diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/ts/tooltip/nearbyTip.ts b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/ts/tooltip/nearbyTip.ts
index 39a2657137..982df5465b 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/ts/tooltip/nearbyTip.ts
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/ts/tooltip/nearbyTip.ts
@@ -147,10 +147,12 @@ export default (): NearbyTip => {
                 )
                     return null;
 
-                return Math.sqrt(
-                    Math.pow((xScale(v[xValueName]) as number) - pos.x, 2) +
-                        Math.pow(scale(v[yValueName]) - pos.y, 2)
-                );
+                const xDist = (xScale(v[xValueName]) as number) - pos.x;
+                const yDist = scale(v[yValueName]) - pos.y;
+
+                if (xDist <= 0 && yDist <= 0) {
+                    return Math.sqrt(Math.pow(xDist, 2) + Math.pow(yDist, 2));
+                }
             };
         };