diff --git a/src/geode/geometry/basic_objects/polygon.cpp b/src/geode/geometry/basic_objects/polygon.cpp
index b9cb45678..aaabf12e4 100644
--- a/src/geode/geometry/basic_objects/polygon.cpp
+++ b/src/geode/geometry/basic_objects/polygon.cpp
@@ -253,6 +253,10 @@ namespace geode
                 max_length_edge = e;
             }
         }
+        if( max_length < GLOBAL_EPSILON )
+        {
+            return max_length;
+        }
         const auto next =
             max_length_edge + 1 == nb_vertices ? 0 : max_length_edge + 1;
         const geode::InfiniteLine< dimension > line{