diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index ee920bc7bf5e..bb43b9ae0a5a 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ addons:
       - texlive-latex-recommended
       - texlive-xetex
       - graphviz
+      - libgeos-dev
 #     - fonts-humor-sans
 #    sources:
 #      - debian-sid
@@ -115,6 +116,13 @@ install:
     fi;
 
   - python setup.py install
+  - |
+    # Installing basemap from github until it's back on pypi
+    # We have to install it after matplotlib to avoid pulling in MPL as
+    # a dependency
+    if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == true ]]; then
+      pip install https://github.com/matplotlib/basemap/tarball/master
+    fi;
 
 script:
   # The number of processes is hardcoded, because using too many causes the
@@ -127,7 +135,7 @@ script:
       gdb -return-child-result -batch -ex r -ex bt --args python tests.py -s --processes=$NPROC --process-timeout=300 $TEST_ARGS
     else
       cd doc
-      python make.py html --small --warningsaserrors
+      python make.py html --small
       # We don't build the LaTeX docs here, so linkchecker will complain
       touch build/html/Matplotlib.pdf
       linkchecker build/html/index.html
diff --git a/doc/make.py b/doc/make.py
index 783e159be23c..1139370d10d2 100755
--- a/doc/make.py
+++ b/doc/make.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def all():
 
 
 small_docs = False
-warnings_as_errors = False
+warnings_as_errors = True
 
 # Change directory to the one containing this file
 current_dir = os.getcwd()
@@ -184,14 +184,14 @@ def all():
 parser.add_argument("--small",
                     help="Smaller docs with only low res png figures",
                     action="store_true")
-parser.add_argument("--warningsaserrors",
-                    help="Turn Sphinx warnings into errors",
+parser.add_argument("--allowsphinxwarnings",
+                    help="Don't turn Sphinx warnings into errors",
                     action="store_true")
 args = parser.parse_args()
 if args.small:
     small_docs = True
-if args.warningsaserrors:
-    warnings_as_errors = True
+if args.allowsphinxwarnings:
+    warnings_as_errors = False
 
 if args.cmd:
     for command in args.cmd:
diff --git a/doc/pyplots/README b/doc/pyplots/README
deleted file mode 100644
index 464d7067e6fc..000000000000
--- a/doc/pyplots/README
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-Please add a line to this file for any additional requirements necessary to
-generate a new figure.
-
-tex_demo.py and tex_unicode_demo.py:
-  latex
-  dvipng
-
-
-plotmap.py:
-    basemap toolkit
diff --git a/doc/pyplots/make.py b/doc/pyplots/make.py
deleted file mode 100755
index cc58688aa66b..000000000000
--- a/doc/pyplots/make.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,75 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
-from __future__ import print_function
-import sys, os, glob
-import matplotlib
-import IPython.Shell
-#matplotlib.rcdefaults()
-matplotlib.use('Agg')
-
-mplshell = IPython.Shell.MatplotlibShell('mpl')
-
-formats = [('png', 100),
-           ('hires.png', 200),
-           ('pdf', 72)]
-
-def figs():
-    print('making figs')
-    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-    for fname in glob.glob('*.py'):
-        if fname.split('/')[-1] == __file__.split('/')[-1]: continue
-        basename, ext = os.path.splitext(fname)
-        imagefiles = dict([('%s.%s'%(basename, format), dpi)
-                           for format, dpi in formats])
-        all_exists = True
-        for imagefile in imagefiles:
-            if not os.path.exists(imagefile):
-                all_exists = False
-                break
-
-        if all_exists:
-            print('    already have %s'%fname)
-        else:
-            print('    building %s'%fname)
-            plt.close('all')    # we need to clear between runs
-            mplshell.magic_run(basename)
-            for imagefile, dpi in imagefiles.iteritems():
-                # todo: this will get called even if the run script
-                # fails and exits, thus creating a stub pdf and png
-                # iles preventing them from getting built successfully
-                # later
-                plt.savefig(imagefile, dpi=dpi)
-    print('all figures made')
-
-
-def clean():
-    patterns = (['#*', '*~', '*pyc'] +
-                ['*.%s' % format for format, dpi in formats])
-    for pattern in patterns:
-        for fname in glob.glob(pattern):
-            os.remove(fname)
-    print('all clean')
-
-
-
-def all():
-    figs()
-
-funcd = {'figs':figs,
-         'clean':clean,
-         'all':all,
-         }
-
-if len(sys.argv)>1:
-    for arg in sys.argv[1:]:
-        func = funcd.get(arg)
-        if func is None:
-            raise SystemExit('Do not know how to handle %s; valid args are'%(
-                    arg, funcd.keys()))
-        func()
-else:
-    all()
-
-
-
-
diff --git a/doc/pyplots/plotmap.hires.png b/doc/pyplots/plotmap.hires.png
deleted file mode 100644
index b1d0c35540a5..000000000000
Binary files a/doc/pyplots/plotmap.hires.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/doc/pyplots/plotmap.pdf b/doc/pyplots/plotmap.pdf
deleted file mode 100644
index ad51edbb7597..000000000000
Binary files a/doc/pyplots/plotmap.pdf and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/doc/pyplots/plotmap.png b/doc/pyplots/plotmap.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 5f33c425a335..000000000000
Binary files a/doc/pyplots/plotmap.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/doc/pyplots/plotmap.py b/doc/pyplots/plotmap.py
index 98a5d64bb135..6ccb093de3cd 100644
--- a/doc/pyplots/plotmap.py
+++ b/doc/pyplots/plotmap.py
@@ -1,31 +1,29 @@
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
 
