diff --git a/cypress/integration/options/legend.cy.js b/cypress/integration/options/legend.cy.js
index de5d847c67..4559e65a20 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/options/legend.cy.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/options/legend.cy.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
     visTypeDisplayNames,
     DIMENSION_ID_PERIOD,
     AXIS_ID_COLUMNS,
+    AXIS_ID_ROWS,
 } from '@dhis2/analytics'
 import {
     expectChartTitleToBeVisible,
@@ -338,6 +339,25 @@ describe('Options - Legend', () => {
             expectLegendKeyToBeVisible()
             expectLegedKeyItemAmountToBe(1)
         })
+        it('legend is applied when data is in rows', () => {
+            // swap data and period
+            openContextMenu(DIMENSION_ID_PERIOD)
+            clickContextMenuMove(DIMENSION_ID_PERIOD, AXIS_ID_COLUMNS)
+            openContextMenu(DIMENSION_ID_DATA)
+            clickContextMenuMove(DIMENSION_ID_DATA, AXIS_ID_ROWS)
+            clickMenuBarUpdateButton()
+
+            // expect legend to still be applied
+            expectVisualizationToBeVisible(VIS_TYPE_PIVOT_TABLE)
+            expectLegendKeyToBeVisible()
+            expectLegedKeyItemAmountToBe(1)
+            cy.getBySel(valueCellEl).each(($el) => {
+                cy.wrap($el)
+                    .invoke('attr', 'style')
+                    .should('not.contain', 'background-color')
+                    .and('not.contain', EXPECTED_STANDARD_TEXT_COLOR)
+            })
+        })
     })
     describe('Transferring a legend: Pivot table -> Gauge', () => {
         const TEST_ITEM = TEST_ITEMS[0]
diff --git a/packages/plugin/src/VisualizationPlugin.js b/packages/plugin/src/VisualizationPlugin.js
index 7022bf3819..b5cba08f1d 100644
--- a/packages/plugin/src/VisualizationPlugin.js
+++ b/packages/plugin/src/VisualizationPlugin.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
     LEGEND_DISPLAY_STRATEGY_BY_DATA_ITEM,
     isLegendSetType,
     VIS_TYPE_LINE,
+    DIMENSION_ID_DATA,
 } from '@dhis2/analytics'
 import { useDataEngine } from '@dhis2/app-runtime'
 import { Button, IconLegend24, Layer } from '@dhis2/ui'
@@ -212,8 +213,9 @@ export const VisualizationPlugin = ({
         case LEGEND_DISPLAY_STRATEGY_BY_DATA_ITEM:
             {
                 if (
+                    fetchResult.visualization.type !== VIS_TYPE_PIVOT_TABLE &&
                     !fetchResult.visualization.columns.some(
-                        (item) => item.dimension === 'dx'
+                        (item) => item.dimension === DIMENSION_ID_DATA
                     )
                 ) {
                     break