diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 852837464d6c..d6cc99d531d9 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ install:
       python -c 'import PyQt5.QtCore' &&
       echo 'PyQt5 is available' ||
       echo 'PyQt5 is not available'
-    python -mpip install -U --pre \
+    python -mpip install -U \
       --no-index -f https://extras.wxpython.org/wxPython4/extras/linux/gtk3/ubuntu-14.04 \
       wxPython &&
       python -c 'import wx' &&
diff --git a/doc/sphinxext/mock_gui_toolkits.py b/doc/sphinxext/mock_gui_toolkits.py
index 9e786f318782..bb378e77382c 100644
--- a/doc/sphinxext/mock_gui_toolkits.py
+++ b/doc/sphinxext/mock_gui_toolkits.py
@@ -118,15 +118,12 @@ class ToolBar(object):
     class Frame(object):
         pass
 
-    VERSION_STRING = '2.9'
-
 
 def setup(app):
-    sys.modules['cairocffi'] = MyCairoCffi()
-    sys.modules['PyQt4'] = MyPyQt4()
-    sys.modules['sip'] = MySip()
-    sys.modules['wx'] = MyWX()
-    sys.modules['wxversion'] = MagicMock()
-
-    metadata = {'parallel_read_safe': True, 'parallel_write_safe': True}
-    return metadata
+    sys.modules.update(
+        cairocffi=MyCairoCffi(),
+        PyQt4=MyPyQt4(),
+        sip=MySip(),
+        wx=MyWX(),
+    )
+    return {'parallel_read_safe': True, 'parallel_write_safe': True}
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/wx_compat.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/wx_compat.py
index 9dc4a87fffe1..87f6312299f4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/wx_compat.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/wx_compat.py
@@ -11,27 +11,12 @@
                         unicode_literals)
 
 import six
-from distutils.version import StrictVersion, LooseVersion
 
-missingwx = "Matplotlib backend_wx and backend_wxagg require wxPython>=2.9"
+import wx
+backend_version = wx.VERSION_STRING
+is_phoenix = 'phoenix' in wx.PlatformInfo
 
 
-try:
-    import wx
-    backend_version = wx.VERSION_STRING
-    is_phoenix = 'phoenix' in wx.PlatformInfo
-except ImportError:
-    raise ImportError(missingwx)
-
-try:
-    wx_version = StrictVersion(wx.VERSION_STRING)
-except ValueError:
-    wx_version = LooseVersion(wx.VERSION_STRING)
-
-# Ensure we have the correct version imported
-if wx_version < str("2.9"):
-    raise ImportError(missingwx)
-
 if is_phoenix:
     # define all the wxPython phoenix stuff
 
@@ -157,22 +142,11 @@ def _AddTool(parent, wx_ids, text, bmp, tooltip_text):
     else:
         add_tool = parent.DoAddTool
 
-    if not is_phoenix or wx_version >= str("4.0.0b2"):
-        # NOTE: when support for Phoenix prior to 4.0.0b2 is dropped then
-        # all that is needed is this clause, and the if and else clause can
-        # be removed.
-        kwargs = dict(label=text,
-                      bitmap=bmp,
-                      bmpDisabled=wx.NullBitmap,
-                      shortHelp=text,
-                      longHelp=tooltip_text,
-                      kind=kind)
-    else:
-        kwargs = dict(label=text,
-                      bitmap=bmp,
-                      bmpDisabled=wx.NullBitmap,
-                      shortHelpString=text,
-                      longHelpString=tooltip_text,
-                      kind=kind)
+    kwargs = dict(label=text,
+                  bitmap=bmp,
+                  bmpDisabled=wx.NullBitmap,
+                  shortHelp=text,
+                  longHelp=tooltip_text,
+                  kind=kind)
 
     return add_tool(wx_ids[text], **kwargs)
diff --git a/setupext.py b/setupext.py
index 37679d9f3bb3..7221a8dc658f 100644
--- a/setupext.py
+++ b/setupext.py
@@ -1567,33 +1567,12 @@ class BackendWxAgg(OptionalBackendPackage):
     name = "wxagg"
 
     def check_requirements(self):
-        wxversioninstalled = True
-        try:
-            import wxversion
-        except ImportError:
-            wxversioninstalled = False
-
-        if wxversioninstalled:
-            try:
-                _wx_ensure_failed = wxversion.AlreadyImportedError
-            except AttributeError:
-                _wx_ensure_failed = wxversion.VersionError
-
-            try:
-                wxversion.ensureMinimal('2.9')
-            except _wx_ensure_failed:
-                pass
-
         try:
             import wx
             backend_version = wx.VERSION_STRING
         except ImportError:
             raise CheckFailed("requires wxPython")
 
-        if not is_min_version(backend_version, "2.9"):
-            raise CheckFailed(
-                "Requires wxPython 2.9, found %s" % backend_version)
-
         return "version %s" % backend_version
 
 
diff --git a/tutorials/introductory/usage.py b/tutorials/introductory/usage.py
index 5d56b9f4a3b6..fde76daf7532 100644
--- a/tutorials/introductory/usage.py
+++ b/tutorials/introductory/usage.py
@@ -437,9 +437,8 @@ def my_plotter(ax, data1, data2, param_dict):
 # Qt4Agg    Agg rendering to a :term:`Qt4` canvas (requires PyQt4_ or
 #           ``pyside``).  This backend can be activated in IPython with
 #           ``%matplotlib qt4``.
-# WXAgg     Agg rendering to a :term:`wxWidgets` canvas (requires wxPython_;
-#           v4.0 (in beta) is required for Python3). This backend can be
-#           activated in IPython with ``%matplotlib wx``.#
+# WXAgg     Agg rendering to a :term:`wxWidgets` canvas (requires wxPython_ 4).
+#           This backend can be activated in IPython with ``%matplotlib wx``.
 # ========= ================================================================
 #
 # .. _`Anti-Grain Geometry`: http://antigrain.com/