diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
index 81a2ebfe81d4..52208e18992a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
@@ -2127,7 +2127,7 @@ def subs(self, subs):
                                  "found '%s'." % subs)
             self._subs = subs
         else:
-            self._subs = np.asarray(subs, dtype=float)
+            self._subs = np.array(subs, dtype=float, copy=False, ndmin=1)
 
     def __call__(self):
         'Return the locations of the ticks'