diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst
index a34615e18dee..f1dbe3b2d2e2 100644
--- a/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst
+++ b/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ The following classes, methods, functions, and attributes are deprecated:
 The following rcParams are deprecated:
 - ``examples.directory`` (use ``datapath`` instead),
 - ``pgf.debug`` (the pgf backend relies on logging),
+- ``text.latex.unicode``,
 
 The following keyword arguments are deprecated:
 - passing ``verts`` to ``Axes.scatter`` (use ``marker`` instead),
diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-05-15-AL.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-05-15-AL.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..82422ec5500e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-05-15-AL.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+Changes regarding the text.latex.unicode rcParam
+````````````````````````````````````````````````
+
+The rcParam now defaults to True and is deprecated (i.e., in future versions
+of Maplotlib, unicode input will always be supported).
+
+Moreover, the underlying implementation now uses ``\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}``
+instead of ``\usepackage{ucs}\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}``.
diff --git a/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/tex_demo.py b/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/tex_demo.py
index 495ee4b3c583..f8683a825795 100644
--- a/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/tex_demo.py
+++ b/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/tex_demo.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib
 matplotlib.rcParams['text.usetex'] = True
-matplotlib.rcParams['text.latex.unicode'] = True
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 
 
diff --git a/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/usetex_baseline_test.py b/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/usetex_baseline_test.py
index 6d8b79177d17..0a72afab63e2 100644
--- a/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/usetex_baseline_test.py
+++ b/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/usetex_baseline_test.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 
 from matplotlib import rcParams
 rcParams['text.usetex'] = True
-rcParams['text.latex.unicode'] = True
 
 
 class Axes(maxes.Axes):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
index 29fc2f1388db..382ef4e6234c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
@@ -820,8 +820,10 @@ def gen_candidates():
     'axes.hold': ('2.1',),
     'backend.qt4': ('2.2',),
     'backend.qt5': ('2.2',),
+    'text.latex.unicode': ('3.0',),
 }
 
+
 _all_deprecated = {*_deprecated_map, *_deprecated_ignore_map}
 
 
@@ -881,7 +883,7 @@ def __setitem__(self, key, val):
                 val = alt_val(val)
             elif key in _deprecated_remain_as_none and val is not None:
                 version, = _deprecated_remain_as_none[key]
-                addendum = None
+                addendum = ''
                 if key.startswith('backend'):
                     addendum = (
                         "In order to force the use of a specific Qt binding, "
@@ -1241,21 +1243,33 @@ def rcdefaults():
         Use a specific style file.  Call ``style.use('default')`` to restore
         the default style.
     """
-    rcParams.clear()
-    rcParams.update(rcParamsDefault)
+    # Deprecation warnings were already handled when creating rcParamsDefault,
+    # no need to reemit them here.
+    with warnings.catch_warnings():
+        warnings.simplefilter("ignore", mplDeprecation)
+        rcParams.clear()
+        rcParams.update(rcParamsDefault)
 
 
 def rc_file_defaults():
     """Restore the rc params from the original rc file loaded by Matplotlib.
     """
-    rcParams.update(rcParamsOrig)
+    # Deprecation warnings were already handled when creating rcParamsOrig, no
+    # need to reemit them here.
+    with warnings.catch_warnings():
+        warnings.simplefilter("ignore", mplDeprecation)
+        rcParams.update(rcParamsOrig)
 
 
 def rc_file(fname):
     """
     Update rc params from file.
     """
-    rcParams.update(rc_params_from_file(fname))
+    # Deprecation warnings were already handled in rc_params_from_file, no need
+    # to reemit them here.
+    with warnings.catch_warnings():
+        warnings.simplefilter("ignore", mplDeprecation)
+        rcParams.update(rc_params_from_file(fname))
 
