diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index be3b6b77820b..2066611a045c 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ python:
   - 3.3
 
 install:
-  - pip -q install --use-mirrors nose python-dateutil numpy
+  - pip install -q --use-mirrors nose python-dateutil numpy pep8
   # This is a workaround to install the latest versions of pyparsing,
   # which are not yet available on PyPI
   - 'if [ ${TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION:0:1} == "3" ]; then pip -q install http://sourceforge.net/projects/pyparsing/files/pyparsing/pyparsing-2.0.0/pyparsing-2.0.0.tar.gz; fi'
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
index c8d0eb1543c2..651ae1f1755f 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
@@ -1177,6 +1177,7 @@ def tk_window_focus():
     'matplotlib.tests.test_basic',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_bbox_tight',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_cbook',
+    'matplotlib.tests.test_coding_standards',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_collections',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_colorbar',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_colors',
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/cm.py b/lib/matplotlib/cm.py
index 9432cb843a78..c34655ed35ad 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/cm.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/cm.py
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def __init__(self, norm=None, cmap=None):
         if norm is None:
             norm = colors.Normalize()
 
-        self._A = None;
+        self._A = None
         #: The Normalization instance of this ScalarMappable.
         self.norm = norm
         #: The Colormap instance of this ScalarMappable.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/colorbar.py b/lib/matplotlib/colorbar.py
index 5a6678036b44..2cd0ab6c1661 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/colorbar.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/colorbar.py
@@ -501,12 +501,10 @@ def _add_solids(self, X, Y, C):
             self.dividers.remove()
             self.dividers = None
         if self.drawedges:
-            self.dividers = collections.LineCollection(
-                                    self._edges(X, Y),
+            linewidths = (0.5 * mpl.rcParams['axes.linewidth'],)
+            self.dividers = collections.LineCollection(self._edges(X, Y),
                                     colors=(mpl.rcParams['axes.edgecolor'],),
-                                    linewidths=(
-                                    0.5 * mpl.rcParams['axes.linewidth'],)
-                                    )
+                                    linewidths=linewidths)
             self.ax.add_collection(self.dividers)
 
     def add_lines(self, levels, colors, linewidths, erase=True):
@@ -725,9 +723,9 @@ def _uniform_y(self, N):
             y = np.linspace(0, 1, N)
         else:
             automin = automax = 1. / (N - 1.)
-            extendlength = self._get_extension_lengths(
-                                self.extendfrac,
-                                automin, automax, default=0.05)
+            extendlength = self._get_extension_lengths(self.extendfrac,
+                                                       automin, automax,
+                                                       default=0.05)
             if self.extend == 'both':
                 y = np.zeros(N + 2, 'd')
                 y[0] = 0. - extendlength[0]
@@ -986,19 +984,23 @@ def make_axes(parents, location=None, orientation=None, fraction=0.15,
     '''
     locations = ["left", "right", "top", "bottom"]
     if orientation is not None and location is not None:
-        raise TypeError('position and orientation are mutually exclusive. Consider ' \
-                        'setting the position to any of %s' % ', '.join(locations))
+        msg = ('position and orientation are mutually exclusive. '
+               'Consider setting the position to any of '
+               '{0}'.format(', '.join(locations)))
+        raise TypeError(msg)
 
     # provide a default location
     if location is None and orientation is None:
         location = 'right'
 
-    # allow the user to not specify the location by specifying the orientation instead
+    # allow the user to not specify the location by specifying the
+    # orientation instead
     if location is None:
         location = 'right' if orientation == 'vertical' else 'bottom'
 
     if location not in locations:
-        raise ValueError('Invalid colorbar location. Must be one of %s' % ', '.join(locations))
+        raise ValueError('Invalid colorbar location. Must be one '
+                         'of %s' % ', '.join(locations))
 
     default_location_settings = {'left':   {'anchor': (1.0, 0.5),
                                             'panchor': (0.0, 0.5),
@@ -1014,7 +1016,7 @@ def make_axes(parents, location=None, orientation=None, fraction=0.15,
                                             'orientation': 'horizontal'},
                                  'bottom': {'anchor': (0.5, 1.0),
                                             'panchor': (0.5, 0.0),
-                                            'pad': 0.15, # backwards compat
+                                            'pad': 0.15,  # backwards compat
                                             'orientation': 'horizontal'},
                                  }
 
