diff --git a/@msh/msh.m b/@msh/msh.m
index a5bfa824..d06ba1a5 100644
--- a/@msh/msh.m
+++ b/@msh/msh.m
@@ -1402,6 +1402,7 @@ function plotter(cmap,round_dec,yylabel,apply_pivot)
                     switch classifier
                         case{'both','distance'}
                             % process gdat info
+                            land = [];
                             if ~isempty(gdat.mainland)
                                 land = gdat.mainland;
                                 land(isnan(land(:,1)),:) = [];
@@ -1411,7 +1412,13 @@ function plotter(cmap,round_dec,yylabel,apply_pivot)
                                 inner(isnan(inner(:,1)),:) = [];
                                 land = [land; inner];
                             end
-                            [~,ldst] = ourKNNsearch(land',eb_mid',1);
+                            if ~isempty(land)
+                               [~,ldst] = ourKNNsearch(land',eb_mid',1);
+                            else
+                               % set distance to be larger than dist_lim  
+                               % everywhere when no land exists
+                               ldst = eb_mid(:,1)*0 + 2*dist_lim
+                            end    
                             eb_class = ldst > dist_lim;
                             if strcmp(classifier,'both')
                                 % ii) based on depth
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5e3ad4c0..17f39846 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/)
 - Deleting boundary conditions by specifyng their indices in `msh.object.bd` field. See https://github.com/CHLNDDEV/OceanMesh2D/pull/205
 - Ability for user to set their own axis limits when plotting with `msh.plot()`. https://github.com/CHLNDDEV/OceanMesh2D/pull/224
 ## Fixed
+- Minor fix to `msh.make_bc` using the `auto` method. https://github.com/CHLNDDEV/OceanMesh2D/pull/237
 - correction in setting stereographic projection bounds in `setProj` to make sure points are not pushed outside and become NaNs (was limited to radius of 178 deg but made sure can go up to full 180 deg). https://github.com/CHLNDDEV/OceanMesh2D/pull/225
 - Correctly deleting weirs from boundary object through `make_bc` delete method. See https://github.com/CHLNDDEV/OceanMesh2D/pull/205
 - Array format fix for reading in ibtype and nvell from fort.14 file and when executing carry_over_weirs. See https://github.com/CHLNDDEV/OceanMesh2D/pull/206