diff --git a/lib/mpl_toolkits/axisartist/axis_artist.py b/lib/mpl_toolkits/axisartist/axis_artist.py
index 0cbc7669598c..3eea4baae68d 100644
--- a/lib/mpl_toolkits/axisartist/axis_artist.py
+++ b/lib/mpl_toolkits/axisartist/axis_artist.py
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ def get_texts_widths_heights_descents(self, renderer):
         for (x, y), a, l in self._locs_angles_labels:
             if not l.strip():
                 continue
-            clean_line, ismath = self.is_math_text(l)
+            clean_line, ismath = self._preprocess_math(l)
             whd = renderer.get_text_width_height_descent(
                 clean_line, self._fontproperties, ismath=ismath)
             whd_list.append(whd)