diff --git a/haiku/_src/initializers.py b/haiku/_src/initializers.py
index ab6bb49d8..1e3a32ac9 100644
--- a/haiku/_src/initializers.py
+++ b/haiku/_src/initializers.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def _compute_fans(shape, fan_in_axes=None):
     fan_in = fan_out = 1
   elif len(shape) == 1:
     fan_in = fan_out = shape[0]
-  elif len(shape) == 2:
+  elif len(shape) == 2 and fan_in_axes is None:
     fan_in, fan_out = shape
   else:
     if fan_in_axes is not None:
diff --git a/haiku/_src/initializers_test.py b/haiku/_src/initializers_test.py
index 486b7b06f..7ebbce8d2 100644
--- a/haiku/_src/initializers_test.py
+++ b/haiku/_src/initializers_test.py
@@ -103,12 +103,14 @@ def test_compute_fans(self):
     self.assertEqual(fan_in_out2, (2, 2))
     fan_in_out3 = initializers._compute_fans([3, 4])
     self.assertEqual(fan_in_out3, (3, 4))
-    fan_in_out4 = initializers._compute_fans([1, 2, 3, 4])
-    self.assertEqual(fan_in_out4, (6, 8))
-    fan_in_out5 = initializers._compute_fans([3, 5, 9], fan_in_axes=[0])
-    self.assertEqual(fan_in_out5, (3, 45))
-    fan_in_out6 = initializers._compute_fans([3, 5, 7, 4], fan_in_axes=[0, 1])
-    self.assertEqual(fan_in_out6, (15, 28))
+    fan_in_out4 = initializers._compute_fans([3, 4], fan_in_axes=[1])
+    self.assertEqual(fan_in_out4, (4, 3))
+    fan_in_out5 = initializers._compute_fans([1, 2, 3, 4])
+    self.assertEqual(fan_in_out5, (6, 8))
+    fan_in_out6 = initializers._compute_fans([3, 5, 9], fan_in_axes=[0])
+    self.assertEqual(fan_in_out6, (3, 45))
+    fan_in_out7 = initializers._compute_fans([3, 5, 7, 4], fan_in_axes=[0, 1])
+    self.assertEqual(fan_in_out7, (15, 28))
 
   @test_utils.transform_and_run
   def test_orthogonal_invalid_shape(self):