@@ -1029,19 +1031,18 @@ def make_axes(parents, location=None, orientation=None, fraction=0.15,
     parent_anchor = kw.pop('panchor', loc_settings['panchor'])
     pad = kw.pop('pad', loc_settings['pad'])
 
-
     # turn parents into a list if it is not already
     if not isinstance(parents, (list, tuple)):
         parents = [parents]
 
     fig = parents[0].get_figure()
     if not all(fig is ax.get_figure() for ax in parents):
-        raise ValueError('Unable to create a colorbar axes as not all ' + \
+        raise ValueError('Unable to create a colorbar axes as not all '
                          'parents share the same figure.')
 
     # take a bounding box around all of the given axes
-    parents_bbox = mtrans.Bbox.union([ax.get_position(original=True).frozen() \
-                                         for ax in parents])
+    parents_bbox = mtrans.Bbox.union([ax.get_position(original=True).frozen()
+                                      for ax in parents])
 
     pb = parents_bbox
     if location in ('left', 'right'):
@@ -1054,11 +1055,11 @@ def make_axes(parents, location=None, orientation=None, fraction=0.15,
         if location == 'bottom':
             pbcb, _, pb1 = pb.splity(fraction, fraction + pad)
         else:
-            pb1, _, pbcb  = pb.splity(1 - fraction - pad, 1 - fraction)
+            pb1, _, pbcb = pb.splity(1 - fraction - pad, 1 - fraction)
         pbcb = pbcb.shrunk(shrink, 1.0).anchored(anchor, pbcb)
 
         # define the aspect ratio in terms of y's per x rather than x's per y
-        aspect = 1.0/aspect
+        aspect = 1.0 / aspect
 
     # define a transform which takes us from old axes coordinates to
     # new axes coordinates
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/lines.py b/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
index c9f256fb97f4..78dd02bd2a71 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
@@ -613,12 +613,13 @@ def draw(self, renderer):
                 if self.get_path_effects():
                     affine_frozen = affine.frozen()
                     for pe in self.get_path_effects():
-                        pe.draw_markers(renderer, gc, marker_path, marker_trans,
-                                        subsampled, affine_frozen, rgbaFace)
+                        pe.draw_markers(renderer, gc, marker_path,
+                                        marker_trans, subsampled,
+                                        affine_frozen, rgbaFace)
                 else:
-                    renderer.draw_markers(
-                        gc, marker_path, marker_trans, subsampled, affine.frozen(),
-                        rgbaFace)
+                    renderer.draw_markers(gc, marker_path, marker_trans,
+                                          subsampled, affine.frozen(),
+                                          rgbaFace)
 
                 alt_marker_path = marker.get_alt_path()
                 if alt_marker_path:
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/scale.py b/lib/matplotlib/scale.py
index af11d96858a9..25f30ac73061 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/scale.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/scale.py
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@ def inverted(self):
         return InvertedSymmetricalLogTransform(self.base, self.linthresh,
                                                self.linscale)
 
