diff --git a/holoviews/plotting/mpl/element.py b/holoviews/plotting/mpl/element.py
index 08e126f995..8b1124d1dc 100644
--- a/holoviews/plotting/mpl/element.py
+++ b/holoviews/plotting/mpl/element.py
@@ -424,6 +424,7 @@ def _set_axis_ticks(self, axis, ticks, log=False, rotation=0):
             tick.set_rotation(rotation)
 
 
+    @mpl_rc_context
     def update_frame(self, key, ranges=None, element=None):
         """
         Set the plot(s) to the given frame number.  Operates by
@@ -838,6 +839,7 @@ def initialize_plot(self, ranges=None):
                                    title=self._format_title(key))
 
 
+    @mpl_rc_context
     def update_frame(self, key, ranges=None, element=None):
         axis = self.handles['axis']
         if element is None:
diff --git a/holoviews/plotting/mpl/pandas.py b/holoviews/plotting/mpl/pandas.py
index 21f7947a35..4ab96e7ef2 100644
--- a/holoviews/plotting/mpl/pandas.py
+++ b/holoviews/plotting/mpl/pandas.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from ...core.options import Store
 from ...interface.pandas import DFrame, DataFrameView, pd
 from .element import ElementPlot
+from .plot import mpl_rc_context
 
 
 class DFrameViewPlot(ElementPlot):
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ def __init__(self, view, **params):
         if self.hmap.last.plot_type and 'plot_type' not in params:
             self.plot_type = self.hmap.last.plot_type
 
-
+    @mpl_rc_context
     def initialize_plot(self, ranges=None):
         element = self.hmap.last
         self._validate(element)
diff --git a/holoviews/plotting/mpl/plot.py b/holoviews/plotting/mpl/plot.py
index 06d65bfa13..333b973874 100644
--- a/holoviews/plotting/mpl/plot.py
+++ b/holoviews/plotting/mpl/plot.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import division
 
 from itertools import chain
+from contextlib import contextmanager
 
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib as mpl
@@ -19,12 +20,27 @@
 from .util import compute_ratios, fix_aspect
 
 
+@contextmanager
+def _rc_context(rcparams):
+    """
+    Context manager that temporarily overrides the pyplot rcParams.
+    """
+    old_rcparams = plt.rcParams.copy()
+    plt.rcParams.update(rcparams)
+    try:
+        yield
+    except:
+        pass
+    finally:
+        plt.rcParams = old_rcparams
+
 def mpl_rc_context(f):
     """
-    Applies matplotlib rc params while when method is called.
+    Decorator for MPLPlot methods applying the matplotlib rc params
+    in the plots fig_rcparams while when method is called.
     """
     def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        with mpl.rc_context(rc=self.fig_rcparams):
+        with _rc_context(self.fig_rcparams):
             return f(self, *args, **kwargs)
     return wrapper
 
diff --git a/holoviews/plotting/mpl/raster.py b/holoviews/plotting/mpl/raster.py
index 9f840b84d9..7b22b78284 100644
--- a/holoviews/plotting/mpl/raster.py
+++ b/holoviews/plotting/mpl/raster.py
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ def initialize_plot(self, ranges=None):
         kwargs = self._get_axis_kwargs()
         return self._finalize_axis(key, ranges=ranges, **kwargs)
 
-
+    @mpl_rc_context
     def update_frame(self, key, ranges=None):
         grid = self._get_frame(key)
         ranges = self.compute_ranges(self.layout, key, ranges)