diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/fancyarrow_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/fancyarrow_demo.py
index 6fceb9878d18..227e53bb36e0 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/fancyarrow_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/fancyarrow_demo.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def to_texstring(s):
 for i, (stylename, styleclass) in enumerate(sorted(styles.items())):
     x = 3.2 + (i//nrow)*4
     y = (figheight - 0.7 - i % nrow)  # /figheight
-    p = mpatches.Circle((x, y), 0.2, fc="w")
+    p = mpatches.Circle((x, y), 0.2)
     ax.add_patch(p)
 
     ax.annotate(to_texstring(stylename), (x, y),
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def to_texstring(s):
                                 patchB=p,
                                 shrinkA=5,
                                 shrinkB=5,
-                                fc="w", ec="k",
+                                fc="k", ec="k",
                                 connectionstyle="arc3,rad=-0.05",
                                 ),
                 bbox=dict(boxstyle="square", fc="w"))
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
index 76c9f3cce7fb..16a249e0d6e8 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -1986,7 +1986,7 @@ def bar(self, left, height, width=0.8, bottom=None, **kwargs):
         xerr = kwargs.pop('xerr', None)
         yerr = kwargs.pop('yerr', None)
         error_kw = kwargs.pop('error_kw', dict())
-        ecolor = kwargs.pop('ecolor', None)
+        ecolor = kwargs.pop('ecolor', 'k')
         capsize = kwargs.pop('capsize', rcParams["errorbar.capsize"])
         error_kw.setdefault('ecolor', ecolor)
         error_kw.setdefault('capsize', capsize)
@@ -3762,11 +3762,16 @@ def scatter(self, x, y, s=20, c=None, marker='o', cmap=None, norm=None,
             If None, defaults to (lines.linewidth,).
 
         edgecolors : color or sequence of color, optional, default: None
-            If None, defaults to (patch.edgecolor).
+            If None, defaults to 'face'
+
             If 'face', the edge color will always be the same as
-            the face color.  If it is 'none', the patch boundary will not
-            be drawn.  For non-filled markers, the `edgecolors` kwarg
-            is ignored; color is determined by `c`.
+            the face color.
+
+            If it is 'none', the patch boundary will not
+            be drawn.
+
+            For non-filled markers, the `edgecolors` kwarg
+            is ignored and forced to 'face' internally.
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -3823,6 +3828,9 @@ def scatter(self, x, y, s=20, c=None, marker='o', cmap=None, norm=None,
             else:
                 c = 'b'  # The original default
 
+        if edgecolors is None and not rcParams['_internal.classic_mode']:
+            edgecolors = 'face'
+
         self._process_unit_info(xdata=x, ydata=y, kwargs=kwargs)
         x = self.convert_xunits(x)
         y = self.convert_yunits(y)
@@ -3875,6 +3883,7 @@ def scatter(self, x, y, s=20, c=None, marker='o', cmap=None, norm=None,
             marker_obj.get_transform())
         if not marker_obj.is_filled():
             edgecolors = 'face'
+            linewidths = rcParams['lines.linewidth']
 
         offsets = np.dstack((x, y))
 
@@ -4018,9 +4027,9 @@ def hexbin(self, x, y, C=None, gridsize=100, bins=None,
            the alpha value for the patches
 
         *linewidths*: [ *None* | scalar ]
-           If *None*, defaults to rc lines.linewidth. Note that this
-           is a tuple, and if you set the linewidths argument you
-           must set it as a sequence of floats, as required by
+           If *None*, defaults to 1.0. Note that this is a tuple, and
+           if you set the linewidths argument you must set it as a
+           sequence of floats, as required by
            :class:`~matplotlib.collections.RegularPolyCollection`.
 
