diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
index 3862828da8fb..61efde46ca93 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -483,6 +483,8 @@ def __init__(self, fig, rect,
             self._position = rect
         else:
             self._position = mtransforms.Bbox.from_bounds(*rect)
+        if self._position.width < 0 or self._position.height < 0:
+            raise ValueError('Width and height specified must be non-negative')
         self._originalPosition = self._position.frozen()
         # self.set_axes(self)
         self.axes = self