+
 class InvertedSymmetricalLogTransform(Transform):
     input_dims = 1
     output_dims = 1
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_coding_standards.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_coding_standards.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..664327d2134c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_coding_standards.py
@@ -0,0 +1,235 @@
+from fnmatch import fnmatch
+import os
+import sys
+
+from nose.tools import assert_equal
+import pep8
+
+import matplotlib
+
+
+class StandardReportWithExclusions(pep8.StandardReport):
+    #; A class attribute to store the exception exclusion file patterns.
+    expected_bad_files = [
+        '*/matplotlib/__init__.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/_cm.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/_mathtext_data.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/_pylab_helpers.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/afm.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/animation.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/artist.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/axes.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/axis.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backend_bases.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/bezier.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/cbook.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/collections.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/docstring.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/dviread.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/finance.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/font_manager.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/fontconfig_pattern.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/gridspec.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/legend.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/legend_handler.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/mathtext.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/mlab.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/path.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/patheffects.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/pylab.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/pyplot.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/rcsetup.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/stackplot.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/texmanager.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/text.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/transforms.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/type1font.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/widgets.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/compare.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/decorators.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/image_util.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/noseclasses.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/jpl_units/Duration.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/jpl_units/Epoch.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/jpl_units/EpochConverter.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/jpl_units/StrConverter.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/jpl_units/UnitDbl.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/jpl_units/UnitDblConverter.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/jpl_units/UnitDblFormatter.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/testing/jpl_units/__init__.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tri/tricontour.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tri/triinterpolate.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tri/tripcolor.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tri/triplot.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/__init__.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_agg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_animation.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_arrow_patches.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_artist.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_pdf.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_pgf.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_svg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_basic.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_bbox_tight.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_cbook.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_colorbar.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_colors.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_compare_images.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_contour.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_dates.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_delaunay.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_dviread.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_image.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_legend.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_lines.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_mathtext.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_patches.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_pickle.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_png.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_rcparams.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_simplification.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_spines.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_streamplot.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_subplots.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_text.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_tightlayout.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_transforms.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/tests/test_triangulation.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/compat/subprocess.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/__init__.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_agg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_cairo.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_cocoaagg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_gdk.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3cairo.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkagg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkcairo.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_mixed.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_pdf.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_ps.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4agg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_svg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_webagg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/qt4_compat.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/tkagg.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/windowing.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/qt4_editor/figureoptions.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/backends/qt4_editor/formlayout.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/sphinxext/__init__.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/sphinxext/ipython_console_highlighting.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/sphinxext/ipython_directive.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/sphinxext/mathmpl.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/sphinxext/only_directives.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/sphinxext/plot_directive.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/projections/__init__.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/projections/geo.py',
+        '*/matplotlib/projections/polar.py']
+
+    #: A class attribute to store patterns which have seen exceptions.
+    matched_exclusions = set()
+
+    def get_file_results(self):
+        # If the file had no errors, return self.file_errors (which will be 0)
+        if not self._deferred_print:
+            return self.file_errors
+
+        # Iterate over all of the patterns, to find a possible exclusion. If we
+        # the filename is to be excluded, go ahead and remove the counts that
+        # self.error added.
+        for pattern in self.expected_bad_files:
+            if fnmatch(self.filename, pattern):
+                self.matched_exclusions.add(pattern)
+                # invert the error method's counters.
+                for _, _, code, _, _ in self._deferred_print:
+                    self.counters[code] -= 1
+                    if self.counters[code] == 0:
+                        self.counters.pop(code)
+                        self.messages.pop(code)
+                    self.file_errors -= 1
+                    self.total_errors -= 1
+                return self.file_errors
+
+        # Otherwise call the superclass' method to print the bad results.
+        return super(StandardReportWithExclusions,
+                     self).get_file_results()
+
+
+def test_pep8_conformance():
+#    Tests the matplotlib codebase against the "pep8" tool.
+#
+#    Users can add their own excluded files (should files exist in the
+#    local directory which is not in the repository) by adding a
+#    ".pep8_test_exclude.txt" file in the same directory as this test.
+#    The file should be a line separated list of filenames/directories
+#    as can be passed to the "pep8" tool's exclude list.
+
+    # Only run this test with Python 2 - the 2to3 tool generates non pep8
+    # compliant code.
+    if sys.version_info[0] != 2:
+        return
+
+    # to get a list of bad files, rather than the specific errors, add
+    # "reporter=pep8.FileReport" to the StyleGuide constructor.
+    pep8style = pep8.StyleGuide(quiet=False,
+                                reporter=StandardReportWithExclusions)
+
+    # Extend the number of PEP8 guidelines which are not checked.
+    pep8style.options.ignore = pep8style.options.ignore + ('E121', 'E122',
+                                    'E123', 'E124', 'E125', 'E126', 'E127',
+                                    'E128')
+
+    # Support for egg shared object wrappers, which are not PEP8 compliant,
+    # nor part of the matplotlib repository.
+    # DO NOT ADD FILES *IN* THE REPOSITORY TO THIS LIST.
+    pep8style.options.exclude.extend(
+                ['_delaunay.py',
+                 '_image.py',
+                 '_tri.py',
+                 '_backend_agg.py',
+                 '_tkagg.py',
+                 'ft2font.py',
+                 '_cntr.py',
+                 '_png.py',
+                 '_path.py',
+                 'ttconv.py',
+                 'pyparsing*'])
+
+    # Allow users to add their own exclude list.
+    extra_exclude_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),
+                                      '.pep8_test_exclude.txt')
+    if os.path.exists(extra_exclude_file):
+        with open(extra_exclude_file, 'r') as fh:
+            extra_exclude = [line.strip() for line in fh if line.strip()]
+        pep8style.options.exclude.extend(extra_exclude)
+
+    result = pep8style.check_files([os.path.dirname(matplotlib.__file__)])
+    assert_equal(result.total_errors, 0, "Found code syntax "
+                                         "errors (and warnings).")
+
+    reporter = pep8style.options.reporter
+    # If we've been using the exclusions reporter, check that we didn't
+    # exclude files unnecessarily.
+    if reporter is StandardReportWithExclusions:
+        unexpectedly_good = sorted(set(reporter.expected_bad_files) -
+                                   reporter.matched_exclusions)
+
+        if unexpectedly_good:
+            raise ValueError('Some exclude patterns were unnecessary as the '
+                             'files they pointed to either passed the PEP8 '
+                             'tests or do not point to a file:\n  '
+                             '{}'.format('\n  '.join(unexpectedly_good)))
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    import nose
+    nose.runmodule(argv=['-s', '--with-doctest'], exit=False)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
index 1a5d86f4ab12..1f01eb178113 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ def test_suptitle():
                   # only test png and svg. The PDF output appears correct,
                   # but Ghostscript does not preserve the background color.
                   extensions=['png', 'svg'],
-                  savefig_kwarg={'facecolor': (0, 1, 0.4), 'edgecolor': 'none'})
+                  savefig_kwarg={'facecolor': (0, 1, 0.4),
+                                 'edgecolor': 'none'})
 def test_alpha():
     # We want an image which has a background color and an
     # alpha of 0.4.
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ def test_alpha():
                                               alpha=0.6,
                                               facecolor='red'))
 
