diff --git a/src/plot_api/plot_api.js b/src/plot_api/plot_api.js
index 0e26c4b8aa9..73d3de2b157 100644
--- a/src/plot_api/plot_api.js
+++ b/src/plot_api/plot_api.js
@@ -524,6 +524,14 @@ Plotly.redraw = function(gd) {
 Plotly.newPlot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
     gd = helpers.getGraphDiv(gd);
 
+    // clear 'auto' axis types that could have leaked in user layout
+    // in previous Plotly.plot calls
+    var axList = Plotly.Axes.list({ _fullLayout: layout || {} });
+    for(var i = 0; i < axList.length; i++) {
+        var ax = axList[i];
+        if(ax && ax.type) ax.type = '-';
+    }
+
     // remove gl contexts
     Plots.cleanPlot([], {}, gd._fullData || {}, gd._fullLayout || {});