diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/image.py b/lib/matplotlib/image.py
index 188d991981a6..72b19b5d11e4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/image.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/image.py
@@ -733,8 +733,8 @@ class NonUniformImage(AxesImage):
     def __init__(self, ax, **kwargs):
         """
         kwargs are identical to those for AxesImage, except
-        that 'interpolation' defaults to 'nearest', and 'bilinear'
-        is the only alternative.
+        that 'nearest' and 'bilinear' are the only supported 'interpolation'
+        options.
         """
         interp = kwargs.pop('interpolation', 'nearest')
         AxesImage.__init__(self, ax,
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index afe9aecc9e6a..bc595d32634c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ def validate_cycler(s):
     'mathtext.fallback_to_cm': [True, validate_bool],
 
     'image.aspect':        ['equal', validate_aspect],  # equal, auto, a number
-    'image.interpolation': ['bilinear', six.text_type],
+    'image.interpolation': ['nearest', six.text_type],
     'image.cmap':          ['jet', six.text_type],        # one of gray, jet, etc
     'image.lut':           [256, validate_int],  # lookup table
     'image.origin':        ['upper', six.text_type],  # lookup table
diff --git a/matplotlibrc.template b/matplotlibrc.template
index 01efc3bc23ee..0eae9f44075a 100644
--- a/matplotlibrc.template
+++ b/matplotlibrc.template
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ backend      : %(backend)s
 
 ### IMAGES
 #image.aspect : equal             # equal | auto | a number
-#image.interpolation  : bilinear  # see help(imshow) for options
+#image.interpolation  : nearest   # see help(imshow) for options
 #image.cmap   : jet               # gray | jet etc...
 #image.lut    : 256               # the size of the colormap lookup table
 #image.origin : upper             # lower | upper