diff --git a/src/scales/scale.time.js b/src/scales/scale.time.js
index 172c230e056..d6a3f5b0afb 100644
--- a/src/scales/scale.time.js
+++ b/src/scales/scale.time.js
@@ -677,7 +677,8 @@ module.exports = Scale.extend({
 		var minorFormat = formats[me._unit];
 		var majorUnit = me._majorUnit;
 		var majorFormat = formats[majorUnit];
-		var isMajorTime = isNaN(index) ? false : ticks[index].major;
+		var tick = !isNaN(index) && ticks[index];
+		var isMajorTime = tick && tick.major;
 		var tickOpts = options.ticks;
 		var majorTickOpts = tickOpts.major;
 		var major = majorTickOpts.enabled && majorUnit && majorFormat && isMajorTime;