diff --git a/src/components/modebar/manage.js b/src/components/modebar/manage.js
index 2a64c5efd53..24bef9578dc 100644
--- a/src/components/modebar/manage.js
+++ b/src/components/modebar/manage.js
@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ module.exports = function manageModeBar(gd) {
         context = gd._context,
         modeBar = fullLayout._modeBar;
 
-    if(!context.displayModeBar && modeBar) {
-        modeBar.destroy();
-        delete fullLayout._modeBar;
+    if(!context.displayModeBar) {
+        if(modeBar) {
+            modeBar.destroy();
+            delete fullLayout._modeBar;
+        }
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/modebar_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/modebar_test.js
index 86d65b3780c..942663fbf9e 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/modebar_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/modebar_test.js
@@ -290,6 +290,14 @@ describe('ModeBar', function() {
         });
 
         it('displays or not mode bar according to displayModeBar config arg', function() {
+            var gd = getMockGraphInfo();
+            gd._context.displayModeBar = false;
+
+            manageModeBar(gd);
+            expect(gd._fullLayout._modeBar).not.toBeDefined();
+        });
+
+        it('updates mode bar according to displayModeBar config arg', function() {
             var gd = getMockGraphInfo();
             manageModeBar(gd);
             expect(gd._fullLayout._modeBar).toBeDefined();