diff --git a/doc/users/whats_new/rcparams.rst b/doc/users/whats_new/rcparams.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5d18925922bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/users/whats_new/rcparams.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Added "legend.framealpha" key to rcParams 
+```````````````````````````
+
+Added a key and the corresponding logic to control the default transparency of 
+legend frames. This feature was written into the docstring of axes.legend(),
+but not yet implemented. 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/legend.py b/lib/matplotlib/legend.py
index 928f52c3b8a6..23949ce0e562 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/legend.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/legend.py
@@ -367,7 +367,9 @@ def __init__(self, parent, handles, labels,
         # init with null renderer
         self._init_legend_box(handles, labels)
 
-        if framealpha is not None:
+        if framealpha is None:
+            self.get_frame().set_alpha(rcParams["legend.framealpha"])
+        else:
             self.get_frame().set_alpha(framealpha)
 
         self._loc = loc
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index 7d4d97df1572..f535aec084e6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -632,7 +632,8 @@ def __call__(self, s):
     'legend.shadow': [False, validate_bool],
      # whether or not to draw a frame around legend
     'legend.frameon': [True, validate_bool],
-
+     # alpha value of the legend frame
+    'legend.framealpha': [1.0, validate_float],
 
     ## the following dimensions are in fraction of the font size
     'legend.borderpad': [0.4, validate_float],  # units are fontsize
diff --git a/matplotlibrc.template b/matplotlibrc.template
index d3a6f3b2b28b..5669c0786b42 100644
--- a/matplotlibrc.template
+++ b/matplotlibrc.template
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ backend      : %(backend)s
 #legend.columnspacing : 2.    # the border between the axes and legend edge in fraction of fontsize
 #legend.shadow        : False
 #legend.frameon       : True   # whether or not to draw a frame around legend
+#legend.framealpha    : 1.0    # opacity of of legend frame
 #legend.scatterpoints : 3 # number of scatter points
 
 ### FIGURE