diff --git a/jax/experimental/shard_map.py b/jax/experimental/shard_map.py
index 133951dc8..3d17c410d 100644
--- a/jax/experimental/shard_map.py
+++ b/jax/experimental/shard_map.py
@@ -484,17 +484,15 @@ def _as_manual_mesh(mesh, auto: frozenset):
   manual_axes = tuple(set(mesh.axis_names) - auto)
   cur_mesh = get_abstract_mesh()
   if cur_mesh.empty:
-    auto_axes = tuple(auto)
-    explicit_axes = ()
-  else:
-    explicit_axes, auto_axes = [], []  # type: ignore
-    for a in auto:
-      if cur_mesh._name_to_type[a] == AxisTypes.Auto:
-        auto_axes.append(a)
-      else:
-        assert cur_mesh._name_to_type[a] == AxisTypes.Explicit
-        explicit_axes.append(a)
-    explicit_axes, auto_axes = tuple(explicit_axes), tuple(auto_axes)  # type: ignore
+    cur_mesh = mesh
+  explicit_axes, auto_axes = [], []  # type: ignore
+  for a in auto:
+    if cur_mesh._name_to_type[a] == AxisTypes.Auto:
+      auto_axes.append(a)
+    else:
+      assert cur_mesh._name_to_type[a] == AxisTypes.Explicit
+      explicit_axes.append(a)
+  explicit_axes, auto_axes = tuple(explicit_axes), tuple(auto_axes)  # type: ignore
   return AbstractMesh(
       mesh.shape_tuple,
       axis_types={
diff --git a/tests/shard_map_test.py b/tests/shard_map_test.py
index 4499fa4b1..863ee9008 100644
--- a/tests/shard_map_test.py
+++ b/tests/shard_map_test.py
@@ -1921,6 +1921,34 @@ class ShardMapTest(jtu.JaxTestCase):
       )
     self.assertAllClose(v * v, f(v), check_dtypes=False)
 
+  def test_partial_auto_explicit_no_use_mesh(self):
+    mesh = jtu.create_mesh((2, 2), ('i', 'j'),
+                           axis_types={AxisTypes.Explicit: ('i', 'j')})
+
+    def g(x):
+      self.assertDictEqual(x.aval.sharding.mesh.axis_types,
+                           {AxisTypes.Manual: ('i',), AxisTypes.Explicit: ('j',)})
+      self.assertEqual(x.aval.sharding.spec, P(None, 'j'))
+      out = x * x
+      self.assertEqual(out.aval.sharding.spec, P(None, 'j'))
+      return out
+
+    @jax.jit
+    def f(x):
+      x = shard_map(g, mesh,
+                    in_specs=P('i', None),
+                    out_specs=P('i', None),
+                    auto=frozenset({'j'}))(x)
+      self.assertEqual(x.aval.sharding.spec, P('i', 'j'))
+      return x
+
+    v = jnp.arange(32.).reshape(4, 8)
+    v = jax.device_put(v, jax.sharding.NamedSharding(mesh, P('i', 'j')))
+
+    out = f(v)
+    self.assertEqual(out.sharding, NamedSharding(mesh, P('i', 'j')))
+    self.assertAllClose(v * v, out, check_dtypes=False)
+
   @jtu.with_user_mesh((2, 2), ('i', 'j'))
   def test_partial_auto_explicit(self, mesh):
     def g(x):