diff --git a/src/metpy/xarray.py b/src/metpy/xarray.py
index 41e9dc01a0b..ac0f3a63d7b 100644
--- a/src/metpy/xarray.py
+++ b/src/metpy/xarray.py
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ def __init__(self, data_array):  # noqa: D107
     @property
     def units(self):
         """Return the units of this DataArray as a `pint.Unit`."""
-        if isinstance(self._data_array.data, units.Quantity):
-            return self._data_array.data.units
+        if isinstance(self._data_array.variable._data, units.Quantity):
+            return self._data_array.variable._data.units
         else:
             return units.parse_units(self._data_array.attrs.get('units', 'dimensionless'))
 
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ def parse_cf(self, varname=None, coordinates=None):
             else:
                 crs = CFProjection(proj_var.attrs)
 
-        if crs is None and not check_axis(var, 'latitude', 'longitude'):
+        if crs is None:
             # This isn't a lat or lon coordinate itself, so determine if we need to fall back
             # to creating a latitude_longitude CRS. We do so if there exists valid *at most
             # 1D* coordinates for latitude and longitude (usually dimension coordinates, but
diff --git a/tests/test_xarray.py b/tests/test_xarray.py
index b51982b6086..9dd4ed8b3be 100644
--- a/tests/test_xarray.py
+++ b/tests/test_xarray.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 """Test the operation of MetPy's XArray accessors."""
 from collections import OrderedDict
+from unittest.mock import patch, PropertyMock
 
 import numpy as np
 import pyproj
@@ -115,6 +116,13 @@ def test_units(test_var):
     assert test_var.metpy.units == units.kelvin
 
 
+def test_units_data(test_var):
+    """Test units property fetching does not touch variable.data."""
+    with patch.object(xr.Variable, 'data', new_callable=PropertyMock) as mock_data_property:
+        test_var.metpy.units
+        mock_data_property.assert_not_called()
+
+
 def test_units_percent():
     """Test that '%' is handled as 'percent'."""
     test_var_percent = xr.open_dataset(