diff --git a/specutils/wcs/adapters/fitswcs_adapter.py b/specutils/wcs/adapters/fitswcs_adapter.py
index 300e4044a..af4ce5b5d 100644
--- a/specutils/wcs/adapters/fitswcs_adapter.py
+++ b/specutils/wcs/adapters/fitswcs_adapter.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+import warnings
 import astropy.units as u
 from astropy.wcs import (WCS, WCSSUB_CELESTIAL, WCSSUB_CUBEFACE,
                          WCSSUB_LATITUDE, WCSSUB_LONGITUDE, WCSSUB_SPECTRAL,
                          WCSSUB_STOKES, InvalidSubimageSpecificationError)
 
+from astropy.utils.exceptions import AstropyUserWarning
 # Use this once in specutils
 from ...utils.wcs_utils import (convert_spectral_axis,
                                 determine_ctype_from_vconv)
@@ -18,6 +20,8 @@ class FITSWCSAdapter(WCSAdapter):
     wrapped_class = WCS
     axes = None
 
+    substitute_spec_axis_names = ['LINEAR', 'Wavelength']
+
     def __init__(self, wcs):
         super(FITSWCSAdapter, self).__init__(wcs)
         self._spec_axis = None
@@ -71,17 +75,18 @@ def spec_axis(self):
         """
         self._spec_axis = self.wcs.wcs.spec
 
-        if self._spec_axis < 0:
-            try:
-                idx = list(self.wcs.wcs.ctype).index('LINEAR')
-            except ValueError:
+        if (self._spec_axis < 0) and (self._wcs.wcs.spec) < 0:
+            ctypelist = list(self.wcs.wcs.ctype)
+            for n in self.substitute_spec_axis_names:
+               if n in ctypelist:
+                   self._spec_axis = ctypelist.index(n)
+                   warnings.warn("WCS has no standard complient spectral axis, 'ctypes' might not be correct. I'm guessing that axis {} labelled '{}' might be spectral and proceed with that.".format(self._spec_axis, n), AstropyUserWarning)
+                   break
+            else:
                 raise InvalidSubimageSpecificationError(
                     "Cannot find a spectral axis in the provided WCS."
                     "Are your 'ctype's correct?")
 
-            if self._wcs.wcs.spec < 0:
-                self._spec_axis = idx
-
         return self._spec_axis
 
     @property