diff --git a/public/components/common/query_utils/index.ts b/public/components/common/query_utils/index.ts
index bed3432db..9f4024bb3 100644
--- a/public/components/common/query_utils/index.ts
+++ b/public/components/common/query_utils/index.ts
@@ -245,7 +245,10 @@ export const buildPatternsQuery = (
   return finalQuery;
 };
 
-export const buildQuery = (baseQuery: string, currQuery: string) => baseQuery + '| ' + currQuery;
+export const buildQuery = (baseQuery: string, currQuery: string) => {
+  if (!currQuery) return baseQuery;
+  return `${baseQuery} | ${currQuery}`;
+};
 
 export const buildRawQuery = (query: IQuery, appBaseQuery: string) => {
   if (appBaseQuery && !query.rawQuery.includes(appBaseQuery))
diff --git a/public/components/event_analytics/explorer/explorer.tsx b/public/components/event_analytics/explorer/explorer.tsx
index d311cdcc1..1f4806b3c 100644
--- a/public/components/event_analytics/explorer/explorer.tsx
+++ b/public/components/event_analytics/explorer/explorer.tsx
@@ -258,6 +258,12 @@ export const Explorer = ({
       ...TIME_INTERVAL_OPTIONS,
     ]);
     selectedIntervalRef.current = { text: 'Auto', value: 'auto_' + minInterval };
+    dispatch(
+      updateCountDistribution({
+        tabId,
+        data: { selectedInterval: selectedIntervalRef.current.value.replace(/^auto_/, '') },
+      })
+    );
   };
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -495,13 +501,18 @@ export const Explorer = ({
                           selectedIntervalRef.current = timeIntervalOptions[intervalOptionsIndex];
                           getPatterns(intrv, getErrorHandler('Error fetching patterns'));
                         }}
-                        stateInterval={selectedIntervalRef.current?.value}
+                        stateInterval={
+                          countDistribution.selectedInterval || selectedIntervalRef.current?.value
+                        }
                         startTime={appLogEvents ? startTime : dateRange[0]}
                         endTime={appLogEvents ? endTime : dateRange[1]}
                       />
+                      <EuiSpacer size="s" />
                       <CountDistribution
                         countDistribution={countDistribution}
-                        selectedInterval={selectedIntervalRef.current?.value}
+                        selectedInterval={
+                          countDistribution.selectedInterval || selectedIntervalRef.current?.value
+                        }
                         startTime={appLogEvents ? startTime : dateRange[0]}
                         endTime={appLogEvents ? endTime : dateRange[1]}
                       />
@@ -783,6 +794,8 @@ export const Explorer = ({
     subType,
     selectedCustomPanelOptions,
     explorerSearchMeta,
+    selectedIntervalRef.current,
+    countDistribution,
   ]);
 
   const liveTailLoop = async (
diff --git a/public/components/event_analytics/explorer/visualizations/count_distribution/count_distribution.tsx b/public/components/event_analytics/explorer/visualizations/count_distribution/count_distribution.tsx
index 6fa677881..8e5f10f31 100644
--- a/public/components/event_analytics/explorer/visualizations/count_distribution/count_distribution.tsx
+++ b/public/components/event_analytics/explorer/visualizations/count_distribution/count_distribution.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
  */
 
 import React from 'react';
-import { EuiPanel } from '@elastic/eui';
 import { BarOrientation, LONG_CHART_COLOR } from '../../../../../../common/constants/shared';
 import { Plt } from '../../../../visualizations/plotly/plot';
 import { fillTimeDataWithEmpty } from '../../../utils/utils';
diff --git a/public/components/event_analytics/redux/slices/count_distribution_slice.ts b/public/components/event_analytics/redux/slices/count_distribution_slice.ts
index 59aa1e03f..b960c5064 100644
--- a/public/components/event_analytics/redux/slices/count_distribution_slice.ts
+++ b/public/components/event_analytics/redux/slices/count_distribution_slice.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export const countDistributionSlice = createSlice({
   reducers: {
     render: (state, { payload }) => {
       state[payload.tabId] = {
+        ...state[payload.tabId],
         ...payload.data,
       };
     },