         Other keyword arguments controlling the Collection properties:
@@ -4213,6 +4222,8 @@ def hexbin(self, x, y, C=None, gridsize=100, bins=None,
 
         if edgecolors == 'none':
             edgecolors = 'face'
+        if linewidths is None:
+            linewidths = [1.0]
 
         if xscale == 'log' or yscale == 'log':
             polygons = np.expand_dims(polygon, 0) + np.expand_dims(offsets, 1)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
index 41afd14cce60..dcfac21ada23 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ def _makefill(self, x, y, kw, kwargs):
         seg = mpatches.Polygon(np.hstack((x[:, np.newaxis],
                                           y[:, np.newaxis])),
                                facecolor=facecolor,
-                               fill=True,
+                               fill=kwargs.get('fill', True),
                                closed=kw['closed'])
         self.set_patchprops(seg, **kwargs)
         return seg
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/collections.py b/lib/matplotlib/collections.py
index 58e4d955eeb8..7032bce22a21 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/collections.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/collections.py
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ class Collection(artist.Artist, cm.ScalarMappable):
     #: Each kind of collection defines this based on its arguments.
     _transforms = np.empty((0, 3, 3))
 
+    # Whether to draw an edge by default.  Set on a
+    # subclass-by-subclass basis.
+    _edge_default = False
+
     def __init__(self,
                  edgecolors=None,
                  facecolors=None,
@@ -476,7 +480,15 @@ def set_linewidth(self, lw):
         ACCEPTS: float or sequence of floats
         """
         if lw is None:
-            lw = mpl.rcParams['patch.linewidth']
+            if (self._edge_default or
+                    mpl.rcParams['_internal.classic_mode'] or
+                    not self._is_filled):
+                lw = mpl.rcParams['patch.linewidth']
+                if lw is None:
+                    lw = mpl.rcParams['lines.linewidth']
+            else:
+                lw = 0
+
         self._linewidths = self._get_value(lw)
         self.stale = True
 
@@ -1046,6 +1058,8 @@ class LineCollection(Collection):
     number of segments.
     """
 
+    _edge_default = True
+
     def __init__(self, segments,     # Can be None.
                  linewidths=None,
                  colors=None,
@@ -1217,6 +1231,8 @@ class EventCollection(LineCollection):
     are displayed as v
     '''
 
+    _edge_default = True
+
     def __init__(self,
                  positions,     # Can be None.
                  orientation=None,
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/lines.py b/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
index f8aada39b927..cba5d6f04b84 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
@@ -849,12 +849,12 @@ def get_marker(self):
     def get_markeredgecolor(self):
         mec = self._markeredgecolor
         if (is_string_like(mec) and mec == 'auto'):
-            if self._marker.get_marker() in ('.', ','):
-                return self._color
-            if self._marker.is_filled() and self.get_fillstyle() != 'none':
-                return 'k'  # Bad hard-wired default...
-            else:
-                return self._color
+            if rcParams['_internal.classic_mode']:
+                if self._marker.get_marker() in ('.', ','):
+                    return self._color
+                if self._marker.is_filled() and self.get_fillstyle() != 'none':
+                     return 'k'  # Bad hard-wired default...
+            return self._color
         else:
             return mec
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/classic.mplstyle b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/classic.mplstyle
index e91dfae05d61..7660f8575e9c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/classic.mplstyle
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/classic.mplstyle
@@ -497,3 +497,5 @@ animation.convert_path: convert   # Path to ImageMagick's convert binary.
                                   # is also the name of a system tool.
 animation.convert_args:
 animation.html: none
+
+_internal.classic_mode: True
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/patches.py b/lib/matplotlib/patches.py
index c58958ef64db..addac4992be4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/patches.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/patches.py
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ class Patch(artist.Artist):
     validCap = ('butt', 'round', 'projecting')
     validJoin = ('miter', 'round', 'bevel')
 
+    # Whether to draw an edge by default.  Set on a
+    # subclass-by-subclass basis.
+    _edge_default = False
+
     def __str__(self):
         return str(self.__class__).split('.')[-1]
 
