diff --git a/doc/api/api_changes/2017-11-07-JMK.rst b/doc/api/api_changes/2017-11-07-JMK.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..917fc7a14fea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/api/api_changes/2017-11-07-JMK.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+`Figure.set_figwidth` and `Figure.set_figheight` default forward to True
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+`matplotlib.Figure.set_figwidth` and `matplotlib.Figure.set_figheight`
+had the kwarg `forward=False`
+by default, but `Figure.set_size_inches` now defaults to `forward=True`.  
+This makes these functions conistent.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index 97adf7354d0b..4570c400b13f 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ def set_dpi(self, val):
         self.dpi = val
         self.stale = True
 
-    def set_figwidth(self, val, forward=False):
+    def set_figwidth(self, val, forward=True):
         """
         Set the width of the figure in inches
 
@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@ def set_figwidth(self, val, forward=False):
         """
         self.set_size_inches(val, self.get_figheight(), forward=forward)
 
-    def set_figheight(self, val, forward=False):
+    def set_figheight(self, val, forward=True):
         """
         Set the height of the figure in inches