diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index 3b97ca45328d..0bc2ebf1afeb 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ def __init__(self,
                  facecolor=None,  # defaults to rc figure.facecolor
                  edgecolor=None,  # defaults to rc figure.edgecolor
                  linewidth=0.0,  # the default linewidth of the frame
-                 frameon=True,  # whether or not to draw the figure frame
+                 frameon=None,  # whether or not to draw the figure frame
                  subplotpars=None,  # default to rc
                  tight_layout=None,  # default to rc figure.autolayout
                  ):
@@ -302,6 +302,8 @@ def __init__(self,
             facecolor = rcParams['figure.facecolor']
         if edgecolor is None:
             edgecolor = rcParams['figure.edgecolor']
+        if frameon is None:
+            frameon = rcParams['figure.frameon']
 
         self.dpi_scale_trans = Affine2D()
         self.dpi = dpi
@@ -1306,7 +1308,8 @@ def savefig(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
           savefig(fname, dpi=None, facecolor='w', edgecolor='w',
                   orientation='portrait', papertype=None, format=None,
-                  transparent=False, bbox_inches=None, pad_inches=0.1)
+                  transparent=False, bbox_inches=None, pad_inches=0.1,
+                  frameon=None)
 
         The output formats available depend on the backend being used.
 
@@ -1355,6 +1358,11 @@ def savefig(self, *args, **kwargs):
             transparency of these patches will be restored to their
             original values upon exit of this function.
 
+          *frameon*:
+            If *True*, the figure patch will be colored, if *False*, the
+            figure background will be transparent.  If not provided, the
+            rcParam 'savefig.frameon' will be used.
+
           *bbox_inches*:
             Bbox in inches. Only the given portion of the figure is
             saved. If 'tight', try to figure out the tight bbox of
@@ -1371,8 +1379,9 @@ def savefig(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """
 
         kwargs.setdefault('dpi', rcParams['savefig.dpi'])
-
+        frameon = kwargs.pop('frameon', rcParams['savefig.frameon'])
         transparent = kwargs.pop('transparent', False)
+
         if transparent:
             kwargs.setdefault('facecolor', 'none')
             kwargs.setdefault('edgecolor', 'none')
@@ -1387,8 +1396,15 @@ def savefig(self, *args, **kwargs):
             kwargs.setdefault('facecolor', rcParams['savefig.facecolor'])
             kwargs.setdefault('edgecolor', rcParams['savefig.edgecolor'])
 
+        if frameon:
+            original_frameon = self.get_frameon()
+            self.set_frameon(frameon)
+
         self.canvas.print_figure(*args, **kwargs)
 
+        if frameon:
+            self.set_frameon(original_frameon)
+
         if transparent:
             for ax, cc in zip(self.axes, original_axes_colors):
                 ax.patch.set_facecolor(cc[0])
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index b19c050b7381..721f10bcf5d9 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -658,6 +658,7 @@ def __call__(self, s):
     'figure.dpi':        [80, validate_float],   # DPI
     'figure.facecolor':  ['0.75', validate_color],  # facecolor; scalar gray
     'figure.edgecolor':  ['w', validate_color],  # edgecolor; white
+    'figure.frameon':    [True, validate_bool],
     'figure.autolayout': [False, validate_bool],
 
     'figure.subplot.left': [0.125, ValidateInterval(0, 1, closedmin=True,
@@ -677,6 +678,7 @@ def __call__(self, s):
     'savefig.dpi':         [100, validate_float],   # DPI
     'savefig.facecolor':   ['w', validate_color],  # facecolor; white
     'savefig.edgecolor':   ['w', validate_color],  # edgecolor; white
+    'savefig.frameon':     [True, validate_bool],
     'savefig.orientation': ['portrait', validate_orientation],  # edgecolor;
                                                                  #white
     # what to add to extensionless filenames