@@ -110,11 +114,12 @@ def __init__(self,
         else:
             self.set_edgecolor(edgecolor)
             self.set_facecolor(facecolor)
+
+        self.set_fill(fill)
         self.set_linewidth(linewidth)
         self.set_linestyle(linestyle)
         self.set_antialiased(antialiased)
         self.set_hatch(hatch)
-        self.set_fill(fill)
         self.set_capstyle(capstyle)
         self.set_joinstyle(joinstyle)
         self._combined_transform = transforms.IdentityTransform()
@@ -339,7 +344,14 @@ def set_linewidth(self, w):
         ACCEPTS: float or None for default
         """
         if w is None:
-            w = mpl.rcParams['patch.linewidth']
+            if (not self._fill or
+                self._edge_default or
+                mpl.rcParams['_internal.classic_mode']):
+                w = mpl.rcParams['patch.linewidth']
+                if w is None:
+                    w = mpl.rcParams['axes.linewidth']
+            else:
+                w = 0
 
         self._linewidth = float(w)
 
@@ -848,6 +860,8 @@ class PathPatch(Patch):
     """
     A general polycurve path patch.
     """
+    _edge_default = True
+
     def __str__(self):
         return "Poly((%g, %g) ...)" % tuple(self._path.vertices[0])
 
@@ -1120,6 +1134,8 @@ class FancyArrow(Polygon):
     Like Arrow, but lets you set head width and head height independently.
     """
 
+    _edge_default = True
+
     def __str__(self):
         return "FancyArrow()"
 
@@ -2397,6 +2413,8 @@ class FancyBboxPatch(Patch):
 
     """
 
+    _edge_default = True
+
     def __str__(self):
         return self.__class__.__name__ \
                            + "(%g,%g;%gx%g)" % (self._x, self._y,
@@ -2449,6 +2467,7 @@ def __init__(self, xy, width, height,
 
         self._mutation_scale = mutation_scale
         self._mutation_aspect = mutation_aspect
+
         self.stale = True
 
     @docstring.dedent_interpd
@@ -3935,6 +3954,7 @@ class FancyArrowPatch(Patch):
     """
     A fancy arrow patch. It draws an arrow using the :class:ArrowStyle.
     """
+    _edge_default = True
 
     def __str__(self):
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index f52e8305f335..70c693563e64 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ def validate_hist_bins(s):
     'lines.linestyle':       ['-', six.text_type],             # solid line
     'lines.color':           ['b', validate_color],  # blue
     'lines.marker':          ['None', six.text_type],     # black
-    'lines.markeredgewidth': [0.5, validate_float],
+    'lines.markeredgewidth': [1.0, validate_float],
     'lines.markersize':      [6, validate_float],    # markersize, in points
     'lines.antialiased':     [True, validate_bool],  # antialiased (no jaggies)
     'lines.dash_joinstyle':  ['round', validate_joinstyle],
@@ -825,7 +825,7 @@ def validate_hist_bins(s):
     'markers.fillstyle': ['full', validate_fillstyle],
 
     ## patch props
-    'patch.linewidth':   [1.0, validate_float],  # line width in points
+    'patch.linewidth':   [None, validate_float_or_None],  # line width in points
     'patch.edgecolor':   ['k', validate_color],  # black
     'patch.facecolor':   ['b', validate_color],  # blue
     'patch.antialiased': [True, validate_bool],  # antialiased (no jaggies)
@@ -1035,7 +1035,7 @@ def validate_hist_bins(s):
     'legend.markerscale': [1.0, validate_float],
     'legend.shadow': [False, validate_bool],
     'legend.facecolor': ['inherit', validate_color_or_inherit],
-    'legend.edgecolor': ['inherit', validate_color_or_inherit],
+    'legend.edgecolor': ['k', validate_color_or_inherit],
 
     # tick properties
     'xtick.top':         [True, validate_bool],   # draw ticks on the top side
@@ -1208,7 +1208,14 @@ def validate_hist_bins(s):
     'animation.convert_path':  ['convert', six.text_type],
      # Additional arguments for mencoder movie writer (using pipes)
 
