diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/image.py b/lib/matplotlib/image.py
index f4045de4fa2c..ad20f862173a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/image.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/image.py
@@ -390,8 +390,6 @@ def _make_image(self, A, in_bbox, out_bbox, clip_bbox, magnification=1.0,
                         mask = A.mask
                     # ~A.mask  # masked data
                     A = rgba
-                    output = np.zeros((out_height, out_width, 4),
-                                      dtype=A.dtype)
                     alpha = 1.0
                     created_rgba_mask = True
                 else:
@@ -414,15 +412,13 @@ def _make_image(self, A, in_bbox, out_bbox, clip_bbox, magnification=1.0,
                 elif A.shape[2] != 4:
                     raise ValueError("Invalid dimensions, got %s" % (A.shape,))
 
-                output = np.zeros((out_height, out_width, 4), dtype=A.dtype)
-
                 alpha = self.get_alpha()
-                if alpha is None:
-                    alpha = 1.0
+
+            output = np.zeros((out_height, out_width, 4), dtype=A.dtype)
 
             _image.resample(
                 A, output, t, _interpd_[self.get_interpolation()],
-                self.get_resample(), alpha,
+                self.get_resample(), alpha if alpha is not None else 1,
                 self.get_filternorm() or 0.0, self.get_filterrad() or 0.0)
 
             if created_rgba_mask:
@@ -447,7 +443,7 @@ def _make_image(self, A, in_bbox, out_bbox, clip_bbox, magnification=1.0,
                 # and the pixels that Agg is telling us to ignore (relavent
                 # to non-affine transforms)
                 # Use half alpha as the threshold for pixels to mask.
-                out_mask = out_mask | (hid_output[..., 3] < .5)
+                out_mask = out_mask | (hid_output[..., 3] == 0)
                 output = np.ma.masked_array(
                     hid_output[..., 0],
                     out_mask)
@@ -465,9 +461,9 @@ def _make_image(self, A, in_bbox, out_bbox, clip_bbox, magnification=1.0,
 
             # Apply alpha *after* if the input was greyscale without a mask
             if A.ndim == 2 or created_rgba_mask:
+                alpha_channel = output[:, :, 3]
                 alpha = self.get_alpha()
                 if alpha is not None and alpha != 1.0:
-                    alpha_channel = output[:, :, 3]
                     alpha_channel[:] = np.asarray(
                         np.asarray(alpha_channel, np.float32) * alpha,
                         np.uint8)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_image/rotate_image.png b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_image/rotate_image.png
index 322e8c00478f..3955bf39a85d 100644
Binary files a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_image/rotate_image.png and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_image/rotate_image.png differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_image.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_image.py
index d0e9c97c9747..1f2094c2b153 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_image.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_image.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 from numpy.testing import (
     assert_array_equal, assert_array_almost_equal, assert_allclose)
 from matplotlib.testing.noseclasses import KnownFailureTest
-from copy import copy
+from copy import deepcopy
 from numpy import ma
 import matplotlib.image as mimage
 import matplotlib.colors as colors
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ def test_imsave():
 
     assert_array_equal(arr_dpi1, arr_dpi100)
 
+@cleanup
 def test_imsave_color_alpha():
     # Test that imsave accept arrays with ndim=3 where the third dimension is
     # color and alpha without raising any exceptions, and that the data is
@@ -698,7 +699,7 @@ def test_mask_image_over_under():
     Z2 = mlab.bivariate_normal(X, Y, 1.5, 0.5, 1, 1)
     Z = 10*(Z2 - Z1)  # difference of Gaussians
 
-    palette = copy(plt.cm.gray)
+    palette = deepcopy(plt.cm.gray)
     palette.set_over('r', 1.0)
     palette.set_under('g', 1.0)
     palette.set_bad('b', 1.0)
@@ -761,7 +762,7 @@ def test_imshow_endianess():
                   remove_text=True, style='default')
 def test_imshow_masked_interpolation():
 
-    cm = copy(plt.get_cmap('viridis'))
+    cm = deepcopy(plt.get_cmap('viridis'))
     cm.set_over('r')
     cm.set_under('b')
     cm.set_bad('k')