diff --git a/eomaps/_blit_manager.py b/eomaps/_blit_manager.py
index f07e7cbaa..0bf21be33 100644
--- a/eomaps/_blit_manager.py
+++ b/eomaps/_blit_manager.py
@@ -1413,7 +1413,13 @@ def blit_artists(self, artists, bg="active", blit=True):
             cv.restore_region(bg)
 
         for a in artists:
-            self.figure.draw_artist(a)
+            try:
+                self.figure.draw_artist(a)
+            except np.linalg.LinAlgError:
+                # Explicitly catch numpy LinAlgErrors resulting from singular matrices
+                # that can occur when colorbar histogram sizes are dynamically updated
+                if _log.getEffectiveLevel() <= logging.DEBUG:
+                    _log.debug(f"problem drawing artist {a}", exc_info=True)
 
         if blit:
             cv.blit()
diff --git a/eomaps/colorbar.py b/eomaps/colorbar.py
index 94f53d878..9f243b066 100644
--- a/eomaps/colorbar.py
+++ b/eomaps/colorbar.py
@@ -255,31 +255,26 @@ def xchanged(event):
         self.ax_cb_plot.callbacks.connect("ylim_changed", ychanged)
 
     def _hide_singular_axes(self):
-
         sing_hist = (self.ax_cb_plot.bbox.width <= 2) or (
             self.ax_cb_plot.bbox.height <= 2
         )
         sing_cb = (self.ax_cb.bbox.width <= 2) or (self.ax_cb.bbox.height <= 2)
 
-        # trigger a draw to update axes positions before checking singularity
-        # (ignore any errors in here to avoid any remaining issues with singular axes
-        # if hist-updates are triggered faster than draw-events...)
-        try:
-            self._m.f.canvas.draw()
-        except Exception:
-            pass
-
         sing_hist = (self.ax_cb_plot.bbox.width <= 2) or (
             self.ax_cb_plot.bbox.height <= 2
         )
         sing_cb = (self.ax_cb.bbox.width <= 2) or (self.ax_cb.bbox.height <= 2)
 
-        if sing_hist:
+        # use additional constraint < 0.1 to re-show axes after they have been hidden
+        # (positions of hidden axes are not updated so we don't know the new position
+        # before re-drawing... and a re-draw is not wanted because it would fetch
+        # a new unnecessary background
+        if sing_hist and self._hist_size < 0.01:
             self.ax_cb_plot.set_visible(False)
         else:
             self.ax_cb_plot.set_visible(True)
 
-        if sing_cb:
+        if sing_cb and self._hist_size > 0.99:
             self.ax_cb.set_visible(False)
         else:
             self.ax_cb.set_visible(True)
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index fa9437b13..ff2b9f6a8 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ eomaps = ["logo.png", "NE_features.json", "qtcompanion/icons/*"]
 
 [project]
 name = "eomaps"
-version = "8.1"
+version = "8.1.1"
 description = "A library to create interactive maps of geographical datasets."
 readme = "README.md"
 license = {file = "LICENSE"}