diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yaml b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
index bf0cb8dec..5b7a2ff43 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ jobs:
         os: ['ubuntu-latest', 'macos-latest', 'windows-latest']
         # Run on the full set on schedule, workflow_dispatch and push&tags events, otherwise on a subset.
         python-version: ${{ ( github.event_name == 'schedule' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || ( github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref_type == 'tag' ) ) && fromJSON('["3.7", "3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11"]') || fromJSON('["3.7", "3.9", "3.11"]') }}
+        exclude:
+          - os: macos-latest
+            python-version: 3.7
     timeout-minutes: 90
     defaults:
       run:
@@ -56,11 +59,11 @@ jobs:
           conda-update: true
           conda-mamba: mamba
         id: install
-      - name: patch fiona/geostack on Python 3.7 / Macos
-        if: steps.install.outputs.cache-hit != 'true' && contains(matrix.os, 'macos') && matrix.python-version == '3.7'
+      - name: Add Holoviews branch
         run: |
           conda activate test-environment
-          mamba install "fiona=1.8" "gdal=3.3"
+          conda uninstall holoviews -y --offline --force || echo already uninstalled
+          pip install "git+https://github.com/holoviz/holoviews.git@xarray_improve"
       - name: doit test_unit
         run: |
           conda activate test-environment
diff --git a/hvplot/converter.py b/hvplot/converter.py
index 3c2e72eef..64706e68a 100644
--- a/hvplot/converter.py
+++ b/hvplot/converter.py
@@ -754,7 +754,9 @@ def _process_data(self, kind, data, x, y, by, groupby, row, col,
                     raise ValueError("Cannot plot an empty xarray.Dataset object.")
             if z is None:
                 if isinstance(data, xr.Dataset):
-                    z = list(data.data_vars)[0]
+                    z = [k for k in data.data_vars if k not in (x, y)]
+                    if len(z) > 0:
+                        z = z[0]
                 else:
                     z = data.name or label or value_label
             if gridded and isinstance(data, xr.Dataset) and not isinstance(z, list):
@@ -1236,7 +1238,9 @@ def method_wrapper(ds, x, y):
                 elif self.datatype == 'xarray':
                     import xarray as xr
                     if isinstance(data, xr.Dataset):
-                        dataset = Dataset(data, self.indexes)
+                        kdims = self.indexes
+                        vdims = [vd for vd in data.data_vars.variables if vd not in kdims]
+                        dataset = Dataset(data, kdims=kdims, vdims=vdims)
                     else:
                         name = data.name or self.label or self.value_label
                         dataset = Dataset(data, self.indexes, name)
@@ -2241,7 +2245,7 @@ def _geom_plot(self, x=None, y=None, data=None, kind='polygons'):
         redim = self._merge_redim({self._color_dim: self._dim_ranges['c']} if self._color_dim else {})
         kdims, vdims = self._get_dimensions([x, y], [])
         if self.gridded_data:
-            vdims = Dataset(data).vdims
+            vdims = [vd for vd in Dataset(data).vdims if vd not in kdims]
         element = self._get_element(kind)
         cur_opts, compat_opts = self._get_compat_opts(element.name)
         for opts_ in [cur_opts, compat_opts]: