diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/artist.py b/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
index e6d428fba997..eab31da586f2 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
@@ -69,11 +69,13 @@ def draw_wrapper(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs):
 
 
 def _stale_figure_callback(self):
-    self.figure.stale = True
+    if self.figure:
+        self.figure.stale = True
 
 
 def _stale_axes_callback(self):
-    self.axes.stale = True
+    if self.axes:
+        self.axes.stale = True
 
 
 class Artist(object):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/text.py b/lib/matplotlib/text.py
index 92f17a4c9f8f..778b5f590b7b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/text.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/text.py
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def contains(self, mouseevent):
 
     def _get_xy_display(self):
         'get the (possibly unit converted) transformed x, y in display coords'
-        x, y = self.get_position()
+        x, y = self._get_unitless_position()
         return self.get_transform().transform_point((x, y))
 
     def _get_multialignment(self):
@@ -536,8 +536,8 @@ def update_bbox_position_size(self, renderer):
 
             trans = self.get_transform()
 
-            # don't use self.get_position here, which refers to text position
-            # in Text, and dash position in TextWithDash:
+            # don't use self._get_unitless position here, which refers to text
+            # position in Text, and dash position in TextWithDash:
             posx = float(self.convert_xunits(self._x))
             posy = float(self.convert_yunits(self._y))
 
@@ -877,12 +877,20 @@ def get_horizontalalignment(self):
         """
         return self._horizontalalignment
 
-    def get_position(self):
-        "Return the position of the text as a tuple (*x*, *y*)"
+    def _get_unitless_position(self):
+        "Return the unitless position of the text as a tuple (*x*, *y*)"
+        # This will get the position with all unit information stripped away.
+        # This is here for convienience since it is done in several locations.
         x = float(self.convert_xunits(self._x))
         y = float(self.convert_yunits(self._y))
         return x, y
 
+    def get_position(self):
+        "Return the position of the text as a tuple (*x*, *y*)"
+        # This should return the same data (possible unitized) as was
+        # specified with 'set_x' and 'set_y'.
+        return self._x, self._y
+
     def get_prop_tup(self):
         """
         Return a hashable tuple of properties.
@@ -891,7 +899,7 @@ def get_prop_tup(self):
         want to cache derived information about text (e.g., layouts) and
         need to know if the text has changed.
         """
-        x, y = self.get_position()
+        x, y = self._get_unitless_position()
         return (x, y, self.get_text(), self._color,
                 self._verticalalignment, self._horizontalalignment,
                 hash(self._fontproperties),
@@ -1365,12 +1373,20 @@ def __init__(self,
 
         #self.set_bbox(dict(pad=0))
 
-    def get_position(self):
-        "Return the position of the text as a tuple (*x*, *y*)"
+    def _get_unitless_position(self):
+        "Return the unitless position of the text as a tuple (*x*, *y*)"
+        # This will get the position with all unit information stripped away.
+        # This is here for convienience since it is done in several locations.
         x = float(self.convert_xunits(self._dashx))
         y = float(self.convert_yunits(self._dashy))
         return x, y
 
+    def get_position(self):
+        "Return the position of the text as a tuple (*x*, *y*)"
+        # This should return the same data (possibly unitized) as was
+        # specified with set_x and set_y
+        return self._dashx, self._dashy
+
     def get_prop_tup(self):
         """
         Return a hashable tuple of properties.
@@ -1402,7 +1418,7 @@ def update_coords(self, renderer):
         with respect to the actual canvas's coordinates we need to map
         back and forth.
         """
-        dashx, dashy = self.get_position()
+        dashx, dashy = self._get_unitless_position()
         dashlength = self.get_dashlength()
         # Shortcircuit this process if we don't have a dash
         if dashlength == 0.0: