diff --git a/src/components/errorbars/index.js b/src/components/errorbars/index.js
index 4f68e91d37b..4986e60c6b1 100644
--- a/src/components/errorbars/index.js
+++ b/src/components/errorbars/index.js
@@ -9,14 +9,6 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var d3 = require('d3');
-var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
-
-var Lib = require('../../lib');
-var Color = require('../color');
-var subTypes = require('../../traces/scatter/subtypes');
-
-
 var errorBars = module.exports = {};
 
 errorBars.attributes = require('./attributes');
@@ -49,123 +41,9 @@ errorBars.calcFromTrace = function(trace, layout) {
     return calcdataMock;
 };
 
-// the main drawing function for errorbars
-errorBars.plot = function(gd, plotinfo, cd) {
-    //  ___   <-- "errorhats"
-    //   |
-    //   |    <-- "errorbars"
-    //   |
-    //  ___   <-- "errorshoes"
-
-    var xa = plotinfo.x(),
-        ya = plotinfo.y();
-
-    // first remove all existing errorbars
-    // TODO: use enter/exit instead
-    plotinfo.plot.select('.errorlayer').selectAll('g.errorbars').remove();
-    var coords;
-
-    // draw the errorbars
-    plotinfo.plot.select('.errorlayer').selectAll('g.errorbars')
-        .data(cd)
-      .enter().append('g')
-        .attr('class','errorbars')
-        .each(function(d) {
-            var trace = d[0].trace,
-                xObj = trace.error_x,
-                yObj = trace.error_y,
-                sparse = subTypes.hasMarkers(trace) &&
-                    trace.marker.maxdisplayed>0;
-
-            if(!yObj.visible && !xObj.visible) return;
-
-            d3.select(this).selectAll('g')
-                .data(Lib.identity)
-              .enter().append('g')
-                .each(function(d) {
-                    coords = errorcoords(d, xa, ya);
-                    var eb = d3.select(this),
-                        path;
-                    if(sparse && !d.vis) return;
-
-                    if(yObj.visible && isNumeric(coords.x) &&
-                            isNumeric(coords.yh) &&
-                            isNumeric(coords.ys)) {
-                        var yw = yObj.width;
-                        path = 'M'+(coords.x-yw)+','+coords.yh+'h'+(2*yw) + // hat
-                            'm-'+yw+',0V'+coords.ys; // bar
-                        if(!coords.noYS) path += 'm-'+yw+',0h'+(2*yw); // shoe
-
-                        eb.append('path')
-                            .classed('yerror', true)
-                            .attr('d', path);
-                    }
-                    if(xObj.visible && isNumeric(coords.y) &&
-                            isNumeric(coords.xh) &&
-                            isNumeric(coords.xs)) {
-                        var xw = (xObj.copy_ystyle ? yObj : xObj).width;
-                        path = 'M'+coords.xh+','+(coords.y-xw)+'v'+(2*xw) + // hat
-                            'm0,-'+xw+'H'+coords.xs; // bar
-                        if(!coords.noXS) path += 'm0,-'+xw+'v'+(2*xw); // shoe
-
-                        eb.append('path')
-                            .classed('xerror', true)
-                            .attr('d', path);
-                    }
-                });
-        });
-};
-
-errorBars.style = function(gd) {
-    d3.select(gd).selectAll('g.errorbars').each(function(d) {
-        var eb = d3.select(this),
-            trace = d[0].trace,
-            yObj = trace.error_y||{},
-            xObj = trace.error_x||{};
-
-        eb.selectAll('g path.yerror')
-            .style('stroke-width', yObj.thickness+'px')
-            .call(Color.stroke, yObj.color);
-
-        if(xObj.copy_ystyle) xObj = yObj;
-
-        eb.selectAll('g path.xerror')
-            .style('stroke-width', xObj.thickness+'px')
-            .call(Color.stroke, xObj.color);
-    });
-};
-
-function errorcoords(d, xa, ya) {
-    // compute the coordinates of the error-bar objects
-    var out = {
-        x: xa.c2p(d.x),
-        y: ya.c2p(d.y)
-    };
-
-    // calculate the error bar size and hat and shoe locations
-    if(d.yh!==undefined) {
-        out.yh = ya.c2p(d.yh);
-        out.ys = ya.c2p(d.ys);
-
-        // if the shoes go off-scale (ie log scale, error bars past zero)
-        // clip the bar and hide the shoes
-        if(!isNumeric(out.ys)) {
-            out.noYS = true;
-            out.ys = ya.c2p(d.ys, true);
-        }
-    }
-    if(d.xh!==undefined) {
-        out.xh = xa.c2p(d.xh);
-        out.xs = xa.c2p(d.xs);
-
-        if(!isNumeric(out.xs)) {
-            out.noXS = true;
-            out.xs = xa.c2p(d.xs, true);
-        }
-    }
+errorBars.plot = require('./plot');
 