+
 @cleanup
 def test_too_many_figures():
     import warnings
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_path.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_path.py
index 3591621eafe6..429ee7f4e17b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_path.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_path.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from matplotlib.path import Path
 from nose.tools import assert_raises
 
+
 def test_readonly_path():
     path = Path.unit_circle()
 
@@ -8,3 +9,8 @@ def modify_vertices():
         path.vertices = path.vertices * 2.0
 
     assert_raises(AttributeError, modify_vertices)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    import nose
+    nose.runmodule(argv=['-s', '--with-doctest'], exit=False)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_patheffects.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_patheffects.py
index 6027580c82e4..9a5480232fd4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_patheffects.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_patheffects.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 @image_comparison(baseline_images=['patheffect1'], remove_text=True)
 def test_patheffect1():
     ax1 = plt.subplot(111)
-    ax1.imshow([[1,2],[2,3]])
+    ax1.imshow([[1, 2], [2, 3]])
     txt = ax1.annotate("test", (1., 1.), (0., 0),
                        arrowprops=dict(arrowstyle="->",
                                        connectionstyle="angle3", lw=2),
@@ -31,14 +31,13 @@ def test_patheffect1():
 def test_patheffect2():
 
     ax2 = plt.subplot(111)
-    arr = np.arange(25).reshape((5,5))
+    arr = np.arange(25).reshape((5, 5))
     ax2.imshow(arr)
     cntr = ax2.contour(arr, colors="k")
 
     plt.setp(cntr.collections,
              path_effects=[withStroke(linewidth=3, foreground="w")])
 
