diff --git a/chaco/color_bar.py b/chaco/color_bar.py
index dd120b9b8..8aaff3094 100644
--- a/chaco/color_bar.py
+++ b/chaco/color_bar.py
@@ -140,7 +140,11 @@ def _draw_plot(self, gc, view_bounds=None, mode='normal'):
 
             mapper = self.index_mapper
 
-            scrn_points = arange(mapper.low_pos, mapper.high_pos+1)
+            low = mapper.low_pos
+            high = mapper.high_pos
+            if self.direction == 'flipped':
+                low, high = high, low
+            scrn_points = arange(low, high + 1)
 
             # Get the data values associated with the list of screen points.
             if mapper.range.low == mapper.range.high:
@@ -150,9 +154,6 @@ def _draw_plot(self, gc, view_bounds=None, mode='normal'):
             else:
                 data_points = mapper.map_data(scrn_points)
 
-            if self.direction == 'flipped':
-                data_points = data_points[::-1]
-
             # Get the colors associated with the data points.
             colors = self.color_mapper.map_screen(data_points)