diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
index 4eff4ec1b5d2..b056d024f6fa 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -4163,7 +4163,13 @@ def bxp(self, bxpstats, positions=None, widths=None, vert=True,
         if zorder is None:
             zorder = mlines.Line2D.zorder
 
-        zdelta = 0.1
+        # Use 'butt' as the default capstyle to avoid a visual overlap of
+        # the median line and the boxplot
+        if medianprops is None or medianprops.get('solid_capstyle', None) is None:
+            medianprops['solid_capstyle'] = 'butt'
+
+        # put the mean and median line below the box for visual improvement
+        zdelta = -0.1
 
         def merge_kw_rc(subkey, explicit, zdelta=0, usemarker=True):
             d = {k.split('.')[-1]: v for k, v in mpl.rcParams.items()
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
index 30c7e34c937b..17b34fb9d1d6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
@@ -3537,6 +3537,14 @@ def test_boxplot_zorder():
     assert ax.boxplot(x)['boxes'][0].get_zorder() == 2
     assert ax.boxplot(x, zorder=10)['boxes'][0].get_zorder() == 10
 
+@check_figures_equal()
+def test_boxplot_median_bound_by_box(fig_test, fig_ref):
+    data = np.arange(3)
+    medianprops_test = {"linewidth": 12}
+    medianprops_ref = {**medianprops_test, "solid_capstyle": "butt"}
+    fig_test.subplots().boxplot(data,  medianprops=medianprops_test)
+    fig_ref.subplots().boxplot(data, medianprops=medianprops_ref)
+
 
 def test_boxplot_marker_behavior():
     plt.rcParams['lines.marker'] = 's'