diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/connected_components/map/mb/sort_layers.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/connected_components/map/mb/sort_layers.test.ts
index 273611e94ee40a..e26a1e43509c81 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/connected_components/map/mb/sort_layers.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/connected_components/map/mb/sort_layers.test.ts
@@ -200,6 +200,25 @@ describe('sortLayer', () => {
     ]);
   });
 
+  // Hidden map layers on map load may not add mbLayers to mbStyle.
+  test('Should sort with missing mblayers to expected order', () => {
+    // Notice there are no bravo mbLayers in initial style.
+    const initialMbStyle = {
+      version: 0,
+      layers: [
+        { id: `${CHARLIE_LAYER_ID}_fill`, type: 'fill' } as MbLayer,
+        { id: `${ALPHA_LAYER_ID}_circle`, type: 'circle' } as MbLayer,
+      ],
+    };
+    const mbMap = new MockMbMap(initialMbStyle);
+    syncLayerOrder((mbMap as unknown) as MbMap, spatialFilterLayer, mapLayers);
+    const sortedMbStyle = mbMap.getStyle();
+    const sortedMbLayerIds = sortedMbStyle.layers!.map((mbLayer) => {
+      return mbLayer.id;
+    });
+    expect(sortedMbLayerIds).toEqual(['charlie_fill', 'alpha_circle']);
+  });
+
   test('Should not call move layers when layers are in expected order', () => {
     const initialMbStyle = {
       version: 0,
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/connected_components/map/mb/sort_layers.ts b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/connected_components/map/mb/sort_layers.ts
index 4752eeba2376aa..0c970fe6635576 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/connected_components/map/mb/sort_layers.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/connected_components/map/mb/sort_layers.ts
@@ -128,7 +128,8 @@ export function syncLayerOrder(mbMap: MbMap, spatialFiltersLayer: ILayer, layerL
       if (!isLayerInOrder(mbMap, mapLayer, LAYER_CLASS.LABEL, beneathMbLayerId)) {
         moveMapLayer(mbMap, mbLayers, mapLayer, LAYER_CLASS.LABEL, beneathMbLayerId);
       }
-      beneathMbLayerId = getBottomMbLayerId(mbLayers, mapLayer, LAYER_CLASS.LABEL);
+      const bottomMbLayerId = getBottomMbLayerId(mbLayers, mapLayer, LAYER_CLASS.LABEL);
+      if (bottomMbLayerId) beneathMbLayerId = bottomMbLayerId;
     });
 
   // Sort map layers
@@ -137,6 +138,7 @@ export function syncLayerOrder(mbMap: MbMap, spatialFiltersLayer: ILayer, layerL
     if (!isLayerInOrder(mbMap, mapLayer, layerClass, beneathMbLayerId)) {
       moveMapLayer(mbMap, mbLayers, mapLayer, layerClass, beneathMbLayerId);
     }
-    beneathMbLayerId = getBottomMbLayerId(mbLayers, mapLayer, layerClass);
+    const bottomMbLayerId = getBottomMbLayerId(mbLayers, mapLayer, layerClass);
+    if (bottomMbLayerId) beneathMbLayerId = bottomMbLayerId;
   });
 }