 
 class rc_context:
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/_classic_test.mplstyle b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/_classic_test.mplstyle
index c42222ad8f19..853b3481e4c7 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/_classic_test.mplstyle
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/_classic_test.mplstyle
@@ -109,8 +109,6 @@ text.usetex         : False  # use latex for all text handling. The following fo
                              # If another font is desired which can loaded using the
                              # LaTeX \usepackage command, please inquire at the
                              # matplotlib mailing list
-text.latex.unicode : False # use "ucs" and "inputenc" LaTeX packages for handling
-                           # unicode strings.
 text.latex.preamble :  # IMPROPER USE OF THIS FEATURE WILL LEAD TO LATEX FAILURES
                            # AND IS THEREFORE UNSUPPORTED. PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR HELP
                            # IF THIS FEATURE DOES NOT DO WHAT YOU EXPECT IT TO.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/classic.mplstyle b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/classic.mplstyle
index 94ae5bf7a4f3..6da7b07b27dd 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/classic.mplstyle
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/stylelib/classic.mplstyle
@@ -111,8 +111,6 @@ text.usetex         : False  # use latex for all text handling. The following fo
                              # If another font is desired which can loaded using the
                              # LaTeX \usepackage command, please inquire at the
                              # matplotlib mailing list
-text.latex.unicode : False # use "ucs" and "inputenc" LaTeX packages for handling
-                           # unicode strings.
 text.latex.preamble :  # IMPROPER USE OF THIS FEATURE WILL LEAD TO LATEX FAILURES
                            # AND IS THEREFORE UNSUPPORTED. PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR HELP
                            # IF THIS FEATURE DOES NOT DO WHAT YOU EXPECT IT TO.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index 594154b5e088..215b5665ee78 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -1100,7 +1100,7 @@ def _validate_linestyle(ls):
     # text props
     'text.color':          ['black', validate_color],
     'text.usetex':         [False, validate_bool],
-    'text.latex.unicode':  [False, validate_bool],
+    'text.latex.unicode':  [True, validate_bool],
     'text.latex.preamble': [[''], validate_stringlist],
     'text.latex.preview':  [False, validate_bool],
     'text.dvipnghack':     [None, validate_bool_maybe_none],
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/style/core.py b/lib/matplotlib/style/core.py
index 27cc8339c242..157c26d8ff13 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/style/core.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/style/core.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 import matplotlib as mpl
 from matplotlib import rc_params_from_file, rcParamsDefault
+from matplotlib.cbook import MatplotlibDeprecationWarning
 
 
 __all__ = ['use', 'context', 'available', 'library', 'reload_library']
@@ -98,7 +99,11 @@ def use(style):
         if not isinstance(style, str):
             _apply_style(style)
         elif style == 'default':
-            _apply_style(rcParamsDefault, warn=False)
+            # Deprecation warnings were already handled when creating
+            # rcParamsDefault, no need to reemit them here.
+            with warnings.catch_warnings():
+                warnings.simplefilter("ignore", MatplotlibDeprecationWarning)
+                _apply_style(rcParamsDefault, warn=False)
         elif style in library:
             _apply_style(library[style])
         else:
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_ps.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_ps.py
index fd0d192c3e38..ca6b53346308 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_ps.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_ps.py
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@
     needs_ghostscript(
         ('ps', False, {'ps.usedistiller': 'ghostscript'})),
     needs_usetex(needs_ghostscript(
-        ('ps', False, {'text.latex.unicode': True, 'text.usetex': True}))),
+        ('ps', False, {'text.usetex': True}))),
     ('eps', False, {}),
     ('eps', True, {'ps.useafm': True}),
     needs_usetex(needs_ghostscript(
-        ('eps', False, {'text.latex.unicode': True, 'text.usetex': True}))),
+        ('eps', False, {'text.usetex': True}))),
 ], ids=[
     'ps',
     'ps with distiller',
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_rcparams.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_rcparams.py
index 6a0040d1e0d8..020a8b1a6f84 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_rcparams.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_rcparams.py
@@ -463,7 +463,8 @@ def test_if_rctemplate_is_up_to_date():
             continue
         if k in deprecated:
             continue
-        if k.startswith(("verbose.", "examples.directory")):
+        if k.startswith(
+                ("verbose.", "examples.directory", "text.latex.unicode")):
             continue
         found = False
         for line in rclines:
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py b/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py
index 085a65f49e9a..aed767da0e76 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py
@@ -203,8 +203,7 @@ def make_tex(self, tex, fontsize):
 
         if rcParams['text.latex.unicode']:
             unicode_preamble = r"""
-\usepackage{ucs}
-\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}"""
+\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}"""
         else:
             unicode_preamble = ''
 
@@ -255,8 +254,7 @@ def make_tex_preview(self, tex, fontsize):
 
         if rcParams['text.latex.unicode']:
             unicode_preamble = r"""
-\usepackage{ucs}
-\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}"""
+\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}"""
         else:
             unicode_preamble = ''
 
diff --git a/matplotlibrc.template b/matplotlibrc.template
index cf777b901ec2..aa864b872998 100644
--- a/matplotlibrc.template
+++ b/matplotlibrc.template
@@ -225,8 +225,6 @@ backend      : $TEMPLATE_BACKEND
                               ## If another font is desired which can loaded using the
                               ## LaTeX \usepackage command, please inquire at the
                               ## matplotlib mailing list
-#text.latex.unicode : False ## use "ucs" and "inputenc" LaTeX packages for handling
-                            ## unicode strings.
 #text.latex.preamble :      ## IMPROPER USE OF THIS FEATURE WILL LEAD TO LATEX FAILURES
                             ## AND IS THEREFORE UNSUPPORTED. PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR HELP
                             ## IF THIS FEATURE DOES NOT DO WHAT YOU EXPECT IT TO.