diff --git a/yt/frontends/athena_pp/data_structures.py b/yt/frontends/athena_pp/data_structures.py
index 95ed790e1a..88e3748090 100644
--- a/yt/frontends/athena_pp/data_structures.py
+++ b/yt/frontends/athena_pp/data_structures.py
@@ -153,6 +153,14 @@ def __init__(
         zrat = self._handle.attrs["RootGridX3"][2]
         self._nonuniform = xrat != 1.0 or yrat != 1.0 or zrat != 1.0
         self._magnetic_factor = get_magnetic_normalization(magnetic_normalization)
+
+        geom = self._handle.attrs["Coordinates"].decode("utf-8")
+        self.geometry = Geometry(geom_map[geom])
+        if self.geometry == "cylindrical":
+            axis_order = ("r", "theta", "z")
+        else:
+            axis_order = None
+
         Dataset.__init__(
             self,
             filename,
@@ -160,6 +168,7 @@ def __init__(
             units_override=units_override,
             unit_system=unit_system,
             default_species_fields=default_species_fields,
+            axis_order=axis_order,
         )
         if storage_filename is None:
             storage_filename = self.basename + ".yt"
@@ -200,9 +209,6 @@ def _parse_parameter_file(self):
         self.domain_left_edge = np.array([xmin, ymin, zmin], dtype="float64")
         self.domain_right_edge = np.array([xmax, ymax, zmax], dtype="float64")
 
-        self.geometry = Geometry(
-            geom_map[self._handle.attrs["Coordinates"].decode("utf-8")]
-        )
         self.domain_width = self.domain_right_edge - self.domain_left_edge
         self.domain_dimensions = self._handle.attrs["RootGridSize"]