diff --git a/src/sisl/viz/figure/figure.py b/src/sisl/viz/figure/figure.py
index 239fb32917..49ecdd2a63 100644
--- a/src/sisl/viz/figure/figure.py
+++ b/src/sisl/viz/figure/figure.py
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ class Figure:
     _SUBPLOTS = 3
     _ANIMATION = 4
 
+    plot_actions: list = []
+
     def __init__(self, plot_actions, *args, **kwargs):
         self.plot_actions = plot_actions
         self._build(plot_actions, *args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/src/sisl/viz/figure/matplotlib.py b/src/sisl/viz/figure/matplotlib.py
index 6ea99ded6c..3b30524a43 100644
--- a/src/sisl/viz/figure/matplotlib.py
+++ b/src/sisl/viz/figure/matplotlib.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 import itertools
 import math
+from typing import Optional
 
 import matplotlib
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
@@ -33,6 +34,9 @@ class MatplotlibFigure(Figure):
 
     _axes_defaults = {}
 
+    figure: Optional[plt.Figure] = None
+    axes: Optional[plt.Axes] = None
+
     def _init_figure(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.figure, self.axes = self._init_plt_figure()
         self._init_axes()
diff --git a/src/sisl/viz/figure/plotly.py b/src/sisl/viz/figure/plotly.py
index 24a4bf8a6f..f6acae46c8 100644
--- a/src/sisl/viz/figure/plotly.py
+++ b/src/sisl/viz/figure/plotly.py
@@ -149,6 +149,8 @@ class PlotlyFigure(Figure):
 
     _layout_defaults = {}
 
+    figure: Optional[go.Figure] = None
+
     def _init_figure(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.figure = go.Figure()
         self.update_layout(**self._layout_defaults)
diff --git a/src/sisl/viz/plots/merged.py b/src/sisl/viz/plots/merged.py
index b6a9ff8cb7..5086f0dc95 100644
--- a/src/sisl/viz/plots/merged.py
+++ b/src/sisl/viz/plots/merged.py
@@ -35,13 +35,8 @@ def merge_plots(
         which controls the arrangement ("rows", "cols" or "square").
     """
 
-    def _san_plot(plot):
-        if isinstance(plot, Plot) and plot._nupdates == 0:
-            plot.get()
-        return plot
-
     plot_actions = combined(
-        *[_san_plot(fig).plot_actions for fig in figures],
+        *[fig.plot_actions for fig in figures],
         composite_method=composite_method,
         **kwargs,
     )