diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/barchart/utils.ts b/public/app/plugins/panel/barchart/utils.ts
index 973bac8ac38ac..64db72fc03635 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/barchart/utils.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/barchart/utils.ts
@@ -253,10 +253,16 @@ export function prepareGraphableFrames(
     };
   }
 
+  let seriesIndex = 0;
+
   for (let frame of series) {
     const fields: Field[] = [];
     for (const field of frame.fields) {
       if (field.type === FieldType.number) {
+        field.state = field.state ?? {};
+
+        field.state.seriesIndex = seriesIndex++;
+
         let copy = {
           ...field,
           config: {