diff --git a/examples/blocks/src/movies/layout.json b/examples/blocks/src/movies/layout.json
index 50e5ebb3a2..876f572ffb 100644
--- a/examples/blocks/src/movies/layout.json
+++ b/examples/blocks/src/movies/layout.json
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
             "split_by": ["bucket(\"IMDB Rating\", 0.25)"],
             "columns": ["US Gross"],
             "filter": [["bucket(\"IMDB Rating\", 0.25)", "is not null", null]],
-            "sort": [["bucket(\"IMDB Rating\", 0.25)", "col desc"]],
+            "sort": [],
             "expressions": [
                 "bucket(\"IMDB Rating\", 0.25)",
                 "bucket(\"Rotten Tomatoes Rating\", 2.5)"
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/js/axis/axisFactory.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/js/axis/axisFactory.js
index 927c601428..ae6f84a5c6 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/js/axis/axisFactory.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/js/axis/axisFactory.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export const axisFactory = (settings) => {
     let settingName = "crossValues";
     let settingValue = null;
     let valueNames = ["crossValue"];
+    let modifyDomain = null;
 
     const optionalParams = ["include", "paddingStrategy", "pad"];
     const optional = {};
@@ -45,7 +46,11 @@ export const axisFactory = (settings) => {
         });
         if (domainFunction.orient) domainFunction.orient(orient);
 
-        const domain = domainFunction(data);
+        let domain = domainFunction(data);
+        if (modifyDomain !== null) {
+            domain = modifyDomain(domain);
+        }
+
         const component = axis.component
             ? createComponent(axis, domain, data)
             : defaultComponent();
@@ -131,6 +136,14 @@ export const axisFactory = (settings) => {
         return _factory;
     };
 
+    _factory.modifyDomain = (...args) => {
+        if (!args.length) {
+            return modifyDomain;
+        }
+        modifyDomain = args[0];
+        return _factory;
+    };
+
     optionalParams.forEach((p) => {
         _factory[p] = (...args) => {
             if (!args.length) {
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/js/charts/heatmap.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/js/charts/heatmap.js
index ab247de53e..030b757f3c 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/js/charts/heatmap.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/src/js/charts/heatmap.js
@@ -30,10 +30,15 @@ function heatmapChart(container, settings) {
         .excludeType(AXIS_TYPES.linear)
         .settingName("crossValues")
         .valueName("crossValue")(data);
+
     const yAxis = axisFactory(settings)
         .excludeType(AXIS_TYPES.linear)
         .settingName("splitValues")
         .valueName("mainValue")
+        .modifyDomain((d) => {
+            let is_number = !isNaN(d[0]);
+            return is_number ? d.reverse() : d;
+        })
         .orient("vertical")(data);
 
     const chart = chartCanvasFactory(xAxis, yAxis).plotArea(
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/area.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/area.spec.js
index 0e437907f4..9ac34d9436 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/area.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/area.spec.js
@@ -13,16 +13,17 @@ const utils = require("@finos/perspective-test");
 const simple_tests = require("@finos/perspective-viewer/test/js/simple_tests.js");
 
 const { withTemplate } = require("./simple-template");
+const { util } = require("prettier");
 withTemplate("area", "Y Area");
 
 utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "area.html",
         () => {
-            simple_tests.default(
-                utils.get_contents.bind(
-                    null,
-                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yarea"
+            simple_tests.default((p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yarea",
+                    p
                 )
             );
         },
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/bar.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/bar.spec.js
index f2fffee9ea..df8a12d905 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/bar.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/bar.spec.js
@@ -23,11 +23,12 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "bar.html",
         () => {
-            const get_contents = utils.get_contents.bind(
-                null,
-                "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-ybar"
+            simple_tests.default((p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-ybar",
+                    p
+                )
             );
-            simple_tests.default(get_contents);
             // render_warning_tests.default("Y Bar");
         },
         { root: path.join(__dirname, "..", "..", "..") }
@@ -49,10 +50,10 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "bar-themed.html",
         () => {
-            simple_tests.default(
-                utils.get_contents.bind(
-                    null,
-                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-ybar"
+            simple_tests.default((p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-ybar",
+                    p
                 )
             );
             // render_warning_tests.default("Y Bar");
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/barWidth.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/barWidth.spec.js
index 54b3c908ae..3a6e57b13a 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/barWidth.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/barWidth.spec.js
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
                             theme: "Material Light",
                         });
 
-                        return await utils.get_contents.bind(
-                            null,
-                            "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-ybar"
-                        )(page);
+                        return await utils.get_contents(
+                            "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-ybar",
+                            page
+                        );
                     }
                 );
             });
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/events.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/events.spec.js
index f59535aa79..c30cde659e 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/events.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/events.spec.js
@@ -65,10 +65,10 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
                     expect(count).toEqual(1);
 
                     // Return the chart contents
-                    return utils.get_contents.bind(
-                        null,
-                        "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yline"
-                    )(page);
+                    return utils.get_contents(
+                        "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yline",
+                        page
+                    );
                 }
             );
 
