diff --git a/app/javascript/components/explore/ExploreDisplayTabs.jsx b/app/javascript/components/explore/ExploreDisplayTabs.jsx
index 590fcbee4..804a0aee4 100644
--- a/app/javascript/components/explore/ExploreDisplayTabs.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/components/explore/ExploreDisplayTabs.jsx
@@ -99,6 +99,14 @@ export function handleClusterSwitchForFiltering(cellFilteringSelection, newCellF
   }
 }
 
+/** get the appropriate subsampling value, accounting for number of points & subsampling status **/
+export function getSubsampleThreshold(exploreParams, exploreInfo) {
+  if (exploreInfo?.cluster && !exploreInfo.cluster.isSubsampled) {
+    return null
+  }
+  return exploreParams?.subsample || (exploreInfo?.cluster?.numPoints > 100_000 ? 100_000 : null)
+}
+
 /** wrapper function with error handling/state setting for retrieving cell facet data */
 function getCellFacetingData(cluster, annotation, setterFunctions, context, prevCellFaceting) {
   const [
@@ -122,7 +130,7 @@ function getCellFacetingData(cluster, annotation, setterFunctions, context, prev
     const allAnnots = exploreInfo?.annotationList.annotations
     if (allAnnots && allAnnots.length > 0) {
       if (!prevCellFaceting?.isFullyLoaded) {
-        const subsample = exploreParams?.subsample || (exploreInfo?.cluster?.numPoints > 100_000 ? 100_000 : null)
+        const subsample = getSubsampleThreshold(exploreParams, exploreInfo)
         initCellFaceting(
           cluster, annotation, studyAccession, allAnnots, prevCellFaceting, subsample
         ).then(newCellFaceting => {
diff --git a/test/js/explore/explore-display-tabs.test.js b/test/js/explore/explore-display-tabs.test.js
index da0c8c6d3..316b1414d 100644
--- a/test/js/explore/explore-display-tabs.test.js
+++ b/test/js/explore/explore-display-tabs.test.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import React from 'react'
 import { render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
 import * as UserProvider from '~/providers/UserProvider'
 import ExploreDisplayTabs, {
-  getEnabledTabs, handleClusterSwitchForFiltering
+  getEnabledTabs, handleClusterSwitchForFiltering, getSubsampleThreshold
 } from 'components/explore/ExploreDisplayTabs'
 import ExploreDisplayPanelManager from '~/components/explore/ExploreDisplayPanelManager'
 import PlotTabs from 'components/explore/PlotTabs'
@@ -499,4 +499,33 @@ describe('explore tabs are activated based on study info and parameters', () =>
       })
     )
   })
+
+  it('Loads correct subsampling threshold', async () => {
+    const subsampleExploreInfo = {
+      cluster: {
+        isSubsampled: true,
+        numPoints: 212345
+      }
+    }
+    const exploreInfo = {
+      cluster: {
+        isSubsampled: false,
+        numPoints: 212345
+      }
+    }
+    const exploreWithSubsample = {
+      cluster: 'foo',
+      subsample: 100000
+    }
+    const exploreWithoutSubsample = { cluster: 'foo'}
+
+    let subsampleThreshold = getSubsampleThreshold(exploreWithSubsample, subsampleExploreInfo)
+    expect(subsampleThreshold).toEqual(exploreWithSubsample.subsample)
+    subsampleThreshold = getSubsampleThreshold(exploreWithoutSubsample, subsampleExploreInfo)
+    expect(subsampleThreshold).toEqual(100000)
+    subsampleThreshold = getSubsampleThreshold(exploreWithSubsample, exploreInfo)
+    expect(subsampleThreshold).toBeNull()
+    subsampleThreshold = getSubsampleThreshold(exploreWithoutSubsample, exploreInfo)
+    expect(subsampleThreshold).toBeNull()
+  })
 })