diff --git a/R/plot.means_by_group.R b/R/plot.means_by_group.R
index d7f38c445..7983f05bb 100644
--- a/R/plot.means_by_group.R
+++ b/R/plot.means_by_group.R
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ plot.see_dw_groupmeans <- function(
   caption_text <- if (isTRUE(caption)) .build_caption(x) else ""
 
   trimmed <- x[x$Category != "Total", ]
+  trimmed$Category <- factor(trimmed$Category, levels = trimmed$Category)
 
   p <- ggplot2::ggplot(
     trimmed,
@@ -98,7 +99,8 @@ plot.see_dw_groupmeans_list <- function(
   })
 
   x_long <- do.call(rbind, x)
-  trimmed <- trimmed <- x_long[x_long$Category != "Total", ]
+  trimmed <- x_long[x_long$Category != "Total", ]
+  trimmed$Category <- as.factor(trimmed$Category)
 
   p <- ggplot2::ggplot(
     trimmed,