diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axis.py b/lib/matplotlib/axis.py
index e7f6724c4372..88e2324817b5 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axis.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axis.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import matplotlib.ticker as mticker
 import matplotlib.transforms as mtransforms
 import matplotlib.units as munits
+from matplotlib.ticker import NullLocator
 
 _log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -568,11 +569,15 @@ def __get__(self, instance, owner):
             # list, then create the tick and append it.
             if self._major:
                 instance.majorTicks = []
+                if isinstance(instance.major.locator, NullLocator):
+                    return instance.majorTicks
                 tick = instance._get_tick(major=True)
                 instance.majorTicks.append(tick)
                 return instance.majorTicks
             else:
                 instance.minorTicks = []
+                if isinstance(instance.minor.locator, NullLocator):
+                    return instance.minorTicks
                 tick = instance._get_tick(major=False)
                 instance.minorTicks.append(tick)
                 return instance.minorTicks
@@ -2208,6 +2213,8 @@ def _get_ticks_position(self):
         - "default" if only tick1line, tick2line and label1 are visible;
         - "unknown" otherwise.
         """
+        if not len(self.majorTicks) or not len(self.minorTicks):
+            return "unknown"
         major = self.majorTicks[0]
         minor = self.minorTicks[0]
         if all(tick.tick1line.get_visible()
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/projections/polar.py b/lib/matplotlib/projections/polar.py
index f6fa0ea7b982..ae56d1bc99c3 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/projections/polar.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/projections/polar.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import matplotlib.ticker as mticker
 import matplotlib.transforms as mtransforms
 from matplotlib.spines import Spine
+from matplotlib.ticker import AutoLocator
 
 
 class PolarTransform(mtransforms.Transform):
@@ -428,8 +429,10 @@ def _set_scale(self, value, **kwargs):
                 "The xscale cannot be set on a polar plot")
         super()._set_scale(value, **kwargs)
         # LinearScale.set_default_locators_and_formatters just set the major
-        # locator to be an AutoLocator, so we customize it here to have ticks
+        # locator to be an AutoLocator(maybe), so we customize it here to have ticks
         # at sensible degree multiples.
+        if not isinstance(self.get_major_locator(), AutoLocator):
+            self.set_major_locator(AutoLocator())
         self.get_major_locator().set_params(steps=[1, 1.5, 3, 4.5, 9, 10])
         self._wrap_locator_formatter()
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/scale.py b/lib/matplotlib/scale.py
index d86de461efc8..36df9da194b6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/scale.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/scale.py
@@ -102,7 +102,11 @@ def __init__(self, axis):
 
     def set_default_locators_and_formatters(self, axis):
         # docstring inherited
-        axis.set_major_locator(AutoLocator())
+        if (axis.axis_name == 'x' and (mpl.rcParams['xtick.top'] or mpl.rcParams['xtick.bottom']) or
+                axis.axis_name == 'y' and (mpl.rcParams['ytick.left'] or mpl.rcParams['ytick.right'])):
+            axis.set_major_locator(AutoLocator())
+        else:
+            axis.set_major_locator(NullLocator())
         axis.set_major_formatter(ScalarFormatter())
         axis.set_minor_formatter(NullFormatter())
         # update the minor locator for x and y axis based on rcParams