diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ticker.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ticker.py
index 30f3caead0bb..3a8a4a321c8c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ticker.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_ticker.py
@@ -321,24 +321,24 @@ def get_view_interval(self):
 def test_LogFormatterSciNotation():
     test_cases = {
         10: (
-             (-1, '${-10^{0}}$'),
-             (1e-05, '${10^{-5}}$'),
-             (1, '${10^{0}}$'),
-             (100000, '${10^{5}}$'),
-             (2e-05, '${2\\times10^{-5}}$'),
-             (2, '${2\\times10^{0}}$'),
-             (200000, '${2\\times10^{5}}$'),
-             (5e-05, '${5\\times10^{-5}}$'),
-             (5, '${5\\times10^{0}}$'),
-             (500000, '${5\\times10^{5}}$'),
+             (-1, '$\\mathdefault{-10^{0}}$'),
+             (1e-05, '$\\mathdefault{10^{-5}}$'),
+             (1, '$\\mathdefault{10^{0}}$'),
+             (100000, '$\\mathdefault{10^{5}}$'),
+             (2e-05, '$\\mathdefault{2\\times10^{-5}}$'),
+             (2, '$\\mathdefault{2\\times10^{0}}$'),
+             (200000, '$\\mathdefault{2\\times10^{5}}$'),
+             (5e-05, '$\\mathdefault{5\\times10^{-5}}$'),
+             (5, '$\\mathdefault{5\\times10^{0}}$'),
+             (500000, '$\\mathdefault{5\\times10^{5}}$'),
         ),
         2: (
-            (0.03125, '${2^{-5}}$'),
-            (1, '${2^{0}}$'),
-            (32, '${2^{5}}$'),
-            (0.0375, '${1.2\\times2^{-5}}$'),
-            (1.2, '${1.2\\times2^{0}}$'),
-            (38.4, '${1.2\\times2^{5}}$'),
+            (0.03125, '$\\mathdefault{2^{-5}}$'),
+            (1, '$\\mathdefault{2^{0}}$'),
+            (32, '$\\mathdefault{2^{5}}$'),
+            (0.0375, '$\\mathdefault{1.2\\times2^{-5}}$'),
+            (1.2, '$\\mathdefault{1.2\\times2^{0}}$'),
+            (38.4, '$\\mathdefault{1.2\\times2^{5}}$'),
         )
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
index 1fc3de76d8bc..b798037de52d 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
@@ -197,16 +197,7 @@ def _divmod(x, y):
 
 
 def _mathdefault(s):
-    """
-    For backward compatibility, in classic mode we display
-    sub/superscripted text in a mathdefault block.  As of 2.0, the
-    math font already matches the default font, so we don't need to do
-    that anymore.
-    """
-    if rcParams['_internal.classic_mode']:
-        return '\\mathdefault{%s}' % s
-    else:
-        return '{%s}' % s
+    return '\\mathdefault{%s}' % s
 
 
 class _DummyAxis(object):