diff --git a/pybamm/meshes/zero_dimensional_submesh.py b/pybamm/meshes/zero_dimensional_submesh.py
index 7adc4f2e72..970eb209c7 100644
--- a/pybamm/meshes/zero_dimensional_submesh.py
+++ b/pybamm/meshes/zero_dimensional_submesh.py
@@ -15,10 +15,11 @@ class SubMesh0D(SubMesh):
     Parameters
     ----------
     position : dict
-        A dictionary that contains the position of the spatial variable
+        A dictionary that contains the position of the 0D submesh (a signle point)
+        in space
     npts : dict, optional
-        Number of points to be used. Included for compatibility with other meshes, but
-        ignored by this mesh class
+        Number of points to be used. Included for compatibility with other meshes,
+        but ignored by this mesh class
     tabs : dict
         A dictionary that contains information about the size and location of
         the tabs. Included for compatibility with other meshes, but
diff --git a/pybamm/quick_plot.py b/pybamm/quick_plot.py
index a24b9287d9..29caf2b8dd 100644
--- a/pybamm/quick_plot.py
+++ b/pybamm/quick_plot.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def __init__(
             # If only one mesh is passed but there are multiple models, try to use
             # the same mesh for all of them
             meshes = [meshes] * len(models)
-        elif not isinstance(models, list):
+        elif not isinstance(meshes, list):
             raise TypeError("'meshes' must be 'pybamm.Mesh' or list")
         if isinstance(solutions, pybamm.Solution):
             solutions = [solutions]
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_meshes/test_scikit_fem_submesh.py b/tests/unit/test_meshes/test_scikit_fem_submesh.py
index 0bcdd8f2db..a5366f3bc1 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_meshes/test_scikit_fem_submesh.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_meshes/test_scikit_fem_submesh.py
@@ -340,6 +340,10 @@ def test_init_failure(self):
         with self.assertRaises(pybamm.DomainError):
             pybamm.ScikitExponential2DSubMesh(lims, None, None)
 
+        # side not top
+        with self.assertRaises(pybamm.GeometryError):
+            pybamm.ScikitExponential2DSubMesh(None, None, None, side="bottom")
+
 
 class TestScikitUser2DSubMesh(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_mesh_creation(self):
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_quick_plot.py b/tests/unit/test_quick_plot.py
index 406291d95d..ca0907ce7a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_quick_plot.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_quick_plot.py
@@ -111,8 +111,7 @@ def test_loqs_spm_base(self):
         t_eval = np.linspace(0, 0.01, 2)
 
         # SPM
-        options = {"thermal": "isothermal"}
-        for model in [pybamm.lithium_ion.SPM(options), pybamm.lead_acid.LOQS()]:
+        for model in [pybamm.lithium_ion.SPM(), pybamm.lead_acid.LOQS()]:
             geometry = model.default_geometry
             param = model.default_parameter_values
             param.process_model(model)
@@ -126,15 +125,33 @@ def test_loqs_spm_base(self):
             solution = solver.solve(model, t_eval)
             pybamm.QuickPlot(model, mesh, solution)
 
+            # test quick plot of particle for spm
+            if model.name == "Single Particle Model":
+                output_variables = [
+                    "X-averaged negative particle concentration [mol.m-3]",
+                    "X-averaged positive particle concentration [mol.m-3]",
+                ]
+                pybamm.QuickPlot(model, mesh, solution, output_variables)
+
     def test_failure(self):
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, "'models' must be"):
             pybamm.QuickPlot(1, None, None)
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, "'meshes' must be"):
+            model = pybamm.lithium_ion.SPM()
+            pybamm.QuickPlot(model, 1, None)
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, "'solutions' must be"):
-            pybamm.QuickPlot(pybamm.BaseModel(), None, 1)
+            geometry = model.default_geometry
+            param = model.default_parameter_values
+            param.process_model(model)
+            param.process_geometry(geometry)
+            mesh = pybamm.Mesh(
+                geometry, model.default_submesh_types, model.default_var_pts
+            )
+            pybamm.QuickPlot(model, mesh, 1)
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, "must provide the same"):
             pybamm.QuickPlot(
-                pybamm.BaseModel(),
-                None,
+                model,
+                mesh,
                 [pybamm.Solution(0, 0, 0, 0, ""), pybamm.Solution(0, 0, 0, 0, "")],
             )