diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 27e654f097..ebcc4e2d0e 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 ## Bug fixes
 
 * Closed #2337: Creating a new `event_data()` handler no longer causes a spurious reactive update of existing `event_data()`s. (#2339)
+* Closed #1883: Support factor variables for x and/or y when numeric variable is used to set color. (#1883)
 
 # 4.10.4
 
diff --git a/R/plotly_build.R b/R/plotly_build.R
index ad9f62c704..52a4565814 100644
--- a/R/plotly_build.R
+++ b/R/plotly_build.R
@@ -872,9 +872,14 @@ map_color <- function(traces, stroke = FALSE, title = "", colorway, na.color = "
     # add an "empty" trace with the colorbar
     colorObj$color <- rng
     colorObj$showscale <- default(TRUE)
+    # extract range for numeric variables
+    xValues <- unlist(lapply(traces, "[[", "x"))
+    xValues <- if (is.numeric(xValues)) range(xValues, na.rm = TRUE) else xValues
+    yValues <- unlist(lapply(traces, "[[", "y"))
+    yValues <- if (is.numeric(yValues)) range(yValues, na.rm = TRUE) else yValues
     colorBarTrace <- list(
-      x = range(unlist(lapply(traces, "[[", "x")), na.rm = TRUE),
-      y = range(unlist(lapply(traces, "[[", "y")), na.rm = TRUE),
+      x = xValues,
+      y = yValues,
       type = if (any(types %in% glTypes())) "scattergl" else "scatter",
       mode = "markers",
       opacity = 0,
@@ -885,7 +890,9 @@ map_color <- function(traces, stroke = FALSE, title = "", colorway, na.color = "
     # 3D needs a z property
     if ("scatter3d" %in% types) {
       colorBarTrace$type <- "scatter3d"
-      colorBarTrace$z <- range(unlist(lapply(traces, "[[", "z")), na.rm = TRUE)
+      zValues <- unlist(lapply(traces, "[[", "x"))
+      zValues <- if (is.numeric(zValues)) range(zValues, na.rm = TRUE) else zValues
+      colorBarTrace$z <- zValues
     }
     if (length(type <- intersect(c("scattergeo", "scattermapbox"), types))) {
       colorBarTrace$type <- type
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-plotly-color.R b/tests/testthat/test-plotly-color.R
index 7a81297ac1..3401d1de39 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-plotly-color.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-plotly-color.R
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ test_that("Mapping a factor variable to color works", {
   expect_equivalent(length(cols), 3)
 })
 
+test_that("A scatterplot with a factor variable and discrete color works", {
+  d <- palmerpenguins::penguins 
+  p <- plot_ly(d, x = ~bill_length_mm, y = ~sex, color = ~bill_depth_mm, 
+               type = 'scatter', mode = 'markers')
+  l <- expect_traces(p, 2, "scatterplot-factor-continous-color")
+})
+
 test_that("Custom RColorBrewer pallette works for factor variable", {
   d <- palmerpenguins::penguins %>% 
     filter(!is.na(bill_length_mm))