diff --git a/yt/visualization/volume_rendering/off_axis_projection.py b/yt/visualization/volume_rendering/off_axis_projection.py
index a0d9dfea58..5fc7a0ae13 100644
--- a/yt/visualization/volume_rendering/off_axis_projection.py
+++ b/yt/visualization/volume_rendering/off_axis_projection.py
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ def temp_weightfield(field, data):
         )
 
         for idim, periodic in enumerate(data_source.ds.periodicity):
-            axis = "xyz"[idim]
+            axis = data_source.ds.coordinates.axis_order[idim]
             xyz[..., idim] = data_source["index", axis] - center[idim]
             if not periodic:
                 continue