diff --git a/src/auto-evo/AutoEvoExploringTool.cs b/src/auto-evo/AutoEvoExploringTool.cs
index e3aa484e1a..b233a9cd8e 100644
--- a/src/auto-evo/AutoEvoExploringTool.cs
+++ b/src/auto-evo/AutoEvoExploringTool.cs
@@ -385,10 +385,18 @@ public void AskExit()
     }
 
     public Species? GetActiveSpeciesData(uint speciesId)
+    {
+        return GetSpeciesDataFromGeneration(generationDisplayed, speciesId);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Returns a record of the species from the given generation or earlier
+    /// </summary>
+    public Species? GetSpeciesDataFromGeneration(int generation, uint speciesId)
     {
         var gameWorld = world.GameProperties.GameWorld;
 
-        for (int i = generationDisplayed; i >= 0; --i)
+        for (int i = generation; i >= 0; --i)
         {
             gameWorld.GenerationHistory[i].AllSpeciesData
                 .TryGetValue(speciesId, out var speciesRecord);
@@ -882,16 +890,31 @@ private void SpeciesListMenuIndexChanged(int index)
         UpdateSpeciesPreview(species);
     }
 
-    private void UpdateSpeciesPreview(Species species)
+    private void UpdateSpeciesPreview(Species? species)
     {
+        if (species == null)
+        {
+            ResetSpeciesPreview();
+            return;
+        }
+
         speciesListMenu.Text = species.FormattedName;
         speciesDetailsPanelWithFossilisation.PreviewSpecies = species;
     }
 
+    private void ResetSpeciesPreview()
+    {
+        speciesListMenu.Text = string.Empty;
+        speciesDetailsPanelWithFossilisation.PreviewSpecies = null;
+    }
+
     private void EvolutionaryTreeNodeSelected(int generation, uint id)
     {
         HistoryListMenuIndexChanged(generation);
-        UpdateSpeciesPreview(world.SpeciesHistoryList[generation][id]);
+
+        var species = GetSpeciesDataFromGeneration(generation, id);
+
+        UpdateSpeciesPreview(species);
     }
 
     private void PatchListMenuIndexChanged(int index)
diff --git a/src/gui_common/PhotographablePreview.cs b/src/gui_common/PhotographablePreview.cs
index 70aad5b38e..e08f12ddfd 100644
--- a/src/gui_common/PhotographablePreview.cs
+++ b/src/gui_common/PhotographablePreview.cs
@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ protected void UpdatePreview()
         task = SetupImageTask();
     }
 
+    protected void ResetPreview()
+    {
+        textureRect.Texture = null;
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     ///   Return an ImageTask ready for PhotoStudio to process
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/gui_common/SpeciesDetailsPanel.cs b/src/gui_common/SpeciesDetailsPanel.cs
index 1ea4c22cb4..2a04dc9778 100644
--- a/src/gui_common/SpeciesDetailsPanel.cs
+++ b/src/gui_common/SpeciesDetailsPanel.cs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public Species? PreviewSpecies
 
             previewSpecies = value;
 
-            if (previewSpecies != null && speciesDetailsLabel != null)
+            if (speciesDetailsLabel != null)
                 UpdateSpeciesPreview();
         }
     }
@@ -83,7 +83,11 @@ private void UpdateSpeciesPreview()
     {
         speciesPreview.PreviewSpecies = PreviewSpecies;
 
-        if (PreviewSpecies is MicrobeSpecies microbeSpecies)
+        if (PreviewSpecies == null)
+        {
+            hexesPreview.PreviewSpecies = null;
+        }
+        else if (PreviewSpecies is MicrobeSpecies microbeSpecies)
         {
             hexesPreview.PreviewSpecies = microbeSpecies;
         }
diff --git a/src/gui_common/SpeciesPreview.cs b/src/gui_common/SpeciesPreview.cs
index 400b8f6b8b..b725a9991e 100644
--- a/src/gui_common/SpeciesPreview.cs
+++ b/src/gui_common/SpeciesPreview.cs
@@ -18,7 +18,13 @@ public Species? PreviewSpecies
             previewSpecies = value;
 
             if (previewSpecies != null)
+            {
                 UpdatePreview();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ResetPreview();
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/microbe_stage/CellHexesPreview.cs b/src/microbe_stage/CellHexesPreview.cs
index 67486c71ab..d0dd823184 100644
--- a/src/microbe_stage/CellHexesPreview.cs
+++ b/src/microbe_stage/CellHexesPreview.cs
@@ -17,7 +17,15 @@ public MicrobeSpecies? PreviewSpecies
                 return;
 
             microbeSpecies = value;
-            UpdatePreview();
+
+            if (microbeSpecies != null)
+            {
+                UpdatePreview();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ResetPreview();
+            }
         }
     }