diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
index 01c94be87190..c60c911196ff 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -2034,7 +2034,8 @@ def make_iterable(x):
         if len(bottom) != nbars:
             raise ValueError("incompatible sizes: argument 'bottom' "
                              "must be length %d or scalar" % nbars)
-        if len(tick_label) != nbars:
+        # only check the number of tick labels if tick labels were specified
+        if label_ticks_flag and len(tick_label) != nbars:
             raise ValueError("incompatible sizes: argument 'tick_label' "
                              "must be length %d or string" % nbars)