diff --git a/docs/source/release/v6.12.0/Workbench/InstrumentViewer/Bugfixes/38593.rst b/docs/source/release/v6.12.0/Workbench/InstrumentViewer/Bugfixes/38593.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2bfa5545425d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/source/release/v6.12.0/Workbench/InstrumentViewer/Bugfixes/38593.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Fix for instrument view axes orientation
diff --git a/qt/widgets/instrumentview/src/Projection3D.cpp b/qt/widgets/instrumentview/src/Projection3D.cpp
index aaac03691a89..09f1b588a100 100644
--- a/qt/widgets/instrumentview/src/Projection3D.cpp
+++ b/qt/widgets/instrumentview/src/Projection3D.cpp
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ void Projection3D::componentSelected(size_t componentIndex) {
   Quat rot;
   try {
     const auto compDir = normalize(pos - componentInfo.samplePosition());
-    V3D up(0, 0, 1);
+    V3D up(0, 1, 0);
     V3D x = up.cross_prod(compDir);
     up = compDir.cross_prod(x);
     InstrumentActor::BasisRotation(x, up, compDir, V3D(-1, 0, 0), V3D(0, 1, 0), V3D(0, 0, -1), rot);