diff --git a/src/pyhgf/plots.py b/src/pyhgf/plots.py
index 4d900ae5a..02e7646e0 100644
--- a/src/pyhgf/plots.py
+++ b/src/pyhgf/plots.py
@@ -594,28 +594,29 @@ def plot_nodes(
             # plotting surprise
             # -----------------
             if show_surprise:
-                surprise_ax = axs[i].twinx()
-                surprise_ax.plot(
-                    trajectories_df.time,
-                    trajectories_df[f"x_{node_idx}_surprise"],
-                    color="#2a2a2a",
-                    linewidth=0.5,
-                    zorder=-1,
-                    label="Surprise",
-                )
-                surprise_ax.fill_between(
-                    x=trajectories_df.time,
-                    y1=trajectories_df[f"x_{node_idx}_surprise"],
-                    y2=trajectories_df[f"x_{node_idx}_surprise"].min(),
-                    color="#7f7f7f",
-                    alpha=0.1,
-                    zorder=-1,
-                )
-                sp = trajectories_df[f"x_{node_idx}_surprise"].sum()
-                surprise_ax.set_title(
-                    f"Node {node_idx} - Surprise: {sp:.2f}",
-                    loc="left",
-                )
-                surprise_ax.set_ylabel("Surprise")
-                surprise_ax.legend()
+                if not trajectories_df[f"x_{node_idx}_surprise"].isnull().all():
+                    surprise_ax = axs[i].twinx()
+                    surprise_ax.plot(
+                        trajectories_df.time,
+                        trajectories_df[f"x_{node_idx}_surprise"],
+                        color="#2a2a2a",
+                        linewidth=0.5,
+                        zorder=-1,
+                        label="Surprise",
+                    )
+                    surprise_ax.fill_between(
+                        x=trajectories_df.time,
+                        y1=trajectories_df[f"x_{node_idx}_surprise"],
+                        y2=trajectories_df[f"x_{node_idx}_surprise"].min(),
+                        color="#7f7f7f",
+                        alpha=0.1,
+                        zorder=-1,
+                    )
+                    sp = trajectories_df[f"x_{node_idx}_surprise"].sum()
+                    surprise_ax.set_title(
+                        f"Node {node_idx} - Surprise: {sp:.2f}",
+                        loc="left",
+                    )
+                    surprise_ax.set_ylabel("Surprise")
+                    surprise_ax.legend()
     return axs