diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index 162b364bdbe5..a2c71ecdaad6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -235,6 +235,12 @@ def validate_int_or_None(s):
         raise ValueError('Could not convert "%s" to int' % s)
 
 
+def validate_int_or_auto(s):
+    if s == 'auto':
+        return s
+    return validate_int(s)
+
+
 def validate_fonttype(s):
     """
     confirm that this is a Postscript of PDF font type that we know how to
@@ -1310,10 +1316,11 @@ def _validate_linestyle(ls):
     'xtick.minor.bottom':    [True, validate_bool],    # draw x axis bottom minor ticks
     'xtick.major.top':   [True, validate_bool],  # draw x axis top major ticks
     'xtick.major.bottom':    [True, validate_bool],    # draw x axis bottom major ticks
+    'xtick.minor.ndivs':  ['auto', validate_int_or_auto],   # sets ndivs value for x axis minor ticks
 
     # fontsize of the xtick labels
     'xtick.labelsize':   ['medium', validate_fontsize],
-    'xtick.direction':   ['out', validate_string],            # direction of xticks
+    'xtick.direction':   ['out', validate_string],  # direction of xticks
     'xtick.alignment': ["center", _validate_alignment],
 
     'ytick.left':        [True, validate_bool],  # draw ticks on the left side
@@ -1332,10 +1339,11 @@ def _validate_linestyle(ls):
     'ytick.minor.right':    [True, validate_bool],    # draw y axis right minor ticks
     'ytick.major.left':   [True, validate_bool],  # draw y axis left major ticks
     'ytick.major.right':    [True, validate_bool],    # draw y axis right major ticks
+    'ytick.minor.ndivs':  ['auto', validate_int_or_auto],   # sets ndivs value for y axis minor ticks
 
     # fontsize of the ytick labels
     'ytick.labelsize':   ['medium', validate_fontsize],
-    'ytick.direction':   ['out', validate_string],            # direction of yticks
+    'ytick.direction':   ['out', validate_string],  # direction of yticks
     'ytick.alignment': ["center_baseline", _validate_alignment],
 
     'grid.color':        ['#b0b0b0', validate_color],  # grid color
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
index 337cda1a84f4..985933b79681 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
@@ -2638,6 +2638,12 @@ def __init__(self, n=None):
 
     def __call__(self):
         'Return the locations of the ticks'
+        if self.ndivs is None:
+            if self.axis.__name__ == 'xaxis':
+                self.ndivs = rcParams['xtick.minor.ndivs']
+            elif self.axis.__name__ == 'yaxis':
+                self.ndivs = rcParams['ytick.minor.ndivs']
+
         if self.axis.get_scale() == 'log':
             cbook._warn_external('AutoMinorLocator does not work with '
                                  'logarithmic scale')
@@ -2653,7 +2659,7 @@ def __call__(self):
             # no ticks at all.
             return []
 
-        if self.ndivs is None:
+        if self.ndivs == 'auto':
 
             majorstep_no_exponent = 10 ** (np.log10(majorstep) % 1)
 
diff --git a/matplotlibrc.template b/matplotlibrc.template
index cf1e810af740..a5dd93176ce6 100644
--- a/matplotlibrc.template
+++ b/matplotlibrc.template
@@ -377,6 +377,7 @@
 #xtick.minor.top      : True   ## draw x axis top minor ticks
 #xtick.minor.bottom   : True   ## draw x axis bottom minor ticks
 #xtick.alignment      : center ## alignment of xticks
+#xtick.minor.ndivs    : auto   ## set ndivs value for x axis minor ticks
 
 #ytick.left           : True   ## draw ticks on the left side
 #ytick.right          : False  ## draw ticks on the right side
@@ -397,6 +398,7 @@
 #ytick.minor.left     : True   ## draw y axis left minor ticks
 #ytick.minor.right    : True   ## draw y axis right minor ticks
 #ytick.alignment      : center_baseline ## alignment of yticks
+#ytick.minor.ndivs    : auto   ## set ndivs value for y axis minor ticks
 
 #### GRIDS
 #grid.color       :   b0b0b0    ## grid color