diff --git a/pandas/core/frame.py b/pandas/core/frame.py
index 018059ce2784f..3a4e8fdd91362 100644
--- a/pandas/core/frame.py
+++ b/pandas/core/frame.py
@@ -7948,6 +7948,7 @@ def to_series(right):
                     )
         elif isinstance(right, Series):
             # axis=1 is default for DataFrame-with-Series op
+            axis = axis if axis is not None else 1
             if not flex:
                 if not left.axes[axis].equals(right.index):
                     raise ValueError(
diff --git a/pandas/tests/frame/methods/test_clip.py b/pandas/tests/frame/methods/test_clip.py
index 9bd032a0aefc4..f7b221d84ab78 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/frame/methods/test_clip.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/frame/methods/test_clip.py
@@ -177,3 +177,14 @@ def test_clip_int_data_with_float_bound(self):
         result = df.clip(lower=1.5)
         expected = DataFrame({"a": [1.5, 2.0, 3.0]})
         tm.assert_frame_equal(result, expected)
+
+    def test_clip_with_list_bound(self):
+        # GH#54817
+        df = DataFrame([1, 5])
+        expected = DataFrame([3, 5])
+        result = df.clip([3])
+        tm.assert_frame_equal(result, expected)
+
+        expected = DataFrame([1, 3])
+        result = df.clip(upper=[3])
+        tm.assert_frame_equal(result, expected)