations/definitions/helpers.tsx
index 203a95431fc13..fbc0199d4b6ad 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/operations/definitions/helpers.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/operations/definitions/helpers.tsx
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ export function getErrorsForHistogramField(
 ) {
   // check if has field of histogram type
   const column = layer.columns[columnId];
+  if (!column) return;
   const { operationType } = column;
   const operationDefinition = operationType ? operationDefinitionMap[operationType] : undefined;
   const fieldNames =