diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/color_assignment.ts b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/color_assignment.ts
index 9c4132f6b8467..be7f6f1d1d225 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/color_assignment.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/color_assignment.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import { uniq, mapValues } from 'lodash';
 import type { PaletteOutput, PaletteRegistry } from 'src/plugins/charts/public';
 import type { Datatable } from 'src/plugins/expressions';
 import { euiLightVars } from '@kbn/ui-shared-deps-src/theme';
-import { LIGHT_THEME } from '@elastic/charts';
 import type { AccessorConfig, FramePublicAPI } from '../types';
 import { getColumnToLabelMap } from './state_helpers';
 import { FormatFactory, LayerType, layerTypes } from '../../common';
@@ -26,11 +25,6 @@ interface LayerColorConfig {
 }
 
 export const defaultReferenceLineColor = euiLightVars.euiColorDarkShade;
-export const {
-  axes: {
-    axisLine: { stroke: defaultAxisLineColor },
-  },
-} = LIGHT_THEME;
 
 export type ColorAssignments = Record<
   string,
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/xy_config_panel/axis_settings_popover.test.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/xy_config_panel/axis_settings_popover.test.tsx
index 20f019493180d..1ee4da9f04ed7 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/xy_config_panel/axis_settings_popover.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/xy_config_panel/axis_settings_popover.test.tsx
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ describe('Axes Settings', () => {
   describe('manipulating axis color', () => {
     it('starts on default axis color', () => {
       const component = shallow(<AxisSettingsPopover {...props} />);
-      expect(component.find(EuiColorPicker).prop('color')).toBe(defaultAxisLineColor);
+      expect(component.find(EuiColorPicker).prop('color')).toBeUndefined();
     });
 
     it('reports a new color choice', () => {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/xy_config_panel/axis_settings_popover.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/xy_config_panel/axis_settings_popover.tsx
index 521015a2ddcea..143894361a5fe 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/xy_config_panel/axis_settings_popover.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/xy_visualization/xy_config_panel/axis_settings_popover.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import { EuiIconAxisRight } from '../../assets/axis_right';
 import { EuiIconAxisTop } from '../../assets/axis_top';
 import { ToolbarButtonProps } from '../../../../../../src/plugins/kibana_react/public';
 import { validateExtent } from '../axes_configuration';
-import { defaultAxisLineColor } from '../color_assignment';
 
 type AxesSettingsConfigKeys = keyof AxesSettingsConfig;
 
@@ -322,7 +321,10 @@ export const AxisSettingsPopover: React.FunctionComponent<AxisSettingsPopoverPro
           compressed
           isClearable={true}
           onChange={(newColor) => updateColor(axis, newColor)}
-          color={color || defaultAxisLineColor}
+          placeholder={i18n.translate('xpack.lens.xyChart.axisColor.auto', {
+            defaultMessage: 'Auto',
+          })}
+          color={color}
           aria-label={axisColorLabel}
         />
       </EuiFormRow>