diff --git a/src/utils/constants.ts b/src/utils/constants.ts
index 5db9c2dc..823ffbe5 100644
--- a/src/utils/constants.ts
+++ b/src/utils/constants.ts
@@ -216,6 +216,8 @@ export const DEFAULT_CYLINDER_HEIGHT = 1;
 export const DEFAULT_CYLINDER_RADIUS = 1;
 export const DEFAULT_RADIAL_SEGMENTS = 32;
 
+export const DEFAULT_SCALE = 0.00001; // To prevent: can't invert matrix, determinant is 0
+
 export const DEFAULT_CONE_HEIGHT = 1;
 export const DEFAULT_CONE_RADIUS = 1;
 
diff --git a/src/utils/helpers.ts b/src/utils/helpers.ts
index b8d31248..d9dfa9cf 100644
--- a/src/utils/helpers.ts
+++ b/src/utils/helpers.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   Quaternion,
   TorusGeometry,
   Vector3,
+  MeshStandardMaterial,
 } from 'three';
 
 import {
@@ -176,3 +177,16 @@ export function assertIsBufferAttribute(
     throw new Error('the provided attribute must be an BufferAttribute');
   }
 }
+
+export function assertMaterialWithColorSettable(
+  val: any,
+): asserts val is MeshBasicMaterial | MeshStandardMaterial {
+  if (
+    !(val instanceof MeshBasicMaterial) &&
+    !(val instanceof MeshStandardMaterial)
+  ) {
+    throw new TypeError(
+      `Expected 'val' to be MeshBasicMaterial | MeshStandardMaterial. Color not settable on material.`,
+    );
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/interactiveMarkerManager.ts b/src/utils/interactiveMarkerManager.ts
index 51e3807e..fada2a5e 100644
--- a/src/utils/interactiveMarkerManager.ts
+++ b/src/utils/interactiveMarkerManager.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   INTERACTIVE_MARKER_INTERACTION_MODES,
   INTERACTIVE_MARKER_ORIENTATION_MODES,
   UNSUPPORTED_INTERACTIVE_MARKER_ORIENTATION_MODES,
+  DEFAULT_SCALE,
 } from './constants';
 import Controls from 'three-freeform-controls/dist/types/controls';
 import TfViewer from '../viewers/Tf';
@@ -122,7 +123,8 @@ export default class InteractiveMarkerManager {
             .hideOtherControlsInstancesOnSelect,
           showHelperPlane: true,
         });
-        controls.scale.set(scale, scale, scale);
+        const newScale = scale || DEFAULT_SCALE;
+        controls.scale.set(newScale, newScale, newScale);
         controls.visible = visible;
 
         InteractiveMarkerManager.enableControls(
diff --git a/src/utils/markerManager.ts b/src/utils/markerManager.ts
index f7af1a46..cb5290bb 100644
--- a/src/utils/markerManager.ts
+++ b/src/utils/markerManager.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import getNewPrimitive, { MarkerObjectType } from './markerTypes';
+import { DEFAULT_SCALE } from '../utils/constants';
 import MarkerLifetime from './markerLifetime';
 import { Object3D } from 'three';
 
@@ -85,7 +86,11 @@ export default class MarkerManager {
 
     // To avoid settings these properties for list types: LINE, TRIANGLE, CUBELIST etc
     if (markerObject.setScale && !markerObject.updatePoints) {
-      markerObject.setScale({ x: scale.x, y: scale.y, z: scale.z });
+      markerObject.setScale({
+        x: scale.x || DEFAULT_SCALE,
+        y: scale.y || DEFAULT_SCALE,
+        z: scale.z || DEFAULT_SCALE,
+      });
     }
     if (markerObject.setColor && colors.length <= 0) {
       markerObject.setColor(color);
diff --git a/src/utils/transform.ts b/src/utils/transform.ts
index 565f89c1..6abf6c77 100644
--- a/src/utils/transform.ts
+++ b/src/utils/transform.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { Color, Mesh, Object3D, Quaternion } from 'three';
-import { assertIsMeshBasicMaterial } from './helpers';
+import { Color, Mesh, Object3D, Quaternion, MeshStandardMaterial } from 'three';
+import { assertMaterialWithColorSettable } from './helpers';
 import Line from '../primitives/Line';
 import LineSegments from '../primitives/LineSegment';
 
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export const setColor = (
   object: Mesh | Line | LineSegments,
   color: string | number | RosMessage.Color,
 ) => {
-  assertIsMeshBasicMaterial(object.material);
+  assertMaterialWithColorSettable(object.material);
   if (typeof color === 'string' || typeof color === 'number') {
     object.material.color = new Color(color);
   } else {