diff --git a/src/components/shapes/draw_newshape/newshapes.js b/src/components/shapes/draw_newshape/newshapes.js
index 831a270e9ab..7145838c04d 100644
--- a/src/components/shapes/draw_newshape/newshapes.js
+++ b/src/components/shapes/draw_newshape/newshapes.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
+var axis_ids = require('../../../plots/cartesian/axis_ids');
+
 var dragHelpers = require('../../dragelement/helpers');
 var drawMode = dragHelpers.drawMode;
 var openMode = dragHelpers.openMode;
@@ -84,10 +86,23 @@ function newShapes(outlines, dragOptions) {
                 case 'line':
                 case 'rect':
                 case 'circle':
-                    modifyItem('x0', afterEdit.x0 - (beforeEdit.x0shift || 0));
-                    modifyItem('x1', afterEdit.x1 - (beforeEdit.x1shift || 0));
-                    modifyItem('y0', afterEdit.y0 - (beforeEdit.y0shift || 0));
-                    modifyItem('y1', afterEdit.y1 - (beforeEdit.y1shift || 0));
+                    
+                    var xaxis = axis_ids.getFromId(gd, beforeEdit.xref);
+                    if (beforeEdit.xref.charAt(0) === 'x' && xaxis.type.includes('category')) {
+                        modifyItem('x0', afterEdit.x0 - (beforeEdit.x0shift || 0));
+                        modifyItem('x1', afterEdit.x1 - (beforeEdit.x1shift || 0));
+                    } else {
+                        modifyItem('x0', afterEdit.x0);
+                        modifyItem('x1', afterEdit.x1);
+                    }
+                    var yaxis = axis_ids.getFromId(gd, beforeEdit.yref);
+                    if (beforeEdit.yref.charAt(0) === 'y' && yaxis.type.includes('category')) {
+                        modifyItem('y0', afterEdit.y0 - (beforeEdit.y0shift || 0));
+                        modifyItem('y1', afterEdit.y1 - (beforeEdit.y1shift || 0));
+                    } else {
+                        modifyItem('y0', afterEdit.y0);
+                        modifyItem('y1', afterEdit.y1);
+                    }
                     break;
 
                 case 'path':
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/draw_newshape_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/draw_newshape_test.js
index 657df5b2c0f..55e6a7554cb 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/draw_newshape_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/draw_newshape_test.js
@@ -1426,6 +1426,43 @@ describe('Activate and edit editable shapes', function() {
 
             .then(done, done.fail);
         });
+
+        it('should be possible to drag shapes referencing non-categorical axes', function(done) {
+            Plotly.newPlot(gd, {
+            data: [
+                {
+                x: ["2015-02-01", "2015-02-02", "2015-02-03"],
+                y: [14, 17, 8],
+                mode: "line",
+                },
+            ],
+            layout: {
+                xaxis: { title: { text: "Date" }, type: "date" },
+                dragmode: "drawline",
+                shapes: [
+                {
+                    type: "rect",
+                    xref: "x",
+                    yref: "paper",
+                    x0: "2015-02-02",
+                    y0: 0,
+                    x1: "2015-02-08",
+                    y1: 1,
+                    opacity: 0.2,
+                    editable: true,
+                },
+                ],
+            },
+            })
+            .then(function() { drag([[257.64, 370], [250, 300]]); }) // move lower left corner up and left
+            .then(function () {
+                var shapes = gd._fullLayout.shapes;
+                var obj = shapes[0]._input;
+                print(obj);
+                assertPos(obj.path, 'M250,300H1019V100H257.64Z');
+            })
+            .then(done, done.fail);
+        });
     });
 });