-    return out;
-}
+errorBars.style = require('./style');
 
 errorBars.hoverInfo = function(calcPoint, trace, hoverPoint) {
     if(trace.error_y.visible) {
diff --git a/src/components/errorbars/plot.js b/src/components/errorbars/plot.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0df1b4060b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/errorbars/plot.js
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+
+'use strict';
+
+var d3 = require('d3');
+var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
+
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var subTypes = require('../../traces/scatter/subtypes');
+
+
+module.exports = function plot(traces, plotinfo) {
+    var xa = plotinfo.x(),
+        ya = plotinfo.y();
+
+    traces.each(function(d) {
+        var trace = d[0].trace,
+            xObj = trace.error_x,
+            yObj = trace.error_y;
+
+        var sparse = (
+            subTypes.hasMarkers(trace) &&
+            trace.marker.maxdisplayed > 0
+        );
+
+        if(!yObj.visible && !xObj.visible) return;
+
+        var errorbars = d3.select(this).selectAll('g.errorbar')
+            .data(Lib.identity);
+
+        errorbars.enter().append('g')
+            .classed('errorbar', true);
+
+        errorbars.each(function(d) {
+            var errorbar = d3.select(this);
+            var coords = errorCoords(d, xa, ya);
+
+            if(sparse && !d.vis) return;
+
+            var path;
+
+            if(yObj.visible && isNumeric(coords.x) &&
+                    isNumeric(coords.yh) &&
+                    isNumeric(coords.ys)) {
+                var yw = yObj.width;
+
+                path = 'M' + (coords.x - yw) + ',' +
+                    coords.yh + 'h' + (2 * yw) + // hat
+                    'm-' + yw + ',0V' + coords.ys; // bar
+
+                if(!coords.noYS) path += 'm-' + yw +',0h' + (2 * yw); // shoe
+
+                errorbar.append('path')
+                    .classed('yerror', true)
+                    .attr('d', path);
+            }
+
+            if(xObj.visible && isNumeric(coords.y) &&
+                    isNumeric(coords.xh) &&
+                    isNumeric(coords.xs)) {
+                var xw = (xObj.copy_ystyle ? yObj : xObj).width;
+
+                path = 'M' + coords.xh + ',' +
+                    (coords.y - xw) + 'v' + (2 * xw) + // hat
+                    'm0,-' + xw + 'H' + coords.xs; // bar
+
+                if(!coords.noXS) path += 'm0,-' + xw + 'v' + (2 * xw); // shoe
+
+                errorbar.append('path')
+                    .classed('xerror', true)
+                    .attr('d', path);
+            }
+        });
+    });
+};
+
+// compute the coordinates of the error-bar objects
+function errorCoords(d, xa, ya) {
+    var out = {
+        x: xa.c2p(d.x),
+        y: ya.c2p(d.y)
+    };
+
+    // calculate the error bar size and hat and shoe locations
+    if(d.yh !== undefined) {
+        out.yh = ya.c2p(d.yh);
+        out.ys = ya.c2p(d.ys);
+
+        // if the shoes go off-scale (ie log scale, error bars past zero)
+        // clip the bar and hide the shoes
+        if(!isNumeric(out.ys)) {
+            out.noYS = true;
+            out.ys = ya.c2p(d.ys, true);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if(d.xh !== undefined) {
+        out.xh = xa.c2p(d.xh);
+        out.xs = xa.c2p(d.xs);
+
+        if(!isNumeric(out.xs)) {
+            out.noXS = true;
+            out.xs = xa.c2p(d.xs, true);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return out;
+}
diff --git a/src/components/errorbars/style.js b/src/components/errorbars/style.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6b87f1dd127
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/errorbars/style.js
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+
+'use strict';
+
+var d3 = require('d3');
+
+var Color = require('../color');
+
+
+module.exports = function style(traces) {
+    traces.each(function(d) {
+        var trace = d[0].trace,
+            yObj = trace.error_y || {},
+            xObj = trace.error_x || {};
+
+        var s = d3.select(this);
+
+        s.selectAll('path.yerror')
+            .style('stroke-width', yObj.thickness + 'px')
+            .call(Color.stroke, yObj.color);
+
+        if(xObj.copy_ystyle) xObj = yObj;
+
+        s.selectAll('path.xerror')
+            .style('stroke-width', xObj.thickness + 'px')
+            .call(Color.stroke, xObj.color);
+    });
+};
diff --git a/src/plot_api/plot_api.js b/src/plot_api/plot_api.js
index eeea7c0c1f5..026356a1f04 100644
--- a/src/plot_api/plot_api.js
+++ b/src/plot_api/plot_api.js
@@ -2672,7 +2672,6 @@ function makeCartesianPlotFramwork(gd, subplots) {
         svg.append('g').classed('imagelayer', true);
         svg.append('g').classed('maplayer', true);
         svg.append('g').classed('barlayer', true);
-        svg.append('g').classed('errorlayer', true);
         svg.append('g').classed('boxlayer', true);
         svg.append('g').classed('scatterlayer', true);
     }
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/index.js b/src/plots/cartesian/index.js
index ff15bfc4217..a43a40b906b 100644
--- a/src/plots/cartesian/index.js
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/index.js
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
 var Plots = require('../plots');
-var ErrorBars = require('../../components/errorbars');
-
 