-    'animation.convert_args':  [[], validate_stringlist]}
+    'animation.convert_args':  [[], validate_stringlist],
+
+    # Classic (pre 2.0) compatibility mode
+    # This is used for things that are hard to make backward compatible
+    # with a sane rcParam alone.  This does *not* turn on classic mode
+    # altogether.  For that use `matplotlib.style.use('classic')`.
+    '_internal.classic_mode': [False, validate_bool]
+}
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_artist/default_edges.png b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_artist/default_edges.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..932e2d9ec08b
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_artist/default_edges.png differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_artist.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_artist.py
index 4f8fe30c9253..6757158d2a27 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_artist.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_artist.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import matplotlib.path as mpath
 import matplotlib.transforms as mtrans
 import matplotlib.collections as mcollections
+import matplotlib as mpl
 from matplotlib.testing.decorators import image_comparison, cleanup
 
 from nose.tools import (assert_true, assert_false)
@@ -176,6 +177,26 @@ def test_remove():
     assert_true(ax.stale)
 
 
+@image_comparison(baseline_images=["default_edges"], remove_text=True,
+                  extensions=['png'], style='default')
+def test_default_edges():
+    with mpl.rc_context({'patch.linewidth': None}):
+        fig, [[ax1, ax2], [ax3, ax4]] = plt.subplots(2, 2)
+
+        ax1.plot(np.arange(10), np.arange(10), 'x',
+                 np.arange(10) + 1, np.arange(10), 'o')
+        ax2.bar(np.arange(10), np.arange(10))
+        ax3.text(0, 0, "BOX", size=24, bbox=dict(boxstyle='sawtooth'))
+        ax3.set_xlim((-1, 1))
+        ax3.set_ylim((-1, 1))
+        pp1 = mpatches.PathPatch(
+            mpath.Path([(0, 0), (1, 0), (1, 1), (0, 0)],
+                 [mpath.Path.MOVETO, mpath.Path.CURVE3,
+                  mpath.Path.CURVE3, mpath.Path.CLOSEPOLY]),
+            fc="none", transform=ax4.transData)
+        ax4.add_patch(pp1)
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     import nose
     nose.runmodule(argv=['-s', '--with-doctest'], exit=False)
diff --git a/matplotlibrc.template b/matplotlibrc.template
index 16c78d43967d..b4e602b846c5 100644
--- a/matplotlibrc.template
+++ b/matplotlibrc.template
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ backend      : %(backend)s
 #lines.linestyle   : -       # solid line
 #lines.color       : blue    # has no affect on plot(); see axes.prop_cycle
 #lines.marker      : None    # the default marker
-#lines.markeredgewidth  : 0.5     # the line width around the marker symbol
+#lines.markeredgewidth  : 1.0     # the line width around the marker symbol
 #lines.markersize  : 6            # markersize, in points
 #lines.dash_joinstyle : miter        # miter|round|bevel
 #lines.dash_capstyle : butt          # butt|round|projecting
@@ -97,8 +97,10 @@ backend      : %(backend)s
 # circles.  See
 # http://matplotlib.org/api/artist_api.html#module-matplotlib.patches
 # information on patch properties
-#patch.linewidth        : 1.0     # edge width in points
-#patch.facecolor        : blue
+#patch.linewidth        : None     # edge width in points.
+                                   # If None, use axes.linewidth when patch
+                                   # is not filled.
+#patch.facecolor        : b
 #patch.edgecolor        : black
 #patch.antialiased      : True    # render patches in antialiased (no jaggies)
 
@@ -377,6 +379,8 @@ backend      : %(backend)s
 #legend.frameon       : True   # whether or not to draw a frame around legend
 #legend.framealpha    : None    # opacity of of legend frame
 #legend.scatterpoints : 3 # number of scatter points
+#legend.facecolor     : inherit
+#legend.edgecolor     : k
 
 ### FIGURE
 # See http://matplotlib.org/api/figure_api.html#matplotlib.figure.Figure