diff --git a/spectral_cube/spectral_cube.py b/spectral_cube/spectral_cube.py
index a610adce..704d4845 100644
--- a/spectral_cube/spectral_cube.py
+++ b/spectral_cube/spectral_cube.py
@@ -1058,7 +1058,7 @@ def apply_function(self, function, axis=None, weights=None, unit=None,
 
         # allocate memory for output array
         # check dtype first (for argmax/argmin)
-        result = function(np.arange(3, dtype=self._data.dtype, **kwargs))
+        result = function(np.arange(3, dtype=self._data.dtype), **kwargs)
         if 'int' in str(result.dtype):
             out = np.zeros([nz, nx, ny], dtype=dtype)
         else: