diff --git a/lux/vislib/altair/AltairChart.py b/lux/vislib/altair/AltairChart.py
index c56d7d2f..8920ab1b 100644
--- a/lux/vislib/altair/AltairChart.py
+++ b/lux/vislib/altair/AltairChart.py
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ def __init__(self, vis):
         self.tooltip = True
         # ----- START self.code modification -----
         self.code = ""
+        self.width = 160
+        self.height = 150
         self.chart = self.initialize_chart()
         # self.add_tooltip()
         self.encode_color()
@@ -71,7 +73,9 @@ def apply_default_config(self):
             labelFont="Helvetica Neue",
         )
         plotting_scale = lux.config.plotting_scale
-        self.chart = self.chart.properties(width=160 * plotting_scale, height=150 * plotting_scale)
+        self.chart = self.chart.properties(
+            width=self.width * plotting_scale, height=self.height * plotting_scale
+        )
         self.code += (
             "\nchart = chart.configure_title(fontWeight=500,fontSize=13,font='Helvetica Neue')\n"
         )
@@ -79,9 +83,7 @@ def apply_default_config(self):
         self.code += "\t\t\t\t\tlabelFontWeight=400,labelFontSize=8,labelFont='Helvetica Neue',labelColor='#505050')\n"
         self.code += "chart = chart.configure_legend(titleFontWeight=500,titleFontSize=10,titleFont='Helvetica Neue',\n"
         self.code += "\t\t\t\t\tlabelFontWeight=400,labelFontSize=8,labelFont='Helvetica Neue')\n"
-        self.code += (
-            f"chart = chart.properties(width={160 * plotting_scale},height={150 * plotting_scale})\n"
-        )
+        self.code += f"chart = chart.properties(width={self.width * plotting_scale},height={self.height  * plotting_scale})\n"
 
     def encode_color(self):
         color_attr = self.vis.get_attr_by_channel("color")
diff --git a/lux/vislib/altair/Choropleth.py b/lux/vislib/altair/Choropleth.py
index 3a0f0b30..b7768c7f 100644
--- a/lux/vislib/altair/Choropleth.py
+++ b/lux/vislib/altair/Choropleth.py
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ def __repr__(self):
         return f"Choropleth Map <{str(self.vis)}>"
 
     def initialize_chart(self):
+        # Override default width and height
+        self.width = 200
+
         x_attr = self.vis.get_attr_by_channel("x")[0]
         y_attr = self.vis.get_attr_by_channel("y")[0]
 
@@ -148,6 +151,8 @@ def get_geomap(self, feature):
 
     def get_us_fips_code(self, attribute):
         """Returns FIPS code given a US state"""
+        if not isinstance(attribute, str):
+            return attribute
         usa = pd.DataFrame(
             [
                 {"fips": 1, "state": "alabama", "abbrev": "al"},
@@ -204,8 +209,6 @@ def get_us_fips_code(self, attribute):
             ]
         )
         attribute = attribute.lower()
-        if not isinstance(attribute, str):
-            return attribute
         match = usa[(usa.state == attribute) | (usa.abbrev == attribute)]
         if len(match) == 1:
             return match["fips"].values[0]
@@ -213,7 +216,7 @@ def get_us_fips_code(self, attribute):
             if attribute in ["washington d.c.", "washington dc", "d.c.", "d.c"]:
                 return 11
             else:
-                return attribute
+                return 0  # any unmatching value (e.g. nan)
 
     def get_country_iso_code(self, attribute):
         """Returns country ISO code given a country"""