diff --git a/doc/conf.py b/doc/conf.py
index 00eca945f82d..174c8935761b 100644
--- a/doc/conf.py
+++ b/doc/conf.py
@@ -320,31 +320,49 @@ def _check_dependencies():
 # the title page.
 latex_logo = None
 
+# Use Unicode aware LaTeX engine
+latex_engine = 'xelatex'  # or 'lualatex'
+
 latex_elements = {}
+
+# Keep babel usage also with xelatex (Sphinx default is polyglossia)
+# If this key is removed or changed, latex build directory must be cleaned
+latex_elements['babel'] = r'\usepackage{babel}'
+
+# Font configuration
+# Sphinx default since 2.x is GNU FreeFont
+latex_elements['fontpkg'] = r'\setmainfont{DejaVu Serif}'
+
 # Additional stuff for the LaTeX preamble.
 latex_elements['preamble'] = r"""
    % One line per author on title page
    \DeclareRobustCommand{\and}%
      {\end{tabular}\kern-\tabcolsep\\\begin{tabular}[t]{c}}%
-   % In the parameters section, place a newline after the Parameters
-   % header.  (This is stolen directly from Numpy's conf.py, since it
-   % affects Numpy-style docstrings).
    \usepackage{expdlist}
    \let\latexdescription=\description
    \def\description{\latexdescription{}{} \breaklabel}
-
-   \usepackage{amsmath}
-   \usepackage{amsfonts}
-   \usepackage{amssymb}
-   \usepackage{txfonts}
-
-   % The enumitem package provides unlimited nesting of lists and
-   % enums.  Sphinx may use this in the future, in which case this can
-   % be removed.  See
-   % https://bitbucket.org/birkenfeld/sphinx/issue/777/latex-output-too-deeply-nested
-   \usepackage{enumitem}
-   \setlistdepth{2048}
+   % But expdlist old LaTeX package requires fixes:
+   % 1) remove extra space
+   \usepackage{etoolbox}
+   \makeatletter
+   \patchcmd\@item{{\@breaklabel} }{{\@breaklabel}}{}{}
+   \makeatother
+   % 2) fix bug in expdlist's way of breaking the line after long item label
+   \makeatletter
+   \def\breaklabel{%
+       \def\@breaklabel{%
+           \leavevmode\par
+           % now a hack because Sphinx inserts \leavevmode after term node
+           \def\leavevmode{\def\leavevmode{\unhbox\voidb@x}}%
+      }%
+   }
+   \makeatother
 """
+# Sphinx 1.5 provides this to avoid "too deeply nested" LaTeX error
+# and usage of "enumitem" LaTeX package is unneeded.
+# Value can be increased but do not set it to something such as 2048
+# which needlessly would trigger creation of thousands of TeX macros
+latex_elements['maxlistdepth'] = '10'
 latex_elements['pointsize'] = '11pt'
 
 # Documents to append as an appendix to all manuals.
@@ -371,13 +389,6 @@ def _check_dependencies():
 
 numpydoc_show_class_members = False
 
-latex_engine = 'xelatex'  # or 'lualatex'
-
-latex_elements = {
-    'babel': r'\usepackage{babel}',
-    'fontpkg': r'\setmainfont{DejaVu Serif}',
-}
-
 html4_writer = True
 
 inheritance_node_attrs = dict(fontsize=16)
diff --git a/tutorials/text/mathtext.py b/tutorials/text/mathtext.py
index 709f1df4956b..655ceec6bbf1 100644
--- a/tutorials/text/mathtext.py
+++ b/tutorials/text/mathtext.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
 
 .. math::
 
-    \frac{3}{4} \binom{3}{4} \genfrac{}{}{0}{}{3}{4}
+    \frac{3}{4} \binom{3}{4} \genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{3}{4}
 
 Fractions can be arbitrarily nested::