matplotlib
diff --git a/‎lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
Copy file name to clipboardExpand all lines: lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+7-3Lines changed: 7 additions & 3 deletions b/‎lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
Copy file name to clipboardExpand all lines: lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+7-3Lines changed: 7 additions & 3 deletions
diff --git a/‎lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
Copy file name to clipboardExpand all lines: lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
+13-1Lines changed: 13 additions & 1 deletion b/‎lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
Copy file name to clipboardExpand all lines: lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
+13-1Lines changed: 13 additions & 1 deletion
@@ -5394,7 +5394,8 @@ def hist(self, x, bins=10, range=None, normed=False, weights=None,
         Compute and draw the histogram of *x*. The return value is a
         tuple (*n*, *bins*, *patches*) or ([*n0*, *n1*, ...], *bins*,
         [*patches0*, *patches1*,...]) if the input contains multiple
-        data or ([], [], []) if input is an empty array.
+        data or ([0, 0, ..., 0], *bins*, [zero height & width patch]) 
+        if the input is an empty array.
 
         Multiple data can be provided via *x* as a list of datasets
         of potentially different length ([*x0*, *x1*, ...]), or as
@@ -5605,8 +5606,11 @@ def hist(self, x, bins=10, range=None, normed=False, weights=None,
 
         # basic input validation
         flat = np.ravel(x)
-        if len(flat) == 0:
-            return [], [], cbook.silent_list('No Patches')
+
+        if not len(flat):
+            n, bins = np.histogram([], bins)
+            patch = self.bar([0], [0], width=0)
+            return n, bins, cbook.silent_list('Zero Size Patch', [patch])
 
         # Massage 'x' for processing.
         # NOTE: Be sure any changes here is also done below to 'weights'
 
@@ -1010,7 +1010,19 @@ def test_hist_log():
 def test_hist_empty():
     # From #3886: creating hist from empty dataset raises ValueError
     ax = plt.gca()
-    ax.hist([])
+    n, bins, patches = ax.hist([])
+
+    # hist on empty should match empty numpy histogram
+    n1, bins1 = np.histogram([])
+
+    assert_array_equal(n, n1)
+    assert_array_equal(bins, bins1)
+
+    # check single zero size patch
+    assert_true((len(patches) == 1) and len(patches[0].patches) == 1)
+    rect_patch = patches[0].patches[0]
+    assert_false(rect_patch._height)
+    assert_false(rect_patch._width)
 
 @image_comparison(baseline_images=['hist_steplog'], remove_text=True)
 def test_hist_steplog():