 exports.name = 'cartesian';
 
@@ -71,8 +69,7 @@ exports.plot = function(gd) {
     for(var i = 0; i < subplots.length; i++) {
         var subplot = subplots[i],
             subplotInfo = fullLayout._plots[subplot],
-            cdSubplot = getCdSubplot(calcdata, subplot),
-            cdError = [];
+            cdSubplot = getCdSubplot(calcdata, subplot);
 
         // remove old traces, then redraw everything
         // TODO: use enter/exit appropriately in the plot functions
@@ -91,17 +88,9 @@ exports.plot = function(gd) {
             // plot all traces of this type on this subplot at once
             var cdModule = getCdModule(cdSubplot, _module);
             _module.plot(gd, subplotInfo, cdModule);
-            Lib.markTime('done ' + (cdModule[0] && cdModule[0][0].trace.type));
 
-            // collect the traces that may have error bars
-            if(cdModule[0] && cdModule[0][0].trace && Plots.traceIs(cdModule[0][0].trace, 'errorBarsOK')) {
-                cdError = cdError.concat(cdModule);
-            }
+            Lib.markTime('done ' + (cdModule[0] && cdModule[0][0].trace.type));
         }
-
-        // finally do all error bars at once
-        ErrorBars.plot(gd, subplotInfo, cdError);
-        Lib.markTime('done ErrorBars');
     }
 
     // now draw stuff not on subplots (ie, only pies at the moment)
diff --git a/src/plots/plots.js b/src/plots/plots.js
index 990b715edc6..1cd9555a01f 100644
--- a/src/plots/plots.js
+++ b/src/plots/plots.js
@@ -805,10 +805,11 @@ plots.purge = function(gd) {
 };
 
 plots.style = function(gd) {
-    var modulesWithErrorBars = gd._modules.concat(Plotly.ErrorBars);
+    var _modules = gd._modules;
+
+    for(var i = 0; i < _modules.length; i++) {
+        var _module = _modules[i];
 
-    for(var i = 0; i < modulesWithErrorBars.length; i++) {
-        var _module = modulesWithErrorBars[i];
         if(_module.style) _module.style(gd);
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/traces/bar/plot.js b/src/traces/bar/plot.js
index 316e813965b..9a6e161791a 100644
--- a/src/traces/bar/plot.js
+++ b/src/traces/bar/plot.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
 var Color = require('../../components/color');
+var ErrorBars = require('../../components/errorbars');
 
 var arraysToCalcdata = require('./arrays_to_calcdata');
 
