diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/colorizer.py b/lib/matplotlib/colorizer.py
index 92a6e4ea4c4f..a94790979078 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/colorizer.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/colorizer.py
@@ -275,9 +275,9 @@ def set_clim(self, vmin=None, vmax=None):
         # until both vmin and vmax are updated
         with self.norm.callbacks.blocked(signal='changed'):
             if vmin is not None:
-                self.norm.vmin = colors._sanitize_extrema(vmin)
+                self.norm.vmin = vmin
             if vmax is not None:
-                self.norm.vmax = colors._sanitize_extrema(vmax)
+                self.norm.vmax = vmax
 
         # emit a update signal if the limits are changed
         if orig_vmin_vmax != (self.norm.vmin, self.norm.vmax):