diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
index 2f57dd7e11e4..02056a030427 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ def xkcd(scale=1, length=100, randomness=2):
     from matplotlib import patheffects
     context = rc_context()
     try:
-        rcParams['font.family'] = ['Humor Sans', 'Comic Sans MS']
+        rcParams['font.family'] = ['xkcd', 'Humor Sans', 'Comic Sans MS']
         rcParams['font.size'] = 14.0
         rcParams['path.sketch'] = (scale, length, randomness)
         rcParams['path.effects'] = [
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index 2c39f69770b1..1fc24148c0a4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ def validate_animation_writer_path(p):
                          'Sand', 'Script MT', 'Felipa', 'cursive'],
                         validate_stringlist],
     'font.fantasy':    [['Comic Sans MS', 'Chicago', 'Charcoal', 'Impact'
-                         'Western', 'Humor Sans', 'fantasy'],
+                         'Western', 'Humor Sans', 'fantasy', 'xkcd'],
                         validate_stringlist],
     'font.monospace':  [['DejaVu Sans Mono', 'Bitstream Vera Sans Mono',
                          'Computer Modern Typewriter',
diff --git a/matplotlibrc.template b/matplotlibrc.template
index 33c19496f546..9b96f90cbcee 100644
--- a/matplotlibrc.template
+++ b/matplotlibrc.template
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ backend      : $TEMPLATE_BACKEND
 #font.serif          : DejaVu Serif, Bitstream Vera Serif, New Century Schoolbook, Century Schoolbook L, Utopia, ITC Bookman, Bookman, Nimbus Roman No9 L, Times New Roman, Times, Palatino, Charter, serif
 #font.sans-serif     : DejaVu Sans, Bitstream Vera Sans, Lucida Grande, Verdana, Geneva, Lucid, Arial, Helvetica, Avant Garde, sans-serif
 #font.cursive        : Apple Chancery, Textile, Zapf Chancery, Sand, Script MT, Felipa, cursive
-#font.fantasy        : Comic Sans MS, Chicago, Charcoal, Impact, Western, Humor Sans, fantasy
+#font.fantasy        : Comic Sans MS, Chicago, Charcoal, Impact, Western, Humor Sans, fantasy, xkcd
 #font.monospace      : DejaVu Sans Mono, Bitstream Vera Sans Mono, Andale Mono, Nimbus Mono L, Courier New, Courier, Fixed, Terminal, monospace
 
 ### TEXT