-
     clbls = ax2.clabel(cntr, fmt="%2.0f", use_clabeltext=True)
     plt.setp(clbls,
              path_effects=[withStroke(linewidth=3, foreground="w")])
@@ -51,3 +50,8 @@ def test_patheffect3():
     p1, = ax3.plot([0, 1], [0, 1])
     leg = ax3.legend([p1], ["Line 1"], fancybox=True, loc=2)
     leg.legendPatch.set_path_effects([withSimplePatchShadow()])
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    import nose
+    nose.runmodule(argv=['-s', '--with-doctest'], exit=False)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ticker.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ticker.py
index d0af97687b40..2c354f12ce8c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ticker.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ticker.py
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ def test_LinearLocator():
 
 def test_MultipleLocator():
     loc = mticker.MultipleLocator(base=3.147)
-    test_value = np.array([-9.441, -6.294, -3.147, 0., 3.147, 6.294, 9.441, 12.588])
+    test_value = np.array([-9.441, -6.294, -3.147, 0., 3.147, 6.294,
+                           9.441, 12.588])
     assert_almost_equal(loc.tick_values(-7, 10), test_value)
 
 
@@ -35,8 +36,9 @@ def test_LogLocator():
 
     assert_raises(ValueError, loc.tick_values, 0, 1000)
 
-    test_value = np.array([1.00000000e-05, 1.00000000e-03, 1.00000000e-01, 1.00000000e+01,
-                           1.00000000e+03, 1.00000000e+05, 1.00000000e+07, 1.000000000e+09])
+    test_value = np.array([1.00000000e-05, 1.00000000e-03, 1.00000000e-01,
+                           1.00000000e+01, 1.00000000e+03, 1.00000000e+05,
+                           1.00000000e+07, 1.000000000e+09])
     assert_almost_equal(loc.tick_values(0.001, 1.1e5), test_value)
 
     loc = mticker.LogLocator(base=2)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ttconv.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ttconv.py
index 21f9b79ccb1c..6bb6feac74d5 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ttconv.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ttconv.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import os.path
 
+
 @image_comparison(baseline_images=["truetype-conversion"],
                   extensions=["pdf"])
 def test_truetype_conversion():
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
index 0c8abb00f81d..7741d6a59740 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
@@ -205,10 +205,11 @@ def fix_minus(self, s):
         """
         some classes may want to replace a hyphen for minus with the
         proper unicode symbol as described `here
-        <http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1962574&group_id=80706&atid=560720>`_.
+        <http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1962574&
+group_id=80706&atid=560720>`_.
         The default is to do nothing
 
-        Note, if you use this method, eg in :meth`format_data` or
+        Note, if you use this method, e.g., in :meth:`format_data` or
         call, you probably don't want to use it for
         :meth:`format_data_short` since the toolbar uses this for
         interactive coord reporting and I doubt we can expect GUIs
@@ -794,7 +795,7 @@ class EngFormatter(Formatter):
          18: "E",
          21: "Z",
          24: "Y"
-      }
+    }
 
     def __init__(self, unit="", places=None):
         self.unit = unit
@@ -865,12 +866,10 @@ class Locator(TickHelper):
     the Axis data and view limits
     """
 
-    # some automatic tick locators can generate so many ticks they
-    # kill the machine when you try and render them, see eg sf bug
-    # report
-    # https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=2715172&group_id=80706&atid=560720.
+    # Some automatic tick locators can generate so many ticks they
+    # kill the machine when you try and render them.
     # This parameter is set to cause locators to raise an error if too
-    # many ticks are generated
+    # many ticks are generated.
     MAXTICKS = 1000
 
     def tick_values(self, vmin, vmax):
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index f6b495d4473f..8569d88fd5f6 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -29,9 +29,12 @@
         os.remove('MANIFEST')
 
 try:
-    from setuptools.core import setup
+    from setuptools import setup
 except ImportError:
-    from distutils.core import setup
+    try:
+        from setuptools.core import setup
+    except ImportError:
+        from distutils.core import setup
 
 import setupext
 from setupext import print_line, print_raw, print_message, print_status