@@ -102,4 +103,8 @@ module.exports = function plot(gd, plotinfo, cdbar) {
                         'M'+x0+','+y0+'V'+y1+'H'+x1+'V'+y0+'Z');
                 });
         });
+
+    // error bars are on the top
+    bartraces.call(ErrorBars.plot, plotinfo);
+
 };
diff --git a/src/traces/bar/style.js b/src/traces/bar/style.js
index 7b6ebd43f50..c53f68f5b8d 100644
--- a/src/traces/bar/style.js
+++ b/src/traces/bar/style.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ var d3 = require('d3');
 
 var Color = require('../../components/color');
 var Drawing = require('../../components/drawing');
+var ErrorBars = require('../../components/errorbars');
 
 
 module.exports = function style(gd) {
@@ -71,4 +72,6 @@ module.exports = function style(gd) {
         // d3.select(this).selectAll('text')
         //     .call(Plotly.Drawing.textPointStyle,d.t||d[0].t);
     });
+
+    s.call(ErrorBars.style);
 };
diff --git a/src/traces/scatter/plot.js b/src/traces/scatter/plot.js
index 8be8f3274be..20f59d43516 100644
--- a/src/traces/scatter/plot.js
+++ b/src/traces/scatter/plot.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ var d3 = require('d3');
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
 var Drawing = require('../../components/drawing');
+var ErrorBars = require('../../components/errorbars');
 
 var subTypes = require('./subtypes');
 var arraysToCalcdata = require('./arrays_to_calcdata');
@@ -30,10 +31,14 @@ module.exports = function plot(gd, plotinfo, cdscatter) {
     var scattertraces = plotinfo.plot.select('.scatterlayer')
         .selectAll('g.trace.scatter')
         .data(cdscatter);
+
     scattertraces.enter().append('g')
         .attr('class', 'trace scatter')
         .style('stroke-miterlimit', 2);
 
+    // error bars are at the bottom
+    scattertraces.call(ErrorBars.plot, plotinfo);
+
     // BUILD LINES AND FILLS
     var prevpath = '',
         tozero, tonext, nexttonext;
diff --git a/src/traces/scatter/style.js b/src/traces/scatter/style.js
index a6d434ff2af..ace5d004aa0 100644
--- a/src/traces/scatter/style.js
+++ b/src/traces/scatter/style.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 var d3 = require('d3');
 
 var Drawing = require('../../components/drawing');
+var ErrorBars = require('../../components/errorbars');
 
 
 module.exports = function style(gd) {
@@ -34,4 +35,6 @@ module.exports = function style(gd) {
 
     s.selectAll('g.trace path.js-fill')
         .call(Drawing.fillGroupStyle);
+
+    s.call(ErrorBars.style);
 };
diff --git a/test/image/baselines/error_bar_layers.png b/test/image/baselines/error_bar_layers.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d1b65edd0c4
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/image/baselines/error_bar_layers.png differ
diff --git a/test/image/baselines/error_bar_style.png b/test/image/baselines/error_bar_style.png
index 28f5d931c2f..b08842c0d5c 100644
Binary files a/test/image/baselines/error_bar_style.png and b/test/image/baselines/error_bar_style.png differ
diff --git a/test/image/mocks/error_bar_layers.json b/test/image/mocks/error_bar_layers.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..99a686f0d21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/image/mocks/error_bar_layers.json
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+{
+    "data": [
+        {
+            "x": [
+                1,
+                1,
+                2,
+                2,
+                1
+            ],
+            "y": [
+                1,
+                2,
+                2,
+                1,
+                1
+            ],
+            "mode": "lines",
+            "fill": "tozerox",
+            "fillcolor": "black",
+            "uid": "116a4f"
+        },
+        {
+            "x": [
+                1.5,
+                2.5
+            ],
+            "y": [
+                1.5,
+                2.5
+            ],
+            "error_y": {
+                "array": [
+                    1,
+                    2
+                ],
+                "color": "green",
+                "thickness": 3
+            },
+            "marker": {
+                "size": 20,
+                "color": "red"
+            },
+            "uid": "0f7846"
+        }
+    ],
+    "layout": {
+        "xaxis": {
+            "type": "linear",
+            "range": [
+                1,
+                2.608493696084937
+            ],
+            "autorange": true
+        },
+        "yaxis": {
+            "type": "linear",
+            "range": [
+                0.2777777777777778,
+                4.722222222222222
+            ],
+            "autorange": true
+        },
+        "height": 450,
+        "width": 1000,
+        "autosize": true
+    }
+}