diff --git a/src/backends/gr.jl b/src/backends/gr.jl
index 692f33c8..88fcad36 100644
--- a/src/backends/gr.jl
+++ b/src/backends/gr.jl
@@ -223,8 +223,8 @@ function gr_polaraxes(rmin::Real, rmax::Real, sp::Subplot)
     sinf = sind.(a)
     cosf = cosd.(a)
     rtick_values, rtick_labels = get_ticks(yaxis)
-    if (yaxis[:formatter] == :scientific || any(contains.(rtick_labels,"×10"))) && yaxis[:ticks] in (:auto, :native)
-        rtick_labels = convert_sci_unicode(rtick_labels)
+    if yaxis[:formatter] in (:scientific, :auto) && yaxis[:ticks] in (:auto, :native)
+        rtick_labels = convert_sci_unicode.(rtick_labels)
     end
 
     #draw angular grid
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
                     # ensure correct dispatch in gr_text for automatic log ticks
                     if xaxis[:scale] in _logScales
                         dv = string(dv, "\\ ")
-                    elseif xaxis[:formatter] == :scientific || contains(dv,"×10")
+                    elseif xaxis[:formatter] in (:scientific, :auto)
                         dv = convert_sci_unicode(dv)
                     end
                 end
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
                     # ensure correct dispatch in gr_text for automatic log ticks
                     if yaxis[:scale] in _logScales
                         dv = string(dv, "\\ ")
-                    elseif yaxis[:formatter] == :scientific || contains(dv,"×10")
+                    elseif yaxis[:formatter] in (:scientific, :auto)
                         dv = convert_sci_unicode(dv)
                     end
                 end
diff --git a/src/backends/pgfplots.jl b/src/backends/pgfplots.jl
index ef2920ad..0f28ac57 100644
--- a/src/backends/pgfplots.jl
+++ b/src/backends/pgfplots.jl
@@ -329,7 +329,8 @@ function pgf_axis(sp::Subplot, letter)
             push!(style, string(letter, "ticklabels = {\$", join(tick_labels,"\$,\$"), "\$}"))
         elseif axis[:showaxis]
             tick_labels = ispolar(sp) && letter == :x ? [ticks[2][3:end]..., "0", "45"] : ticks[2]
-            tick_labels = axis[:formatter] == :scientific ? string.("\$", convert_sci_unicode.(tick_labels), "\$") : tick_labels
+            tick_labels = ( axis[:formatter] in (:scientific, :auto) ?
+                            string.("\$", convert_sci_unicode.(tick_labels), "\$") : tick_labels )
             push!(style, string(letter, "ticklabels = {", join(tick_labels,","), "}"))
         else
             push!(style, string(letter, "ticklabels = {}"))