-try:
-    from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
-    have_basemap = True
-except ImportError:
-    have_basemap = False
+from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
 
 
 def plotmap():
     # create figure
-    fig = plt.figure(figsize=(8,8))
+    fig = plt.figure(figsize=(8, 8))
     # set up orthographic map projection with
     # perspective of satellite looking down at 50N, 100W.
     # use low resolution coastlines.
-    map = Basemap(projection='ortho',lat_0=50,lon_0=-100,resolution='l')
+    map = Basemap(projection='ortho', lat_0=50, lon_0=-100, resolution='l')
     # lat/lon coordinates of five cities.
-    lats=[40.02,32.73,38.55,48.25,17.29]
-    lons=[-105.16,-117.16,-77.00,-114.21,-88.10]
-    cities=['Boulder, CO','San Diego, CA',
-            'Washington, DC','Whitefish, MT','Belize City, Belize']
+    lats = [40.02, 32.73, 38.55, 48.25, 17.29]
+    lons = [-105.16, -117.16, -77.00, -114.21, -88.10]
+    cities = ['Boulder, CO', 'San Diego, CA',
+              'Washington, DC', 'Whitefish, MT', 'Belize City, Belize']
     # compute the native map projection coordinates for cities.
-    xc,yc = map(lons,lats)
+    xc, yc = map(lons, lats)
     # make up some data on a regular lat/lon grid.
-    nlats = 73; nlons = 145; delta = 2.*np.pi/(nlons-1)
-    lats = (0.5*np.pi-delta*np.indices((nlats,nlons))[0,:,:])
-    lons = (delta*np.indices((nlats,nlons))[1,:,:])
+    nlats = 73
+    nlons = 145
+    delta = 2.*np.pi/(nlons-1)
+    lats = (0.5*np.pi-delta*np.indices((nlats,nlons))[0, :, :])
+    lons = (delta*np.indices((nlats, nlons))[1, :, :])
     wave = 0.75*(np.sin(2.*lats)**8*np.cos(4.*lons))
     mean = 0.5*np.cos(2.*lats)*((np.sin(2.*lats))**2 + 2.)
     # compute native map projection coordinates of lat/lon grid.
@@ -34,28 +32,18 @@ def plotmap():
     # draw map boundary
     map.drawmapboundary(color="0.9")
     # draw graticule (latitude and longitude grid lines)
-    map.drawmeridians(np.arange(0,360,30),color="0.9")
-    map.drawparallels(np.arange(-90,90,30),color="0.9")
+    map.drawmeridians(np.arange(0, 360, 30), color="0.9")
+    map.drawparallels(np.arange(-90, 90, 30), color="0.9")
     # plot filled circles at the locations of the cities.
-    map.plot(xc,yc,'wo')
+    map.plot(xc, yc, 'wo')
     # plot the names of five cities.
-    for name,xpt,ypt in zip(cities,xc,yc):
-        plt.text(xpt+100000,ypt+100000,name,fontsize=9,color='w')
+    for name, xpt, ypt in zip(cities, xc, yc):
+        plt.text(xpt+100000, ypt+100000, name, fontsize=9, color='w')
     # contour data over the map.
-    cs = map.contour(x,y,wave+mean,15,linewidths=1.5)
+    cs = map.contour(x, y, wave+mean, 15, linewidths=1.5)
     # draw blue marble image in background.
     # (downsample the image by 50% for speed)
     map.bluemarble(scale=0.5)
 
-def plotempty():
-    # create figure
-    fig = plt.figure(figsize=(8,8))
-    fig.text(0.5, 0.5, "Sorry, could not import Basemap",
-                                horizontalalignment='center')
-
-if have_basemap:
-    plotmap()
-else:
-    plotempty()
+plotmap()
 plt.show()
-
diff --git a/doc/pyplots/tex_demo.pdf b/doc/pyplots/tex_demo.pdf
deleted file mode 100644
index 4462d92c99a9..000000000000
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diff --git a/doc/pyplots/tex_unicode_demo.hires.png b/doc/pyplots/tex_unicode_demo.hires.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 52fc6b248bc6..000000000000
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diff --git a/doc/pyplots/tex_unicode_demo.pdf b/doc/pyplots/tex_unicode_demo.pdf
deleted file mode 100644
index c6e234d1d404..000000000000
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diff --git a/doc/pyplots/tex_unicode_demo.png b/doc/pyplots/tex_unicode_demo.png
deleted file mode 100644
index db7e76dbebb3..000000000000
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