@@ -133,10 +133,10 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
 
                     // Return the chart contents
 
-                    return utils.get_contents.bind(
-                        null,
-                        "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yline"
-                    )(page);
+                    return utils.get_contents(
+                        "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yline",
+                        page
+                    );
                 }
             );
         },
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/heatmap.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/heatmap.spec.js
index 3a2657e958..9f63e35b50 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/heatmap.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/heatmap.spec.js
@@ -20,12 +20,24 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "heatmap.html",
         () => {
-            simple_tests.default(
-                utils.get_contents.bind(
-                    null,
-                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-heatmap"
-                )
-            );
+            const get_contents = (p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-heatmap",
+                    p
+                );
+            simple_tests.default(get_contents);
+
+            test.capture("by a numerical column", async (page) => {
+                await page.evaluate(async () => {
+                    const viewer = document.querySelector("perspective-viewer");
+                    await viewer.restore({
+                        split_by: ["Postal Code"],
+                        settings: true,
+                    });
+                });
+
+                return await get_contents(page);
+            });
             // render_warning_tests.default("Heatmap");
         },
         { reload_page: false, root: path.join(__dirname, "..", "..", "..") }
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/line.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/line.spec.js
index 5b29f6c615..440bb9a2a4 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/line.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/line.spec.js
@@ -19,12 +19,27 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "line.html",
         () => {
-            simple_tests.default(
-                utils.get_contents.bind(
-                    null,
-                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yline"
-                )
-            );
+            const get_contents = (p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yline",
+                    p
+                );
+            simple_tests.default(get_contents);
+            // TODO: this shouldnt fail:
+            // This test fails because when given a column with all nulls
+            // rendering in d3fc errors. This is mostly benign because
+            // rendering is already not gonna happen at that point.
+            test.skip("by a numerical column", async (page) => {
+                await page.evaluate(async () => {
+                    const viewer = document.querySelector("perspective-viewer");
+                    await viewer.restore({
+                        split_by: ["Postal Code"],
+                        settings: true,
+                    });
+                });
+
+                return await get_contents(page);
+            });
 
             // test.capture("Sets a category axis when pivoted by an expression datetime", async page => {
             //     const viewer = await page.$("perspective-viewer");
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/scatter.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/scatter.spec.js
index 0365778286..8737c5bdc2 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/scatter.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/scatter.spec.js
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "scatter.html",
         () => {
-            simple_tests.default(
-                utils.get_contents.bind(
-                    null,
-                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-xyscatter"
+            simple_tests.default((p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-xyscatter",
+                    p
                 )
             );
 
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/sunburst.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/sunburst.spec.js
index d1a77b62e8..045eb239a1 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/sunburst.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/sunburst.spec.js
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "sunburst.html",
         () => {
-            simple_tests.default(
-                utils.get_contents.bind(
-                    null,
-                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-sunburst"
+            simple_tests.default((p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-sunburst",
+                    p
                 )
             );
 
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/treemap.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/treemap.spec.js
index 975e09e42a..26a926ee7e 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/treemap.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/treemap.spec.js
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "treemap.html",
         () => {
-            simple_tests.default(
-                utils.get_contents.bind(
-                    null,
-                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-treemap"
+            simple_tests.default((p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-treemap",
+                    p
                 )
             );
 
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/xy-line.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/xy-line.spec.js
index d558d54029..71c4f81ae3 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/xy-line.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/xy-line.spec.js
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "xyline.html",
         () => {
-            simple_tests.default(
-                utils.get_contents.bind(
-                    null,
-                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-xyline"
+            simple_tests.default((p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-xyline",
+                    p
                 )
             );
 
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/yscatter.spec.js b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/yscatter.spec.js
index 3571e06857..07ff057b7c 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/yscatter.spec.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/js/integration/yscatter.spec.js
@@ -20,11 +20,10 @@ utils.with_server({}, () => {
     describe.page(
         "yscatter.html",
         () => {
-            simple_tests.default(
-                utils.get_contents.bind(
-                    null,
-
-                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yscatter"
+            simple_tests.default((p) =>
+                utils.get_contents(
+                    "perspective-viewer perspective-viewer-d3fc-yscatter",
+                    p
                 )
             );
             // render_warning_tests.default("Y Scatter");
diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/results/results.json b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/results/results.json
index ab728ae649..d6b41826bf 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/results/results.json
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer-d3fc/test/results/results.json
@@ -148,5 +148,6 @@
     "bar-themed_filters_filters_by_a_numeric_column": "c9e4e2fc4e1a12aa7684e8608f46c653",
     "bar-themed_filters_filters_by_an_alpha_column": "d586997539b9f76b0733efad0631749d",
     "bar-themed_filters_filters_with__in__comparator": "914b15437ab74e08463987f7d0166f05",
-    "xyline_correctly_render_when_a_bar_chart_has_non_equidistant_times_on_a_datetime_axis": "f420990315751370e1237e86b4043332"
+    "xyline_correctly_render_when_a_bar_chart_has_non_equidistant_times_on_a_datetime_axis": "f420990315751370e1237e86b4043332",
+    "heatmap_by_a_numerical_column": "c978a9d898ac6dac8b32223aa97d2805"
 }
\ No newline at end of file